PEHDZEH KI/WRIGLEY
Pehdzeh Ki First Nation (PKFN) went further afield than normal when looking for a new band manger with the qualifications they wanted.

Pehdzeh Ki First Nation found its new band manager, Mark Macneill, by using an online service for the first time. - photo courtesy of Mark Macneill

Mark Macneill started work in Wrigley March 16. He has two Masters of Laws, a Bachelor of Laws, Master of Public Administration and a Master of Business Administration, just to name some of his seven degrees, not to mention his work experience in both Canada and the US.

When looking to fill the position, PKFN wanted someone with experience in a wide range of areas including municipal laws and practices, human resources and financial management, as well as an MBA at the minimum.

"Running a First Nation is like running a small business," said D'Arcy J. Moses, who has been the band's acting band manger since last May.

To get the right applicant, PKFN used Employment Office, a Vancouver-based business that gives employers the tools and support they want, including a recruitment webpage, to fill their positions. It was the first time the First Nation has used an online service to hire a band manager.

"We thought, gee, let's just think outside the box and try something new," Moses said.

"We had SAOs apply from all across the country."

The First Nation used Employment Office's shortlisting services to narrow the candidates from 10 to five to three before hiring Macneill.

"He's on a very steep learning curve," Moses said.

Macneill was born in Boston, but considers his home to be Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. Macneill said he's always been interested in the North. It's an area with a great potential for growth, he said.

This is Macneill's first position as a band manager, but he has held a wide variety of jobs including a field specialist with the Internal Revenue Service, an investment advisor with BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., and a consultant lobbyist with the Inverness South Fishermen's Association, along with owning two bars in Nova Scotia.

Macneill also has experience related to First Nations, including being a manager of administration and operations for the Indian Residential Schools Adjudication Secretariat in 2010 and the executive director of Norway House First Nation's development corporation in Manitoba in the early 1990s.

"I have a diverse skill set that I bring," he said.

"Pehdzeh Ki First Nation needs someone with that mix."

For now, Macneill is getting up to speed on the band's inner workings and familiarizing himself with funding arrangements. He is also developing ideas to bring to PKFN's leadership, including accessing funding for training and education.

Wrigley could become a key stopping point if the Mackenzie Valley highway is built, but there are few people with the qualifications to run local services like the hotel, he said.

Macneill is also looking at potential economic opportunities the First Nation could pursue.