Building Your Project Team

Roles, Governance, and Decision-Making for Nation-Led Projects

For Nation leadership, Economic Development Officers, and project coordinators who are setting up the team structure for a clean energy, infrastructure, or economic development project.

This guide covers:

• the core roles needed
• how to structure governance and decision-making
• when to bring in external support
• how to avoid the most common team-building mistakes

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INTRODUCTION

People make projects work

The most technically sound, well-funded project will stall or fail if the team behind it is not clear on roles, authority, and process. This is especially true for Nation-led projects, where the team often spans internal staff, elected leadership, community members, and external partners, each with different responsibilities and different levels of authority.

Getting the team structure right is not about creating bureaucracy. It is about ensuring that everyone involved knows what they are responsible for, who makes which decisions, and how information flows between the people doing the work and the people accountable to the community.

This guide provides a practical framework for building a project team that can take a Nation-led project from planning through implementation. It is not a one-size-fits-all template. Every Nation’s governance structure is different, and the right team structure depends on the project’s size, complexity, and the capacity available. But the core principles apply across contexts.

CORE ROLES

Who you need and why

Not every project needs every role listed here. Smaller projects may combine several roles into one person. Larger projects may need additional positions.

The key is that every function is covered, even if one person handles multiple functions.

On external roles‍

Technical advisors, legal advisors, and sometimes financial leads may be external to the Nation. The critical thing is that external advisors report to the Nation’s project team, not the other way around. The Nation sets the direction. External experts provide the specialized knowledge to execute it.

GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE

How decisions get made

Clear governance is the difference between a project that moves forward confidently and one that stalls every time a decision is needed. 

The governance structure should answer three questions: 

1. Who makes which decisions? 
2. What process do they follow? 
3. How does information flow between the project team and Nation leadership?

Three levels of decision-making

Most Nation-led projects benefit from defining three distinct levels of authority. Each level has its own scope, and decisions should be made at the appropriate level rather than escalating everything to the top.

Defining these levels at the start prevents two common problems. First, it stops every small decision from requiring council approval, which slows the project down. Second, it ensures that major decisions are not made by the project team without proper authority, which can create governance issues and undermine community trust.

Information flow

The project coordinator should provide regular updates to governance leadership. The frequency depends on the project’s pace, but monthly written updates and quarterly in-person briefings are a common baseline. Updates should cover progress against milestones, budget status, upcoming decisions, and any risks or issues that need attention.

Information should also flow from leadership back to the project team. If council priorities shift, if community feedback raises concerns, or if new opportunities emerge, the project team needs to know promptly. Governance is not just oversight. It is a two-way channel.

BUILDING CAPACITY

Growing your team over time

Many Nations begin a project with limited internal capacity. That is not a reason to delay. It is a reason to design the project team so that capacity grows as the project progresses.

Start with what you have

If you have one person available to coordinate the project, start there. Define their role clearly, support them with external advisors where needed, and build additional capacity over time. Waiting until you have a full team before starting is how many projects never begin.

Use the project itself as a training ground

Every project creates opportunities to build skills. Procurement processes teach financial management. Community engagement builds communication and facilitation capacity. Working alongside technical advisors transfers specialized knowledge. Design the project so these learning opportunities are intentional, not accidental.

Plan for transitions

People move on. If all project knowledge lives in one person’s head, the project is vulnerable. Document processes, decisions, and key relationships as the project progresses. Spending time honing your documentation process is key. Ensure that at least two people understand any critical function. This is not about distrust. It is about resilience.

Include youth and emerging leaders

Projects are an opportunity to develop the next generation of community leadership. Include younger staff or community members in project roles, even in a supporting capacity. The experience they gain today becomes the institutional knowledge that carries future projects forward.

COMMON MISTAKES

What to watch for

No clear project lead

When no single person is accountable for keeping the project moving, tasks fall through the cracks, deadlines slip, and no one feels empowered to push things forward. Even if the role is part-time, someone needs to own the project’s progress.

Governance gaps between council and project team

If the project team is working without regular connection to council or leadership, they may make decisions that do not align with community priorities. If council is involved in every small decision, the project slows to a crawl. Finding the right balance requires defining decision authority clearly at the start.

Not budgeting for the team

Project teams need resources. Coordinator salaries, travel costs, training, and administrative support are real project expenses that should be included in budgets and funding applications. Expecting staff to manage a major project on top of their existing responsibilities without additional support is a recipe for burnout and delays.

CHECKLIST

Is your project team ready?

Use this checklist to assess whether your team structure is in place before a project moves into active implementation.

• A project champion with authority and willingness to advocate for the project has been identified.
• A project coordinator has been assigned with clearly defined responsibilities and adequate time allocation.
• Governance roles are defined, including which decisions require council approval and which are delegated.
• A community engagement plan exists with a designated community liaison.
• External technical, legal, and financial advisors have been identified or engaged.
• Reporting and information flow between the project team and governance leadership is defined.
• Decision-making authority is documented at strategic, project, and operational levels.
• Budgeting includes funding for team roles, capacity building, and administration.
• Key processes and decisions are being documented as the project progresses.
• A plan exists for knowledge transfer and continuity if team members change.

Working with Unify Partners

We help Nations build project teams that are right-sized for the work ahead. Whether you need help defining governance structures, finding the right external advisors, or building internal capacity over time, reach out at unifypartners.ca. We stay involved as your team grows.