Project Coordinator

This competition is open to all applicants however internal candidates and applicants who were former employees of the University of Alberta in the past 18 months will be given priority consideration before external candidates. Please indicate your internal status using the "Advertisement" drop down menu when applying.

This Project Coordinator position has an end date of one year and a day from the date of hire with the possibility of extension and offers a comprehensive benefits package which can be viewed at: Faculty & Staff Benefits .

Reporting directly to the Director of Institute for Oil Sands Innovation IOSI (“Centre”), this position provides the Research program, administrative and financial support. The Project Coordinator performs multiple tasks related to different aspects of Centre management including accounting support to IOSI.

Centre Administration (40%)

• Central point of contact for all stakeholders, including governing boards and sub-committees, PIs and partners.
• Supports business aspects of multiple research areas. Assists with research agreement negotiations and discussions.
• Provides executive-level support to projects/initiatives. Designs resource plans, coordinates aspects of finance, human resources facilities, communications, and business processes. Sets up and oversees project accounts and extensions.
• Implements IOSI policies and procedures according to the Foundation Agreement and other relevant agreements, including Research Service Agreements with principal investigators (PIs); coordinates compliance of the IOSI projects with the said policies and procedures; identifies occurring and potential incompliance and escalates issues to the Centre Director
• Coordinates the framework for program logistical operations and ensures smooth operations for the on-time delivery of various office and program services such as resources coordination, contracts, and operational and administrative protocols that are essential to the overall delivery of IOSI
• Fosters and coordinates communication and required documents exchange between IOSI stakeholders, PIs, and IOSI laboratory
• Liaises with Research Service Office to set up Research Service Agreements, payment schedule, and invoicing
• Coordinates day to day program operations
• Provides administrative support to the Director of IOSI; assists Centre Director in the preparation of reports; drafts meeting agendas and minutes; follows up on action items
• Solicits and collects required reports and other documentation from PIs, ensures compliance with the IOSI policies and procedures
• Develops plans, guidelines, and flowcharts for all operations under the guidance of the Director of IOSI
• Facilitates processes for administration and execution of research activities and reporting, such as award notice letters and notices of intent
• Organizes and maintains program files and databases, ensuring accuracy and accessibility for day to day use and potential auditing; solicits required information from PIs
• Maintains and updates office and program protocol documents
• Maintains a comprehensive, long range schedule of program operations and activities
• Collects performance metrics information from PIs; develops and maintains relevant database
• Identifies and assesses internal and external issues that affect the program and implements business and operational plans to address them
• Identifies management practices to ensure optimization of operations and ensures that each key risk is properly controlled and monitored
• Receives, reviews, prioritizes, and processes all communications and requests and sorts those needing the Director's attention; may autonomously respond to requests for information on various activities and programs; makes necessary arrangements, prepares responses or materials as appropriate, or redirects as appropriate • Ensures appropriate follow-up to all outstanding requests.
• Prepares correspondence, reports, forms, and other materials required for effective program operations
• Manages and updates IOSI website (no programming skills required)

Auditing, Risk Mitigation and Financial Administration (30%)

• Develops an internal audit checklist to identify common risks and desired controls. Ensures appropriate internal controls are in place to meet financial audit requirements. Liaises with internal partners in areas related to safety and risk management, and financial control.
• Establishes the current level of effectiveness of initiatives and, where appropriate, suggests improvements to PIs and research leaders. Implements standards for future performance.
• Describes the key risks facing the business activities of each initiative within the scope of the audit.
• Identifies management practices used to ensure optimization of operations and ensures that each key risk is properly controlled and monitored.
• Manages all aspects of IOSI finance processes and accounts
• Uses eTRAC for the preparation of budgets and financial tracking; provides information to the
• Centre Director for accurate forecasting on spending
• Responsible for annual, quarterly and monthly financial reports to IOSI stakeholders and project
• PIs, account reconciliation, expense reports and invoices
• Identifies key risks and escalates issues to the IOSI Director
• Organizes and maintains financial program files, summaries and databases, ensuring accuracy and accessibility for day to day use and potential auditing
• Provides financial support and guidance to IOSI Laboratory and its staff
• Acts as main contact for procurement and ordering, contract set-up in SMS, identifies discrepancies and contact suppliers
• Reconciles financial statements including the receipt and prices of goods and services from various suppliers
• Sets up research accounts; liaises with Research Service office to coordinate payment schedules and invoices
• Maintains and reconciles the corporate credit cards

Travel and Visitor Arrangement (5%)

• Makes travel arrangement for the PIs, members of IOSI, including flights, accommodations, and ground level as requested
• Completes Foreign Visitor Category Assessments, invitations and documents and communicates with the Immigration department and central HR
• Prepares and submits travel and expense claims for Ps, members of IOSI and visitors that are compliant with UAPPOL policy

Event Organization (25%)

• Organizes IOSI in-person, virtual or one-to-one workshops, seminars, committee meetings, stewardships and other events, which includes, but not limited to:
• Helps arrange pre-event requirements such as room booking, scheduling, announcements, financial and logistical aspects, preparing documents and materials, installing adequate software of computers, etc.
• Coordinates procedures for the meeting compliance with the protection of confidential and potential new IP information, as well as with FOIP act
• Supports IOSI Director and participants throughout the event; this includes contacting participants, answering general queries, coordinating activities, taking attendance, and general administrative duties
• Takes minutes and does follow-up as required
• Arranges catering for events such as meetings and workshops including set up and take down, as well as returning equipment to designated storage in compliance with events standards and instructions

Qualifications

• University degree in Finance, Business Administration, or related field
• 3-5 years of related experience preferably in a post-secondary environment
• Computer proficiency in MS Office applications, PeopleSoft, eTRAC, Gmail, Google Docs and video/web conferencing tools (zoom, google meet)
• Proven communication, proactivity, organizational, problem-solving and time-management skills

COVID-19 Vaccination: Proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 in compliance with the University’s COVID-19 Vaccination Directive. Fully Vaccinated means a status an individual achieves 14 days after having received the recommended number of doses of a COVID-19 vaccine approved by Health Canada or the World Health Organization, and requires the individual to maintain the recommended number and type of vaccine doses as updated and required by Health Canada thereafter.

Note: Online applications are accepted until midnight Mountain Standard Time of the closing date.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those individuals selected for an interview will be contacted.