Senior Research Manager

Staff - Non Union

Job Category
M&P - AAPS

Job Profile
AAPS Salaried - Research and Facilitation, Level C

Job Title
Senior Research Manager

Department
Administrative Management | Department of Medicine

Compensation Range
$6,551.00 - $9,418.83 CAD Monthly

The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

Posting End Date
April 23, 2024

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the Posting End Date above.

Job End Date

This position is located within a health-care facility, therefore, the successful candidate will be required to provide verification of full vaccination against Covid-19 provided prior to the start date, as required by a provincial health mandate.

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career. 

JOB SUMMARY

This position is responsible for providing leadership and strategic direction to the Department of Medicine’s (DOM) Research Office in the development, implementation and management of innovative research development programs and services for the Department, and in the development and submission of competitive, high-value research and education proposals in collaboration with Department leadership and researchers. This role engages stakeholders within UBC and at partner organizations, including research institutes, funding agencies as well as regional health authorities and the BC Ministry of Health. The Research Office supports and develops initiatives and grants that are in alignment with the Department’s strategic plan. This role includes identifying interdisciplinary research synergies, matching funding opportunities and working with teams of faculty and external researchers and other stakeholders to develop new initiatives and highly competitive funding proposals. The responsibilities of this position encompass the creation of strategic research proposals, developing new partnerships and initiatives, designing related research support services, including training, resources, consultations and outreach, as well as providing operational support and authoritative information on administrative processes.  

ORGANIZATIONAL STATUS

This position reports to the Associate Head, Research and receives work direction from the Head, Department of Medicine and Director of Administration. The incumbent works largely with the Department of Medicine as well as with other UBC Faculties, Departments and Schools.

WORK PERFORMED

• Provides leadership and direction on DOM research administration and operational activities. Collaborates with department leadership and central UBC units as needed, ensuring that Research Office activities align with strategic priorities.
• Manages research activities and strategies for the Department of Medicine, offering expert guidance on university, Faculty of Medicine, and funding agency processes. Drafts briefs for stakeholders on research processes, challenges, and opportunities, and collaborates with department leadership to implement programs such as reviewing operating proposals with the aim of improving the research funding success of the department.
• Oversees department-wide initiatives in response to major funding calls. Leads the development of individual high-dollar value and high impact funding proposals (e.g. CFI).
• Identifies new funding opportunities for DOM faculty members, with an emphasis on clinical faculty at distributed sites.
• Leads the development of research proposals across diverse research areas including clinical faculty at distributed sites.
• Directs the delivery of DASH educational offerings in areas of strategic focus.
• Fosters research excellence through partnership collaborations on and off campus.
• Leads high-level meetings and initiatives to increase DOM research outcomes including increased funding success and increased collaboration across distributed sites and campuses (UBC-O and UBC-V).  
• Leads research development staff and student workers who support the DASH (Data Science and Health Research Cluster) initiatives. This includes designing and implementing research orientation resources for staff, as well as training staff.
• Provides functional leadership to multi-disciplinary teams from various units within DOM and across the University related to DASH and its initiatives.                                         

CONSEQUENCE OF ERROR/JUDGEMENT

A high degree of judgment and initiative is required to manage an effective review process of research proposals at the University. Tact and diplomacy are essential to foster faculty researcher buy-in. Incorrect management could result in an ineffective system that is not supported by the DOM, investigators or reviewers, thereby limiting the DOM’s ability to compete effectively in funding agency competitions. Research grant applications that are not reviewed or processed properly may result in a loss of funding or may commit the University to unacceptable award conditions. The potential losses may vary from a few thousand to multi-million dollar arrangements.
Poor management or improper decisions could compromise the success of research at the University, and could damage the reputations of DOM and the University.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Reports to the Associate Head, Research in the Department of Medicine. Works with wide latitude and from generally defined goals from the Department of Medicine’s Strategic Plan. The successful candidate will be expected to be a self-starter and work independently, with minimum supervision. They will require resourcefulness in identifying opportunities and challenges and pursuing them independently, reporting regularly to the Associate Head, Research and updating the Department Head as needed. Additionally, the successful candidate will need to be comfortable working in an environment that requires flexibility and adaptability to respond to shifting and emerging priorities.

SUPERVISION GIVEN

Provides direction and technical knowledge to the Research Office team including student workers, and will provide functional direction to staff working with the DOM on research initiatives. Works with the larger DOM Administration Office team on strategic projects.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
For research work, a post-graduate degree or equivalent professional designation with a minimum of four years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Otherwise, an undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline is required with a minimum of six years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in a Canadian University environment, particularly in health research and research administration 
• PhD in a relevant area a strong asset
• Proven mastery of English grammar, punctuation and grant funding writing style
• Ability to plan and lead new projects
• Ability to supervise a team. Direct experience with supervising professional staff a significant asset
• Ability to effectively manage multiple tasks and priorities
• Ability to read difficult or complicated text analytically and critically and summarize relevant information in succinct and precise English
• Excellent verbal communicator with ability to give effective presentations
• Ability to deconstruct funding program guidelines into clear descriptions of actions and essential steps
• Ability to develop and maintain cooperative and productive working relationships with groups and individuals such as senior level academics, researchers, UBC administration, government agencies, external stakeholders and partners is essential
• Experience with identifying academic partnership opportunities, and serving as an effective liaison to bring those relationships to fruition
• Ability to identify common research interests and potential synergies, and engage multiple internal stakeholders to build strong research teams and strengthened research funding applications
• Experience with strategic planning and project planning
• Ability to prioritize and work effectively under pressure to meet deadlines
• Ability to work effectively independently and in a team environment