Project Manager, SSH Consortium

ABOUT THE SSH Consortium (SSH-C)

The SSH-C has been funded to support Canada’s Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy, to strengthen Canada’s readiness for future pandemics or other health emergencies. The Consortium is one of four projects funded under Canada’s Immuno-Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub (CIEBH), one of five hubs funded by the Government of Canada, with the mission to harness research and training excellence of multidisciplinary, multisectoral partners to increase Canadian capacity to translate scientific discoveries into patient-ready treatments at rapid speed. Announcement: 

The SSH Consortium, as a key component of the CIEBH, will bring together leading social scientists from across Canada and globally to better understand and support confidence in, and equitable access to, vaccines and other immune-based innovations.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Project Manager (PM) provides leadership to the operations, knowledge mobilization, and engagement activities for the 4-year SSH Consortium, focused on staffing, program management, office and site management activities and preparation of key reports. Under the leadership of the SSH Consortium’s Co-Directors, the Program Manager will be responsible for financial management and reporting of a large-scale multi-year budget, in adherence with funding and ethics requirements. The PM assists the project leads in the administration of subcontracts with Consortium members, collaborators and partners, guidance and coordination of ethics approvals, and assesses variances from the project plans, budgets, and schedules. The PM manages the project budget, oversees the establishment and functioning of the research centre facilities, develops performance measurement indicators, and leads reporting to the CIEBH and funder. The PM is responsible for developing and implementing strategy and for providing operational leadership related to staffing, project management and office management activities. 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES  

1. Provides leadership and support to the Co-Directors by:

• Overseeing the administration and delivery of programs/services, including negotiating of venues, services, and contractors to ensure program expectations and financial considerations are clear.
• Liaising with SFU's Faculty of Health Sciences and VPR Office to manage matching or in-kind contributions and space allocations.
• Designing and managing the accounting framework, and developing and implementing the long-term financial plan in consultation with the Co-Directors.
• Managing financial administration (including general bookkeeping, AR/AP, budget variance tracking and reporting, expense processing, etc. and developing budget projections.
• Preparing and managing the operating budget in consultation with the Co-Directors; and approving all organization expenditures within budget parameters.
• Designing, developing and maintaining the digital architecture with other staff.
• Managing and overseeing policies and processes related to organizational governance, staffing, risk mitigation, expenses, conflict resolution, etc., to support organizational effectiveness and culture.
• Acting as the key liaison with SFU Finance to establish and revise financial policies and procedures, ensuring that all financial documentation, tracking of expenses and budgeting is accurate, up-to-date and in compliance with University and CIEBH policies as well as SSHRC grant policies.

2. Supports the development and implementation of the SSH Consortium’s overall strategy by:

• Leading the development of the annual plan, strategy development and evaluation.
• Working closely with the Co-Directors to develop a strategic business plan for operations and resources, including budget management and organizational integration.
• Consulting with the Co-Directors to ensure consistency between strategy and operations.
• Developing potential collaborations with the leads of funded projects of the four other Hubs.
• Liaising with Consortium members, collaborators, partners, the CIEBH and funder.
• Managing the administration of support for our research partners, including the Canadian Association of Science Centres, The Conversation Canada, and others.

3. In collaboration with the Co-Directors and program delivery teams, plans the annual budget cycles and ensures that the SSH Consortium commitments are achieved effectively and within budget by:

• Identifying requirements for all operations.
• Preparing the final budget for approval by the Co-Directors.
• Managing cross-program integration, scheduling, metrics tracking, and reporting.
• Collaborating with program delivery staff and researchers on project plans, deliverables and timelines.
• Providing program metrics and evaluation processes, including reporting to funders and partners.
• Acting as thought partner to collaboratively address problems and support strategic decision-making.

4. Plays a key role in building the SSH Consortium by:

• Collaborating with all program leads to support work plans, processes, procedures, and communication needs.
• Facilitating goal setting and evaluation processes and providing mentorship and guidance to staff
• Providing the framework and structure of support to the Co-Directors regarding strategy development and evaluation.
• Leading staffing activities including recruitment, training, professional development, performance evaluation and leading HR processes for hiring of staff and research assistants.
• Developing the framework for training programs, and coordinating team building events.
• Ensuring that the SSH-C is operationally effective as it grows in size and complexity.

5. Leads reporting and evaluation activities by:

• Building and managing systems for collecting qualitative and quantitative data on outputs (ie number of publications, media appearances, participants, etc.) and outcomes and impacts of all research activities.
• Facilitating the collection of appropriate data from program managers, researchers and other staff; and reporting on outcomes from their program areas.
• Leading the development of financial and non-financial metrics for inclusion on program and annual reports to internal/external stakeholders, including funders and various university partners and administrators.

6. Manages stakeholder relationships and external relations/community engagement activities by:

• Maintaining interdisciplinary and multi-sector partnerships within the SFU community and external agencies including the Advisory Committee, government, industry, community groups and research institutions and partners.
• Acting as a key point of contact in raising the profile of the SSH Consortium, reporting to funders, responding to inquiries, hosting visits and events.
• Liaising with stakeholders in promoting programs, research initiatives and soliciting feedback on existing programs and potential new programs.

7. Develops, formulates and implements community-engaged activities that are consistent with the overall strategic vision, provides direction for communications, engagement and recruitment activities by:

• Overseeing the planning, scheduling, resource allocation and other administrative procedures required for project implementation including: project milestones, key deadlines, and university approvals if needed.
• Identifying target audiences through research and consultation with project partners and leaders.
• Preparing annual reports and other reporting to the Co-Directors and the wider community.

Supervisory duties

Supervises staff by providing guidance and mentorship, ensuring appropriateness and currency of job responsibilities, recruitment and hiring for temporary staff, hiring staff, providing or directing the provision of training, evaluating performance, approving leaves of absence, and responding to grievances.

QUALIFICATIONS 

A bachelor’s degree in a cognate field is a minimum requirement, with a master’s degree preferred, and at least three years of related experience in the management of large research projects in a university, non-profit, foundation, or government setting. A Project Management Certification is strongly preferred, or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience:

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Excellent organizational and strategic and project management skills.
• Excellent decision-making skills.
• Excellent knowledge of university research practices and needs.
• Excellent knowledge of research ethics and partnership development.
• Strong ability to supervise and manage multidisciplinary staff.
• Budget planning and financial management skills.
• Excellent ability to work cooperatively and effectively with others.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Please send a cover letter and your curriculum vitae to sshc-info@sfu.ca. Please use the subject line: “Application for SSH-C Project Manager.” Applications without a cover letter will NOT be considered.

Review of applications will begin on May 20, 2024 and will continue until an appointment is made.

Note: There are two other positions currently in recruitment for this project. See