Contracts Management Specialist

**Make a difference in brain research and innovation in Ontario**

The Ontario Brain Institute (OBI) is a provincially‐funded, not‐for‐profit initiative seeking to maximize the impact of neuroscience and establish Ontario as a world leader in brain discovery, commercialization and care. Convergent partnerships are created between researchers, clinicians, industry, patients, and their advocates to foster discovery and deliver innovative products and services that improve the lives of those living with brain disorders.

The OBI is passionate about the outcomes of its work, the people and organizations it partners with, and the opportunity to play a role in shaping the future. Its members are united in the common goal to improve brain health. The culture is fast-paced, challenging and rewarding.

**Contracts Management Specialist - 1 position**

OBI is looking for a Contracts Management Specialist to lead the management and coordination of OBI’s contracts portfolio, including Research, Informatics, Commercialization, Outreach and Operations. The Contracts Management Specialist will play an active role in the pre-award process providing planning, technical and administrative support to staff and will also ensure that post-award compliance is maintained, including contract execution, monitoring, reporting, budgeting and performance measures.

**Responsibilities**:

- Develop and implement effective policies, processes, procedures and systems to support the operational effectiveness of the contracting function for research and operations requirements
- Maintain a contracts database and utilize Smart Simple and other tools to compile reporting and identify issues for resolution
- Manage record keeping for all contract-related correspondence & documentation, ensuring accurate, consistent and efficient workflows
- Monitor contract files and coordinate with stakeholders to ensure contractual requirements are met
- Maintain the standard contract templates currently used across the organization to ensure compliance with current approaches and consistency with our funding agreements
- Ensure contract extensions, renewals, close-out and payment authorizations are completed in a timely and efficient manner
- Follow up with academic institutions and other partners/stakeholders/suppliers to collect outstanding information and reports
- Collect and compile reports for review by OBI staff, including the tracking of milestones, budget compliance and performance measures
- Draft, evaluate, negotiate and prepare contracts for execution
- Liase with legal advisors in the preparation of contracts and in resolving contractual issues
- Procurement of goods and services (often using an RFP process). This includes researching vendors, compiling information from staff, preparing the Request for Proposal, responding to questions, assembling working groups to evaluate proposals and completion of the RFP process by contacting proponents and conducting a review if required
- Participate in working groups and other duties as required

**Qualifications**:

- A minimum of 5 years’ experience and strong knowledge of and experience in contracts management.
- Experience in an academic grants management setting or a research environment, including budgeting and financial reporting.
- Experience in procurement and the RFP process and working knowledge of the Ontario Government’s Broader Public Sector Procurement guidelines.
- Experience leading and influencing a team without authority, leading large multi-disciplinary teams, and driving teams to accomplish deliverables within deadlines.
- Excellent communication (written and oral), organization, project management, negotiation, consultation, analytical, leadership and presentations skills.
- Strong stakeholder relationship management skills to work effectively and collaboratively with colleagues and external stakeholders.
- Flexibility and resilience to respond to tight deadlines, competing priorities and communicate in difficult situations, sometimes to critical audiences.
- Ability to be proactive, prioritize, manage large amounts of information.

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

Ontario Brain Institute is committed to providing accommodations for applicants at any stage of the recruitment and hiring process in accordance with Ontario Brain Institute policy, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code. Should you require accommodation, please notify us and we will work with you to provide appropriate accommodations.
- The Ontario Brain Institute is an independent, not-for-profit corporation funded in part by the Government of Ontario._