Director, Responsible Conduct of Research

**Director, Responsible Conduct of Research**:
The University of Saskatchewan's (USask) main campus is located in the vibrant city of Saskatoon on Treaty 6 territory and the traditional homeland of the Métis. USask is one of the top research-intensive, medical doctoral universities in Canada, and is home to **world-leading research** in areas of global importance, such as water and food security and infectious diseases.

The Office of the Vice-President Research (OVPR) provides visionary leadership and strategic direction to the university’s research, scholarly, and artistic works (RSAW) ecosystem/community. This is achieved by creating strategic partnerships, plans, and policies that together create a supportive research environment indicative of a world-class research-intensive university.

**Primary Purpose**: The Director, Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) develops strong relationships with leadership across the University to advance a culture of Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR); provides leadership to define, develop and implement institutional strategy to support RCR; leads the refinement and management of RCR policies and procedures, as informed by national and global trends; advises the designated Associate Vice President Research (AVPR), the Research Integrity Officer (RIO), Deans, Associate/Vice-Deans Research and Directors; and works with stakeholders to design, develop and deliver education, resources and tools to support RCR for all University members.

**Nature of Work**: Reporting to the Associate Vice President Research, the Director, RCR works collaboratively with the Associate Vice President Research, the Office of the Provost, Legal Office, Deans, A/VDRs and Directors. The work is challenging, evolving, complex and unstructured. Processes are time and topic sensitive, and require expert understanding of research and research compliance along with prioritizing and reconciling multiple priorities and competing interests. Professionalism, emotional intelligence, confidentiality, significant attention to detail, and ongoing interaction with senior administration is required, without deviation or disappointment. The ability and capability to effectively and positively interact with and influence people and their behaviors is essential. A highly developed awareness of and appreciation for research norms and ethics, publishing ethics, collective agreements and mediation is imperative.

**Duties and Accountabilities**:
**Cultural Change**
- Leads initiatives to advance a culture of RCR at USask.
- Influences and promotes RCR through the assessment and provision of tools for USask researchers and oversees the development and re-development of online and face-to-face training programs for researchers (Student, Staff and Faculty) and administrators.
- Provides strategic, high-level and specialist direction, and advice, to all levels of the organization regarding the principles of RCR and achievement of research integrity, consistent with the Tri-Agency Framework on Responsible Conduct of Research.

**Systems Improvement**
- Works with the OVPR, Legal Office, Governance and key institutional stakeholders to provide oversight (review, develop and revise/update) and to implement University policies, processes and procedures reflective of best practices in RCR.
- Provide support to long term human resource needs and planning.
- Leads ongoing improvement in policies, processes and procedures.

**Regulatory Compliance**
- Provides confidential, reliable advice and support to the Associate Vice-President Research, the Research Integrity Officer and Senior Administrators (ie. Deans), Guides the initial and overall assessment of RCR concerns and allegations of breaches of the RCR Policy during both Inquiries and Investigations, including the appointment of Hearing Boards and support in their investigative processes. Alignment with collective agreements and federal government requirements. This trusted guidance and support extends to USask senior leadership in the consideration of consequences.
- Monitors and is responsible for submitting reports on breaches of the RCR Policy and other RCR activity to relevant committees including the Office of the Vice-President Research, Research Scholarly, and Artistic Works, University Council, the Tri-Agency Secretariat on Responsible Conduct of Research (SRCR) and the U.S. Office of Research Integrity.Works with and advises the Governance Office to appoint Appeal Hearing Boards and support them in their processes.
- Supervises and directs administrative staff in the ongoing work of the RCR Team.
- Supervises the curation of all documents and evidence associated with complaints, Inquiries and Investigations, while maintaining the utmost integrity of evidence and confidentiality.
- Serves as the initial and trusted contact for our institution in interactions with the Tri-Agency Secretariat on Responsible Conduct of Research (SRCR), as well as for other academic i