Coordinator, Research Program & Operations

Job Summary

Canada's Immuno-Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub (CIEBH) is a national coalition hosted at the University of British Columbia that brings together more than 60 academic, industry, public health, and not-for-profit partners to accelerate the development and manufacturing of lifesaving immune-based medicines. Through an integrated program of biomedical innovation, talent development, and infrastructure expansion, CIEBH is advancing next-generation vaccines, antibodies, and cell and gene therapies with the goal of enabling Canada to develop, manufacture, and test homegrown therapeutics in under 100 days in response to future pandemics and emerging health threats. CIEBH is one of five pan-Canadian research hubs established under Canada's Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy and is supported by multiple federal funding streams including the Canada Biomedical Research Fund (CBRF) and funds from Health Emergency Readiness Canada (HERC).

The Coordinator, Research Program & Operations supports the planning, coordination, and delivery of CIEBH programs, partnerships, and strategic initiatives. The position undertakes research and analysis, contributes to grants, reports, and other program deliverables, and works with internal and external partners to support effective implementation. The role operates in a dynamic, multi-partner environment and exercises judgment in managing assigned responsibilities and competing priorities. This is a hybrid role: office hours and days may vary dependent on operational needs such as special meetings, event days, work type and workload. The incumbent plays an integral role in maintaining CIEBH's operational effectiveness and ensuring its visibility among national and international partners, government funders, academic collaborators, and public audiences.

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, bringing the brightest minds to our community.

Organizational Status
The University of British Columbia is a global centre for research and teaching, consistently ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world. Since 1915, UBC’s entrepreneurial spirit has embraced innovation and challenged the status quo. UBC encourages its students, staff and faculty to challenge convention, lead discovery and explore new ways of learning. At UBC, bold thinking is given a place to develop into ideas that can change the world.

Our Vision: To Transform Health for Everyone

Ranked among the world’s top medical schools with the fifth-largest MD enrollment in North America, the UBC Faculty of Medicine is a leader in both the science and the practice of medicine. Across British Columbia, more than 12,000 faculty and staff are training the next generation of doctors and health care professionals, making remarkable discoveries, and helping to create the pathways to better health for our communities at home and around the world.

The Faculty—comprised of approximately 2,200 administrative support, technical/research and management and professional staff, as well approximately 650 full-time academic and over 10,000 clinical faculty members—is composed of 19 academic basic science and/or clinical departments, 3 schools, and 25 research centres and institutes. Together with its University and Health Authority partners, the Faculty delivers innovative programs and conducts research in the areas of health and life sciences. Faculty, staff and trainees are located at university campuses, clinical academic campuses in hospital settings and other regionally based centres across the province.

The UBC Vancouver Campus is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) people. The City of Vancouver is located on Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations territory.

This position reports to the Manager, Strategic Initiatives at CIEBH and works collaboratively with the Senior Manager, CIEBH and other CIEBH and the office of research team members at the Faculty of Medicine.

Work Performed
Program Coordination and Facilitation

• Coordinate activities across assigned CIEBH programs and initiatives, working with internal teams and external partners to establish requirements, clarify responsibilities, monitor dependencies, and support timely delivery.
• Facilitates collaboration among internal and external partners by communicating program requirements, coordinating stakeholder contributions, documenting decisions, and ensuring agreed-upon actions are completed.
• Research, analyze, and synthesize program, funding, policy, and ecosystem information to support program development, planning, and decision-making.
• Identify and assess program risks, dependencies, delays, gaps, or emerging issues requiring attention, and make recommendations to mitigate the issues to the Strategic Initiatives Manager as appropriate.
• Contribute directly to the research, development, and writing of grant applications, proposals, concept papers, and other program-related submissions.
• Analyze program and operational information to identify trends and areas for improvement, and provide recommendations to support program delivery and planning.
• Develop and implement continuous improvement of program frameworks, processes, workflows, and standard operating procedures.
• Exercise independent judgment in prioritizing activities, managing competing demands, and navigating ambiguity across a complex, multi-partner environment.

Funding, Reporting and Communications Coordination

• Manage the financial and administrative processes, related to assigned programs, grants, and funding activities, including analyzing financial information, monitoring expenditures against approved budgets, coordinating reporting and procurement requirements, ensuring compliance with UBC and funder requirements, and identifying, reconciling, or escalating discrepancies and issues as appropriate.
• Develop and manage funder reporting activities, including interpreting reporting requirements, coordinating and synthesizing contributions from multiple stakeholders, monitoring reporting timelines, and preparing and editing reports and related documentation.
• Research and analyze funding opportunities, government priorities, and relevant developments within the life sciences and biomanufacturing ecosystem, and identify potential implications and opportunities for CIEBH programs and initiatives.
• Coordinates the development and delivery of internal and external program communications, including preparing and editing presentations, reports, briefing materials, and program documentation to ensure information is accurate, consistent, and aligned with established program priorities.
• Maintain current information on partners, stakeholders, and related activities to facilitate program coordination, reporting, communications, and engagement .
• Perform other related tasks and duties consistent with evolving operational needs of CIEBH as deemed necessary or upon request

Consequence of Error/Judgement
The Coordinator exercises sound judgment, discretion and initiative in managing and coordinating program and operational activities across CIEBH. The role requires high level of attention to detail, organization, and the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines in a fast-paced environment. Errors or omissions in coordination, documentation, or communication may result in delays in project timelines, inefficiencies in workflows, or the need for rework, and may affect the quality of communications and partner relationships. Inaccurate or incomplete information may impact reporting, planning, and decision-making processes.

The Coordinator is expected to identify, assess, and escalate risks, inconsistencies, or issues in a timely manner, supporting effective resolution and alignment with program priorities and UBC policies and procedures. The role involves handling sensitive administrative, operational, and partnership-related information and require high degree of confidentiality, professionalism, and discretion.

This position is performed under the direction of the Strategic Initiatives Manager, and issues are addressed through regular review, guidance, and team-based coordination. The Coordinator is expected to operate independently on day-to-day activities, exercise judgment in prioritizing work, managing competing demands, and adapting to evolving program needs; while seeking guidance on complex or non-routine matters.

Supervision Received
The Coordinator works independently under the direction of the Strategic Initiatives Manager, CIEBH, who provides day-to-day supervision, sets priorities, and reviews work for achievement of objectives, quality of outputs, and alignment with CIEBH operational priorities. The Coordinator works collaboratively with all members of the CIEBH team and other office of research team members to support Hub-wide priorities and escalate issues of complexity, sensitivity, or strategic significance through the Strategic Initiatives Manager, as appropriate. The incumbent is expected to exercise independent judgment on routine matters and seek guidance when priorities, risks, or decisions require clarification.

Supervision Given
This position does not have formal supervisory responsibility for other staff. The incumbent may provide functional guidance to student employees, volunteers, or co-op students engaged on CIEBH projects as required.

Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of two 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

Education

• Undergraduate degree in life sciences, health sciences, business administration, or related field. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

Experience

• Minimum of two to three years of relevant experience in program coordination, administrative or program support or a comparable role, preferably in an academic, healthcare, or research environment.
• Experience coordinating programs, operational activities, or administrative processes in an academic, healthcare, research, or similar environment.
• Experience coordinating multiple concurrent activities, prioritizing competing demands, and supporting deadlines in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Experience coordinating meetings, workshops, training sessions, or events, including scheduling, logistics, preparation of materials, and follow-up activities.
• Experience providing administrative and operational support, including maintaining records, managing documentation, and supporting internal processes.
• Experience supporting financial and administrative processes, including procurement, invoice processing, reimbursements, expense tracking, or coordination with finance teams.
• Experience supporting grant-funded programs, reporting activities, or administrative aspects of research initiatives is an asset.
• Familiarity with UBC systems, administrative processes, document management platforms, collaboration tools, or experience working in a similar institutional environment, is an asset.
• Experience working in a health research, biotechnology, life sciences, public health, or biomedical research environment is an asset.
• Experience supporting coordination activities within a complex, collaborative environment involving multiple teams and partner organizations is an asset.

Skills and Abilities

• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English, with the ability to prepare clear and concise emails, summaries, correspondence, and supporting documentation for a range of audiences.
• Strong organizational and coordination skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks, track priorities, follow up on action items, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse internal and external partners, including researchers, administrative staff, and collaborators, with professionalism and sound judgment in day-to-day interactions.
• Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships within a team and across functional areas.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, reliability, and ability to follow through on tasks and action items while maintaining accurate documentation.
• Demonstrated initiative and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work independently while seeking guidance as needed.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365 applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and SharePoint, and familiarity with document management or collaboration tools.
• Awareness of equity, diversity, and inclusion principles and demonstrated ability to work respectfully and effectively within diverse teams and environments.

Equity and Diversity Statement

UBC hires on the basis of merit and is strongly committed to equity and diversity within its community. We especially welcome applications from visible minority group members, women, Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, and others with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.