Director, Sponsored Research Services

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Job Type : Employee

Employee

Duration in Months (for fixed-term jobs) :

N / A

Job Family :

Research and Program Support

of Open Positions :

Faculty / Service - Department :

Research Management Services

Campus : Main Campus

Main Campus

Union Affiliation : N / A

N / A

Date Posted : April 08, 2024

April 08, 2024

Closing Date : May 08, 2024

May 08, 2024

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

Hours per week : Salary Grade :

Salary Grade : Non-Union Grade NM3

Non-Union Grade NM3

Salary Range :

$118,010.00 - $143,659.00The University of Ottawa

A crossroads of cultures and ideas The University of Ottawa is home to a dynamic community of over 50,000 students, faculty, and staff, who live, work and study in both French and English.

Our campus is a crossroad of cultures and ideas, where bold minds come together to inspire game-changing ideas. We believe in the power of representation, and that increasing the diversity of our faculty and staff supports this objective.

Our goal is to provide students with the best possible learning experience, in an environment that reflects the diversity of its people, their ideas, and their identities.

We are one of Canada’s top 10 research universities our professors and researchers explore new approaches to today’s challenges.

One of a handful of Canadian universities ranked among the top 200 in the world, we attract exceptional thinkers and welcome diverse perspectives from across the globe.

Our employees come together for the shared purpose of constant improvement, personal development, service excellence, teamwork, and a passion for learning with a desire to make uOttawa and the world a better place.

Everyone's contributions are valued, we all play a part in making uOttawa a world-class institution. Most importantly, we make it possible for you to achieve your full potential.

Because at uOttawa, you belong!

• Please submit a cover letter along with your resume.
• The position will be posted until the role is filled.

Position Purpose

Reporting to the Assistant Vice-President of research Services, the Director of Sponsored Research has strategic and operational responsibility for the University’s central pre- and post-award research administration.

S / he ensures excellence and accountability in research management and compliance with external sponsor requirements and university policies.

The Director provides expert strategic, administrative, and problem-solving advice and leadership to researchers, faculties, administrators, and sponsors to ensure that the University of Ottawa achieves its strategic priorities of research excellence through activities within the Office of the Vice President of Research and Innovation (OVPRI).

In this role, your responsibilities will include :

Sponsored Research Management : Directs pre-award grants management processes of a high-volume of Tri-Agency applications, and other selected competitions.

This includes coordination of reviews, ensuring compliance with institutional and agency requirements, providing institutional signature and approval and overseeing submission processes.

Directs Tri-Agency (and other selected) award negotiation and award notification procedures. Includes the analysis and interpretation of terms and conditions of awards to ensure research is enabled and in compliance with all sponsor regulations, university policies and ethical standards.

Includes authorization of funding release, including ensuring compliance requirements are met in collaboration with research ethics, animal care etc.

Directs post-award and full life-cycle management of grants and contracts including transferring funds to collaborators, management of sub-grants, amendments, extensions, advances and project closure in collaboration with other services.

Includes close and critical interaction with Research Finance for responding to audits by Tri-Agency and other sponsors, review of eligibility of expenses, and complex post-award matters.

Directs contracts and agreements review and negotiation for government, not-for-profit and academic sponsors. Ensures that contracts and agreements comply with university policies as well as applicable laws and standards.

Oversees complex negotiations, contracts of medium to high-risk and ensures effective communication and coordination with sponsors, other services, faculties and researchers.

Large-scale strategic research project implementation support : Responsible for the central administration strategic oversight and operational success of awarded large-scale and / or institutional Tri-Agency grants (CFREF, NFRF-Transformation and others).

Directs team of key business units / departments (e.g. RMS sponsored research, RMS strategic services, research finance, innovation support services, research security, research ethics etc) that are essential to the roll-out and ongoing success of the research program.

Directs and assigns RMS point-of-contact with project team for post-award support including collaborative agreements with academic, government and not-for-profit partners, funds transfer agreements, compliance with agency requirements, budget forecasting, audit and reporting.

Internal Programs : Directs the University’s internal research funding programs to support uOttawa’s researchers in securing funds from external funding agencies.

Oversees peer-review decision-making processes and all subsequent administrative processes, including the communication of decisions and feedback to the researchers.

Manages internal program budgets. Directs the monitoring and review and development of new funding programs. Provides strategic advice to Assistant Vice-President and the Vice-President, Research and Innovation to guide the decision-making process.

Communications and Training : Directs university-wide training on research-related policies and procedures including Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide, university policies and procedures to ensure in a proactive and ongoing basis that faculty administrators have the tools to ensure compliance.

Directs effective communication to researchers on support from Sponsored Research Services including effective communication through webpages, newsletter.

Operational Framework : Leads the comprehensive policy framework that supports the responsible administration of all research funding to ensure compliance with external sponsor requirements.

Develops, implements and oversees administrative standards, policies, and procedures to ensure compliance with University and funding agency policies and regulations prior to submission of grant applications and following receipt of an award.

Plays a critical leadership role in the design, implementation and ongoing updates of university-wide grant / contract databases and softwares (e.

g. E-Awards). In conjunction with the Director, Strategic Services and Director, Grant Development provides direction to the development of the Portfolio’s e-business processes.

Works across units to promote efficiency and ensure data quality, including streamlining and standardization of business processes.

In conjunction with the Director, of Strategic Services and Director of Grant Development and other OVPRI directors, provides advice and oversees projects to strategies to increase research funding.

Human Resources and standardization of customer service : Directs a team in a complex and fast-paced environment to achieve unit objectives.

Ensures appropriate staff hiring, onboarding, performance evaluation, sustainability and succession planning. Fosters an environment of cross-training, continuous learning and team collaboration ensuring staff empowerment and flexibility in an ever-changing environment.

Directs effective framework for standardization of team operational procedures, including ongoing updates to processes and procedures with the evolution of policies, practices and systems at university and funding agencies.

Ensures staff have necessary procedures, resources and training to effectively perform.

Build Relationships and Foster Good Communications : Leads and promotes effective working relationships and partnerships with internal and external stakeholders and the OVPRI units through leading working groups, chairing meetings and initiating informal interactions to facilitate communication and exchange of information that enhances the existing research strategy and facilitates its growth.

Represents uOttawa views and researcher needs in interactions with other organizations, including funders. Serves as official institutional liaison.

Includes problem-solving and negotiation to identify alternatives that meet compliance requirements.

What you will bring :

• Graduate degree in a relevant field or a combination of equivalent training and experience. An MBA or a PhD would be a strong asset.
• A minimum of 10 years of progressively senior positions within a research-intensive university or similar complex research environment, including significant experience in leading teams and staff supervision.
• Extensive knowledge of university pre- and post-award administration processes in complex de-centralized environments, the life-cycle of research grants and awards, compliance requirements, and financial management practices.
• Extensive knowledge of research contracts and agreements principles including experience with complex negotiations, ability to interpret complex terms and conditions and evaluate institutional risk.
• Expert knowledge of Canada’s research funding landscape, federal funding agencies (NSERC, CIHR, Genome Canada, SSHRC) and Tri-Agency policies, frameworks and guides.
• Substantial knowledge and experience in the development of business plans, planning documents and advising senior leadership.
• Substantial experience in liaising and maintaining relationships with external funding sponsors.
• Ability to take a broad, long-range approach to problem-solving and decision-making that involves objective analysis, thinking ahead, and planning.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills, with the ability to work with researchers, administrators, faculties, staff, students, and administrators from other institutions and sponsors.
• Demonstrated leadership skills, tact, diplomacy and judgment.
• Strong project and time management, attention to detail, problem-solving, risk assessing, and conflict resolution skills.
• Demonstrated experience in using computer systems and software such as, Windows, PowerPoint, word processing, spreadsheets, databases, financial systems, e-mail and internet.
• Excellent communication skills including writing, reviewing and editing in both official languages.

Prior to May 1, 2022, the University required all students, faculty, staff, and visitors (including contractors) to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as defined in Policy 129 Covid-19 Vaccination.

This policy was suspended effective May 1, 2022 but may be reinstated at any point in the future depending on public health guidelines and the recommendations of experts.