Program Manager, Microbiome Jobs

Location:

22 St. Clair Avenue East, Toronto, Ontario, M4T 2S7

About Us

The Weston Family Foundation is a family-led charitable foundation that focuses on creative solutions in the areas of healthy aging and healthy ecosystems with the objective of delivering measurable impacts to the well-being of Canadians. Since its inception more than 60 years ago, the Foundation has provided $520 million in charitable grants and today is one of Canada’s largest private charitable foundations.

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Program Manager, Microbiome

About The Foundation

At the Weston Family Foundation (formerly The W. Garfield Weston Foundation), more than 60 years of philanthropy has taught us that there’s a relationship between healthy landscapes and healthy people. That’s why we champion world-class health research and innovation with the same passion that we support initiatives to protect and restore biodiversity on our unique landscapes. We take a collaborative approach to philanthropy, working alongside forward-thinking partners to advance Canada and create lasting impacts. We aspire to do more than provide funding, as we enable others to find transformational ways to improve the well-being of Canadians.

The Role

The Program Manager, Microbiome is responsible for helping to support and execute the strategy of the Foundation’s Microbiome Committee (a committee comprised of a subset of Directors of the Board). He/she/they works to help manage the Committee’s program portfolio in support of the Foundation’s aim to improve the health and wellbeing of Canadians by funding organizations that catalyze and scale science-based approaches.

The Program Manager will work closely with other Foundation team members and report to the Senior Program Director, Microbiome. It is expected that the Program Manager will use the best practices and approaches set forth by the Foundation’s leadership team to position the Microbiome Committee in strong internal and external standing. The Program Manager preferably holds an advanced degree and expertise in a relevant field, such as microbiology, brain health, diet and nutrition, or clinical research. He/she/they brings experience in project and/or grant management. Working very closely with the Senior Program Director and other members of the Microbiome Committee, the Program Manager uses his/her/their understanding and acumen of health research and implementation to bring sound judgement, help uncover new opportunities and recommend ideas in support of the Microbiome Committee’s priorities and vision.

Salary Range: $73,000 to $100,000 annually as well as a comprehensive benefits package

Key Responsibilities

Program Development

• Use expertise to help identify potential programs from other disease areas
• Develop, maintain, codify and communicate industry understanding and institutional knowledge of the microbiome, healthy aging, brain health and lifestyle factors landscape.
• Assist with research and strategy development toward the design and implementation of a novel grantmaking program.
• Assist in the development of new funding programs.

Grants Management

• Ensure the operational effectiveness and efficiency of the granting process, including identifying and implementing process improvements.
• Support formal calls for proposals relating to Microbiome programs, ensuring that timelines and guidelines are appropriately set and adhered to, including the support of appropriate collaterals such as advertisements and web pages.
• Manage a portfolio of grants, including: monitoring and measuring impact, analyzing reports to ensure appropriate financial management and deliverables, and reviewing grant payments.
• Design and recruit review panels and liase between scientific review committees and grantees.
• Coordinate and support the assessment of proposals to the Foundation, analyzing the quality, potential impact, program alignment and organizational viability; obtaining appropriate expert advice and references; helping to reach a funding judgement through development and implementation of expert decision-making panels; and handling relationships throughout the process.

Relationship Management

• Support development of agendas.
• Convene multi-stakeholder groups to engage and build a constructive dialogue, including the planning, coordination, execution, and facilitation of convening activities (e.g., workshops, forums, speaker events, and webinars).
• Work closely with the Program Director to:
• Manage and build relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including other Foundation colleagues, contractors, advisors, prospective and current grantees, and government or community representatives.
• Support discussions regarding planning and decision-making cycles of the Committee, Pillar, Board and Foundation; and

Microbiome Committee Operations

• Help generate materials for Committee, Pillar meetings and Board Meetings.
• Support fiscal responsibility of the Committee budget.
• Attend relevant events, conferences etc. to enhance knowledge or represent the Committee and Foundation as needed.
• Support the drafting of relevant grant-making materials (e.g. grant agreements.)

Communications

• Third-party communications projects
• Support the Program Director, Microbiome, and the Director of Communications to generate materials for external communications including:
• Press releases
• Foundation website
• Social media

Qualifications

• Highly proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; experience with other database management systems relating to granting, (i.e. SmartSimple), an asset.
• Strong background in project management, budgeting, and financial tracking.
• Demonstrated entrepreneurial acumen, bringing new ideas from concept to implementation, and adapting to changing needs as projects evolve.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, organize and manage multiple demands and competing priorities with a minimum of direction.
• An advanced degree in the life sciences, with preference for expertise in microbiology, brain health, lifestyle interventions, and clinical research.
• Knowledge of the microbiome field, including relevant research, industry trends, and opportunities in patient care.
• At least 2 years minimum practical experience in life science research with a proven background in developing or managing health innovations.
• Ability to network and convene multi-stakeholder groups and build a constructive dialogue to address conservation issues in a collaborative way.
• Strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, ability to make decisions, sound judgment and experience applying creative solutions to problems.
• Advanced communication skills to develop relationships with organizations at all levels, and analytical skills to drive initiatives forward

Contract Type:

Fixed Term

Number of Openings:

1

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