Project Manager, Research Jobs

Staff - Non Union

Job Category

M&P - AAPS

Job Profile

AAPS Salaried - Administration, Level B

Job Title

Project Manager, Research

Department

Strategic Initiatives |Faculty of Medicine | Provost and VP Academic

Compensation Range

$5,906.25 - $8,508.42 CAD Monthly

The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

Posting End Date

August 21, 2023

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

Job End Date

Aug 31, 2025

This position is located within a health-care facility, therefore, the successful candidate will be required to provide verification of full vaccination against Covid-19 provided prior to the start date, as required by a provincial health mandate.

This is a 2-year term position.

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Summary

The Project Manager, Research will be responsible for ensuring the effective project management and implementation of various complex strategic research projects that advance the Faculty of Medicine’s strategic plan (i.e., a Shared Research Platforms strategy).

This role encompasses the entire project lifecycle, including engaging senior leadership, gathering and analyzing stakeholder information, preparing project documentation, tracking progress and schedules, planning and executing change management activities, managing communications, conducting analyses, and handling other project-related tasks.

The successful candidate will have proven leadership and project management skills, with experience in complex research environments in an academic setting.

Organizational Status

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 Project Manager, Research will have a direct report to the Director, Strategic Initiatives and take functional direction from the Associate Director, Research Programs and Administration.

Work Performed

The Project Manager, Research will manage multiple concurrent strategic research projects for the Faculty of Medicine. One of these projects involves creating and supporting a strategy that will shape how the Faculty of Medicine utilizes shared research infrastructure. This strategy will be developed based on the research community's requirements and the faculty's research priorities. The incumbent will engage senior Faculty leadership and broad stakeholders to understand and clarify goals and objectives, participate in the project conception process, manage several concurrent projects of varying size and complexity, and assume responsibility for their successful completion.

Responsibilities will include:

Project Management:

• Perform any other duties as required to ensure successful project outcomes.
• Manage project transition to operations, including closeout, evaluation, and capturing lessons learned.
• Contribute to project work as needed, leveraging your research expertise and adaptability to accelerate project completion.
• Define project scope, deliverables, and estimate resource requirements, creating detailed project plans.
• Plan and facilitate productive project meetings, focusing on decision-making and capturing actionable outcomes.
• Uphold respectful and professional interactions with faculty, staff, learners, and others, in line with UBC's values.
• Produce comprehensive project documentation, including charters, plans, schedules, budgets, reports, and status updates.
• Conduct thorough analysis and consultation to understand project objectives, supporting the design of initiatives that advance research strategies.
• Cultivate positive relationships with stakeholders, ensuring effective communication and addressing project-related concerns.
• Engage and collaborate with diverse stakeholders, valuing their input and leveraging change management principles.
• Develop and implement internal communication tools and business processes to keep team members informed of project status and milestones.
• Contribute to committees and working groups, actively supporting the Faculty's goals and objectives.
• Consider change management principles and best practices in project plans, considering potential implications.
• Manage multiple strategic research projects of varying complexity and risk, ensuring alignment with the Faculty's research strategy.
• Effectively manage project activities, tracking action items and deliverables to ensure timely completion and alignment with project goals.

Implementation Support:

• Coordinate the development of new websites, communication channels, databases, and other platforms for new initiatives.
• Conduct workshops or presentations on new initiatives; represent initiatives externally at conferences and events.
• Manage the creation and implementation of operating and funding models to support new initiatives.
• Provide operational support, including processes and documentation, to ensure the successful implementation of new initiatives.
• Develop stakeholder engagement and change management plans to communicate initiatives to faculty and staff.
• Establish shared governance structures and committees to facilitate decision-making.
• Support or lead the creation of standard operating procedures, templates, terms of reference, guidelines, and relevant documents for new initiatives.

Other Duties:

• Perform additional duties as required.
• Contribute to various committees and working groups, supporting goals and objectives.
• Maintain respectful and professional interactions with faculty, staff, learners, and others, following UBC's Statement on Respectful Environments.
• Interpret and implement University, Faculty, and partner institution policies and procedures to meet goals and objectives.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

This position works independently with guidance and will need to exercise a high degree of judgment and initiative. This position is responsible for making professional project decisions and recommendations that impact the success of projects that are vital to achieving the Faculty's strategic objectives and advancing its research strategy. The projects can be high-profile, operationally, and politically complex collaborations between diverse groups of stakeholders on campus. They will consistently command large budgets – from central University resources and from a variety of funding agencies, and in some cases from both. Poor performance in this role could result in a lack of engagement from key stakeholders, could risk UBC s reputation with funding agencies, health authorities, and government or lead to inefficient start-up and ongoing operations of shared infrastructure initiatives. Prudent execution of this role, with the Shared Manager consistently demonstrating organizational awareness, political sensitivity, and proactive project management will give shared infrastructure initiatives the greatest chance for success.

Supervision Received

Reports to the Director, Strategic Initiatives. Has a functional report to the Associate Director, Research Programs and Administration. Works independently with guidance and works closely with senior academic and administrative leadership in project sponsor roles, depending on the project. Performance is evaluated against set goals and expectations. The Project Manager, Research will be expected to balance working with limited direct supervision with an innate sense of when consultation with others is required.

Supervision Given

There are no positions which report into the Project Manager, Research. Manages the work of project team members on a project basis.

Minimum Qualifications

Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of three years of related experience, or the 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

A postgraduate degree in biological, biomedical, health or equivalent professional designation preferred.

Knowledge of project management methodologies and principles, project evaluation and monitoring required. A project management-related certificate or designation is required.

Relevant experience working with scientists and administrators in a research-university environment is preferred. The ideal candidate has experience in both science and project management. Experience with large-scale, multi-institutional project management is an asset. Experience with research infrastructure funding is an asset. Candidates should have a proven track record in a timeline-driven, milestone-oriented environment.

Demonstrated success in enabling complex, large-scale initiatives at a research university is considered an asset. This success will have been achieved with expert project management, communication, and negotiation skills. Experience in a matrix reporting environment where one is responsible for deliverables from colleagues who do not have a direct-line report is an asset.

Excellent communication skills (spoken and written, formal and informal) and computer skills (e.g., with the MS Office Suite) are required. Must be intuitive as well as analytical. Excellent time management and organizational skills are required. The ability to work independently in a self-directed way and take initiative in relation to carrying out assigned tasks is required. The ability to proactively identify next steps and options, particularly when encountering a challenge, is required. Must have strategic and system thinking skills, with strong attention to detail and ability to see the big picture. Openness to feedback and direction is required. Ability to work independently and under pressure, and to meet deadlines is required. Ability to plan and manage multiple projects simultaneously and submit quality work within deadlines is required. The ability to analyze problems, understand situations and motivations, and creatively develop and propose solutions is required. Proven ability to build and maintain business relationships and to exercise tact, diplomacy, and discretion is required. Sound judgment and ethical conduct are required. Excellent interpersonal and team skills are required. A respectful, inclusive, and professional approach to working with anyone and everyone is required.