Job Description

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The Comparative Medicine and Animal Resources Centre (CMARC) is housed within the Office of the Vice-Principal, Research and Innovation, its mission is to provide world class university-wide care built on professional dedication to animal welfare and veterinary services, in support of the University\xe2\x80\x99s research mission.

Reporting to the University Veterinarian and Associate Vice Principal (AVP), Animal Care, the Associate Director provides operational leadership and oversight for animal care services, equipment and infrastructure of all CMARC facilities. The incumbent works closely with the Associate Vice-Principal, Animal Care and University Veterinarian as well as the Director, Veterinary Care & Technical Services, and the Associate Director of the Animal Compliance Office to ensure alignment of operations with the unit\xe2\x80\x99s strategic direction. Responsible for designing and implementing key initiatives and best practices, as well as overseeing CMARC\xe2\x80\x99s operations, facilities, and systems to ensure that animals used in research and teaching are cared for and used in accordance with university requirements, provincial compliance policies, and guidelines of the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC). Directly Supervises a team of professional and technical staff.

Responsibilities:

Operations

• Participates in the hiring process, performance dialogue, trial and probationary reviews. Verify work, provides training and coaching as need to staff. Approves absences and vacation requests.
• Responsible for daily oversight of animal husbandry of a variety of species.
• Ensures CMARC\xe2\x80\x99s facilities are in compliance with the Canadian Council on Animal Care, Tri-Agency regulations, and all local, provincial and federal regulations.
• Assist in the evaluation of staff performance, providing ongoing staff mentoring and counseling as required.
• Investigate and address any client and staff concerns, implementing changes as required, monitoring effectiveness of solutions, and communicating recommendations to the AVP Animal Care.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate standard operating procedures to provide superior quality animal care.
• Act as the main contact for operational and finance/grant application inquiries for 4 faculties including Medicine and Health Sciences, Science, Dentistry, and Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.
• In collaboration with the AVP Animal Care/University Veterinarian ensures and prepares effective communication within CMARC and with McGill\xe2\x80\x99s research community.
• Demonstrate excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills, a collegial attitude, and ability to successfully work with faculty, staff, and students.

Strategy

• Key contributor in the development of annual and multi-year strategic objectives for CMARC, including key performance indicators, and quality metrics. Assess and ensure key performance indicators are met within each of CMARC\xe2\x80\x99s functional units.
• Partake in the development of CMARC\xe2\x80\x99s strategic plan alongside the Associate Vice-Principal, Animal Care and University Veterinarian as well as the Director, Veterinary Care & Technical Services, building on internal audit recommendations and external organizational review.
• Implement the strategic plan in close collaboration and alignment with the VPRI leadership team and relevant stakeholders.
• Provide guidance and expertise to faculty, researchers, and staff across McGill, applying knowledge of best practices for leading research animal care institutions.
• Develops personal growth opportunities for direct reports by defining objectives, and providing guidance where needed.
• Contributes to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed.
• In collaboration with HR, defines the desired culture and cultivate it through leadership actions including strategies, and key results that prioritize culture-building.

Finance

• In collaboration with the AVP Animal Care, and CMARC Finance Officer, participates in the development of yearly operating budgets that support CMARC\xe2\x80\x99s operational needs.
• Ensure that spending controls are in place, spending is tracked per species and resources are used as planned.

Equipment and Infrastructure (E&I)

• In close collaboration with Associate Vice-Principal, Animal Care and University Veterinarian as well as the Director, Veterinary Care & Technical Services and the Associate Director - Animal Compliance Office, ensures that all McGill animal care facilities and operations meet or exceed regulatory requirements by developing and/or ensuring proper standard operating procedures (SOPs) are in place for all processes. These include, but are not limited to, federal and provincial regulations, policies and guidelines, institutional policies, and granting agency requirements.
• Ensure adequate preventative maintenance contracts prevent any downtime of large-scale equipment.
• Formalizing the process for administering facilities equipment, including tracking repair/maintenance
• In collaboration with the AVP Animal Care, Finance Officer, E&I Manager, develop a multi-year plan for the maintenance and replacement of CMARC\xe2\x80\x99s scientific equipment and large infrastructure projects and oversee the implementation of related projects.

Procurement/ Inventory Management

• Ensure streamlined management and oversight of procurement processes, based on best practices and in compliance with all applicable regulations:

• Responsible for all of CMARC\xe2\x80\x99s procurement activities including, but not limited to, tendering processes, sole source justification,
• Ensures proper segregation of duties in the purchasing function,
• Responsible for establishing an inventory management and tracking system.

Quality Management System

• Lead the establishment of a quality management team and guide the development of a robust, leading program.

• Responsible for identifying and documenting key internal processes and procedures in order to ensure proper dissemination of critical information to all staff. Identify opportunities for standardization.
• Responsible for implementing, streamlining, and refining effective tracking systems to record and monitor performance to ensure quality control and comply with regulations as well as to facilitate internal reporting.
• Responsible for establishing a systematic process for effective and timely resource planning, space needs.
• Responsible for reviewing and formalizing emergency preparedness processes to ensure they are current and adequate.

Information Systems

• Responsible for ensuring support for CMARC IT needs in alignment with McGill\xe2\x80\x99s IT priorities and strategy.

• Act as CMARC\xe2\x80\x99s IT Asset Stewart, responsible for all computers and other equipment within the department.
• Responsible for reviewing the Service Level Agreement (SLA) with Central IT and determining the sufficiency of the services which are provided.
• Responsible for ensuring compliance with appropriate Central IT policies and procedures when purchasing, updating or implementing any new software.

Environmental Health & Safety

• Responsible for ensuring the Health and Safety of all CMARC employees by ensuring all regulatory and compliance related safety measures are met or exceeded.

• Acts as the department\xe2\x80\x99s Health and Safety lead, responsible for reviewing all university-wide accident and illness reports with animal-related injuries.
• Responsible for ensuring all biosafety licenses are maintained and updated.
• Responsible for yearly health and safety audits and ensuring on-time delivery of audit improvements.
• Acts as the department\xe2\x80\x99s chemical and biosafety sponsor.
• Remain up to date on current and best practices in the field of biomedical research and laboratory animal science.

Other qualifying skills and abilities

• Preferred advanced degree in a related field of study such as Animal Sciences, Veterinary Medicine or related field. Minimum of 5 years experience in managing an animal research facility
• Ensures that animal research facilities are compliant with provincial, federal and all applicable regulations.
• Contact with oversight bodies and agencies both locally, Animal Care Committees, and nationally CCAC, CFIA, etc.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively manage a team, plan and delegate assignments, review work, supervise staff, collaborate with other administrators, and work successfully in a group setting.
• Excellent interpersonal skills necessary to establish and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders at all levels, both internal and external (veterinarians, researchers, students, and staff).
• Occasional contact with other institutional units, institutions and visitors. Word processing, PowerPoint, spreadsheets.

\xe2\x80\x9cKnowledge of French and English: McGill University is an English-language university where day to day duties may require English communication both verbally and in writing. The level of English required for this position has been assessed at a level # 4 on a scale of 0-4.\xe2\x80\x9d

Minimum Education and Experience: Bachelor\'s Degree 5 Years Related Experience /

Annual Salary: (MPEX Grade 08) $97,540.00 - $121,920.00 - $146,300.00

Hours per Week: 33.75 (Full time)

Supervisor: Professor (Professional)

Position End Date (If applicable):

Deadline to Apply: 2024-02-28

McGill University hires on the basis of merit and is strongly committed to equity and diversity within its community. We welcome applications from racialized persons/visible minorities, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities. McGill implements an employment equity program and encourages members of designated groups to self-identify. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application process may contact, in confidence, .

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