Job Description

Research Planning & Facilitation Officer (NSERC and CIHR)

Primary Purpose: The College of Arts and Science is the largest college of the University of Saskatchewan, a U15 University situated in Saskatoon, Canada. The Research Planning and Facilitation Officer is part of a team to support and enable the research of close to 300 faculty members across 21 diverse departments. This position is responsible for supporting faculty in the natural sciences and health research with a primary focus on grant applications to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) tri-agencies. Through specialized knowledge of the research community and the research funding enterprise, the Research Planning and Facilitation Officer will provide support to principal investigators in the College of Arts and Science by assisting with the development and writing of highly competitive research funding proposals, developing strategies to increase the success of securing funding, and managing the college\'s participation in funding programs. The position\'s primary responsibility is to support proposals for funding to NSERC and CIHR, but support for other funding programs relevant to the diverse array of disciplines in the college may be required as needed.

Nature of Work: Reporting to the Vice-Dean Research, Scholarly and Artistic Work (RSAW), this position will work closely with principal investigators to develop research funding proposals to be submitted to NSERC, CIHR and other relevant natural sciences and health related funding programs. This work may include identifying potential principal investigators to lead funding applications, identifying potential collaborators, writing, reviewing and critiquing proposal content, suggesting ideas to strengthen research proposals, ensuring the proposal meets the funder\'s strategic aims, and facilitating internal peer review of proposals.

Accountabilities: Effectively develops and manages assigned projects related to advancing the strategic priorities of the College of Arts and Science to ensure NSERC and CIHR success, while establishing and maintaining the required collaborative relations in achieving the desired outcomes:

• Champion and contribute to all aspects of the research grant application process, including drafting high-quality content, informing the preparation of budgets, advising on governance and ethics requirements, writing, critically reviewing, and editing draft applications, and coordinating internal processes and approvals.
• Proactively encourage new grant submissions by focusing on increasing the number and quality of proposals (through training, feedback on drafts).
• Work closely with principal investigators on grant re-submissions, informing responses to external reviewers\' comments and identifying additional supports or opportunities to ensure success.
• Work closely with faculty within and outside the college to initiate and coordinate activities to nurture and develop inter/multidisciplinary research collaborations for the pursuit of large multidisciplinary NSERC and CIHR grants.
• In coordination with the Research Acceleration and Strategic Initiatives (RASI) team, liaise with funding agencies to gain expert knowledge and develop strong productive relationships.
• Communicate expert knowledge of NSERC, CIHR and relevant research funding opportunities to the college through the appropriate channels.
• Participate as a member of the university\' NSERC and CIHR research facilitator group to represent College of Arts and Science goals and identify opportunities for collaboration across colleges and schools.
• Liaise with the university International Office to facilitate international collaborative RSAW, identify new initiatives, and support existing international collaborations in the pursuit of funding opportunities.
• Assist in the nomination of individual faculty members for RSAW-related prizes and honours at the university level or externally.
• Work with principal investigators, research teams, Vice-Dean RSAW, and RASI to improve the quality, quantity, and success of the college\'s NSERC and CIHR Tri-council research funding opportunities.

Typical Duties or Accountabilities: noted above

Education: A Master\'s degree in a related discipline.

Licenses: n/a

Experience: A minimum of three years\' experience working in a research environment in a university setting; experience with interdisciplinary programs, proposal development, granting agencies, project management, communications and finance as well as a broad knowledge of academic structure and culture; knowledge of the university research policy landscape and experience with NSERC and CIHR funding programs would be considered an asset.

Skills: Excellent and effective communication, both verbal and written; attention to detail; organizational, interpersonal, relationship and collaboration skills and abilities; demonstrated ability to effectively manage multiple projects with changing and sometimes conflicting priorities in order to meet deadlines; and high standards of professional integrity with the ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive matters diplomatically, are requirements for this position. Grant writing or grant editing experience is required. The ability to develop and maintain effective professional working relationships with a wide variety of individuals including staff, faculty, senior administrators and external partners and the ability to work independently, collaboratively or as part of a group, is a necessary attribute for success. Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications is required. A broad understanding of the University of Saskatchewan\'s strategic directions, and ideally those of the College of Arts and Sciences, is an asset.

Inquiries regarding this position can be directed to Tara Hackl at tara.hackl@usask.ca.

Department: College of Arts & Science
Status: Permanent
Employment Group: ASPA
Full Time Equivalent (FTE): 1.0
Salary: The salary range, based on 1.0 FTE, is $66,030.00 - 103,174.00 per annum. The starting salary will be commensurate with education and experience.
Salary Family (if applicable): Specialist Professional
Salary Phase/Band: Phase 2
Posted Date: 10/30/2023
Closing Date: 11/20/2023 at 6:00 pm CST
Number of Openings: 1
Work Location: May be eligible for hybrid work under the terms of USask\'s Alternative Workspace Guidelines

The successful applicant will be required to provide the following current verification(s) where \'Yes\' is indicated below. Further information is available at:

Criminal Record Check: Not Applicable
Driver\'s License and Abstract Check: Not Applicable
Education/Credential Verification: Not Applicable
Vulnerable Sector Check: Not Applicable The University is committed to employment equity, diversity, and inclusion, and are proud to support career opportunities for Indigenous peoples to reflect the community we serve. We are dedicated to recruiting individuals who will enrich our work and learning environments. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, in accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority. We are committed to providing accommodations to those with a disability or medical necessity. If you require an accommodation to participate in the recruitment process, please notify us and we will work together on the accommodation request. We continue to grow our partnerships with Indigenous communities across the province, nationally, and internationally and value the unique perspective that Indigenous employees provide to strengthen these relationships. Verification of Indigenous Membership/Citizenship at the University of Saskatchewan is led and determined by the and Standing Committee in accordance with the processes developed to enact the policy. Successful candidates that assert Indigenous membership/citizenship will be asked to complete the verification process of Indigenous membership/citizenship with documentation. The University of Saskatchewan\'s main campus is situated on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the M\xc3\xa9tis. We pay our respects to the First Nations and M\xc3\xa9tis ancestors of this place and reaffirm our relationship with one another. Together, we are uplifting Indigenization to a place of prominence at the University of Saskatchewan.

University of Saskatchewan