Current Opportunities

Position: Project Manager, Scientific Secretariat
Location: MaRS Centre, Toronto
Department: Scientific Secretariat
Reports To: Associate Director, Scientific Secretariat
Salary: Commensurate with level of experience
Hours: 35 hours/week
Job Type: Hybrid
Status: Full-Time, Temporary (18-month contract)

The Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) is seeking a Project Manager to support the Office of the Scientific Secretariat. The Project Manager will be responsible for project management, communications, financial management, forms and technology tools creation and testing, and logistics associated with the mandate of the Scientific Secretariat Office. The Scientific Secretariat Office is responsible for the establishment and implementation of review processes associated with all OICR’s strategic research initiatives and is tasked with ensuring that OICR’s review processes, including progress reviews, are robust and conducted with integrity to ensure that funding is allocated fairly, based on merit, to the Ontario cancer research community.

The Project Manager will also assist with the implementation of OICR’s new Talent Mobilization strategy, Scientific College and networking events to support collaboration between College members and the wider OICR community.

The Project Manager routinely liaises with colleagues in OICR’s Research Operations group to ensure that processes that impact and connect the pre-award (Scientific Secretariat) and post-award (Research Operations) lifecycles of OICR’s research funding activities are well defined, adhered to, and improved upon as challenges and opportunities are encountered.

This position is temporary, full-time for 18 – 24 months (depending on start date) to cover a maternity leave.

To learn more about working at OICR, visit our career page.

The responsibilities include:

• Develop and execute project plans, including timelines, required resources and dependencies for assigned projects (typically, funding competitions, mid-term and progress reviews, and associated review panel meetings), including assigning activities to an owner(s) and monitoring adherence to timelines.
• Distill meetings into actionable items and follow-through with internal and external stakeholders
• Analyze risks and create and execute risk mitigations plans where required; revise and inform stakeholders, as appropriate
• Oversee the functioning and implementation (for future enhancements) of ReportNet (OICR’s online application submission system) by liaising with the vendor and internal stakeholders. Perform rigorous testing and anticipate risks. Working with the vendor, develop mitigations to address potential risks and implement improvements
• Track, and seek approval for honorarium payments to reviewers, Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) members, and panel members and payments to vendors (e.g., catering, ReportNet, etc.)
• Act as a point of contact to the Finance team for all financial matters including expense tracking and budgets
• Develop and present material for review and informational purposes using strong verbal, written, and visualization skills, with the ability to express technical and operational concepts effectively to key external stakeholders (e.g., review panels, SACs) and internal stakeholders including OICR Executive
• Determine requirements/expectations of project stakeholders and develop a communication plan to ensure all are appropriately informed throughout the project lifecycle (including review panels)
• Prepare communications and supporting operational documents in support of panel meetings for delivery to reviewers/SACs and applicants
• Prepare and present summaries for review activities up to the Executive Vice President of OICR, President and Scientific Director of OICR and to Chairs of review panels. Analyze and provide reports on review metrics to OICR Staff and Executive, Review Panels and for possible external communications
• Represent OICR as the primary point of contact for OICR funding reviews. Build and maintain relationships with panel members and committee chairs, ensuring that the needs of these stakeholders are met, while ensuring that OICR’s values are upheld
• Contribute to the writing of the Request for Application Guidelines, particularly as it relates to logistical requirements
• Perform editorial reviews of Scientific Officer reports that document the feedback and outcomes from the panel review meeting
• Conduct all planning for and execute the following as needed for the panel meeting review day(s) and meetings that support the activities of the Scientific Secretariat office, including but not limited to:
  • For in person meetings, sourcing venues (typically on-site) and catering, accommodations, and printing
  • For hybrid/virtual meetings, managing Zoom logistics and acting as an initial point of contact for troubleshooting and technical issues
  • Directing administrative assistant(s) as to the travel, accommodation and transportation arrangements for reviewers and meeting participants
  • At the direction of the Associate Director, overseeing and managing the activities of the Scientific Secretariat Administrative Assistant with respect to meeting planning, logistics, and execution
  • Sourcing dinner sites (if needed) in line with OICR’s hospitality policy
  • Directing OICR Facilities and venue staff on meeting room set-up and workflow
  • Executing pre-meeting testing of all equipment with IT and establishing back-up plans to address any issues that may arise
  • Assisting in drafting the agenda for the meeting day and distributing the final agenda prior to the meeting
  • Drafting detailed scripts/process notes for OICR personnel including but not limited to the Executive Vice President, Associate Director of the Scientific Secretariat, Senior Director of Research Operations, and for the Chair of the review panel
  • Directing the administrative assistants for catering during the panel meeting day
• Liaise with OICR Research Operations to execute and disseminate Notice of Awards for funded initiatives/researchers
• Liaise with OICR Communications to promote funding competitions and to ensure the OICR website reflects appropriate content on funded projects and researchers

 Qualifications:

• Completion of a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration or recognized equivalent required
• Familiarity with the Canadian academic and health research setting, grant/award management, and research funding. Previous experience with CIHR, CCSRI, Genome Canada, or similar is an asset
• Strong internal and external relationship management skills; ability to interact and work professionally and effectively with staff and vendors including individuals in the following sectors: health research, clinical research/medicine, patient/disease advocacy, life sciences, and information technology
• Direct experience with the operation of a CRM database and related computer applications
• Comfortable working independently and taking initiative, with guidance from the supervisor and other OICR management, whilst also being open to receiving feedback
• Must be a team player with flexibility to adjust work priorities to adapt to evolving needs of the Office
• Excellent organizational, problem solving and time management skills; quality and detail oriented
• Advanced knowledge of software applications in a Microsoft Office environment (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint)
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Demonstrates exemplary customer service skills and good judgment
• Ability to work on-site as needed, particularly during the lead up to in person meetings, and flexibility to work on a revised work schedule for review meeting days and others as necessary
• Experience working remotely and utilizing online communication platforms (Zoom, Teams, Slack etc.) to work collaboratively on a daily basis

OICR is a collaborative, not-for-profit research institute accelerating the development of new cancer research discoveries for patients around the world while maximizing the economic benefit of this research for the people of Ontario. We are dedicated professionals who bring expertise to each of our roles. We are looking for individuals who share our values of excellence, innovation, collaboration, impact, responsibility and community.

Launched in December 2005, OICR is an independent institute funded by the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Colleges and Universities.

For more information about OICR, please visit the website at www.oicr.on.ca.

CLOSING DATE: Until Filled

OICR is committed to fostering a climate of equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. This commitment is central to, and mutually supportive of, our research excellence mandate. We welcome and respect the diversity of all members of our community and we support an inclusive culture for all. We welcome all applicants, and encourage applications from racialized persons, Indigenous Peoples, women, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ2S persons, and others who may contribute to furthering a diversity of ideas within our community. OICR is committed to fair assessment of a candidate’s abilities, and consideration for diversity of thought, method, and experience. Providing an accessible workplace and recruitment process is important to us, as described in our Accessibility Plan (https://oicr.on.ca/accessibility/).  Should you require accommodation during any stage in the recruitment process, please complete the form at the bottom of page https://oicr.on.ca/careers/. Information received related to accommodation will be handled confidentially.  

The Ontario Institute for Cancer Research thanks all applicants. However, only those under consideration will be contacted.

Resume Format: If you elect to apply, you will need a text or HTML version of your resume so that you can cut and paste it into the application box provided. Before you submit the completed application, you will be asked to attach one or two files to your application. Please attach your resume as a .pdf or .doc file.