Associate Vice-President Research, Medical and Health Science

University of Saskatchewan•Saskatoon, SK

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The University of Saskatchewan (USask) is seeking an Associate Vice-President Research (AVPR), Medical and Health Science, a senior academic leadership role focused on advancing research in medical, health, and related interdisciplinary fields. Reporting to the Vice-President Research, the AVPR will provide visionary leadership to set strategic direction, foster innovation, and enable success within USask’s medical and health sciences research portfolio. This role also involves serving as USask’s Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Tri-Agency Leader, collaborating with various stakeholders to advance the institution's innovation agenda. The AVPR will define, implement, and communicate research priorities, support strategic planning, resource alignment, knowledge translation, community engagement, and large-scale research initiatives. They will also advance clinical research, promote public and community-engaged research, and enhance USask’s national and international profile. As a senior leader, the AVPR will contribute to University decision-making, represent the Office of the Vice-President Research, and may act as Acting Vice-President Research. The position emphasizes fostering a respectful, collaborative, and inclusive research culture grounded in dignity, integrity, and accountability, with a strong commitment to Indigenization, decolonization, reconciliation, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Requirements

Accomplished scholar, researcher, and academic leader with a strong record of research achievement, funding success, teaching, graduate supervision, and scholarly impact.
Deep understanding of medical and health-related research, with particular strength in one or more areas such as clinical research, population health, public health, Indigenous health, health systems research, clinical trials, community-engaged health research, biomedical research, or related interdisciplinary fields.
MD or other health professional degree and/or PhD, or equivalent qualification.
Strong record of research funding success, particularly from CIHR and other national or international health research funding bodies.
At least 5 to 10 years of progressive academic leadership experience, including senior-level administration.
Strong record of research excellence, scholarly impact, funding success, publications, teaching, and graduate supervision.
Experience providing strategic leadership in a complex academic or research-intensive environment.
Deep knowledge of the health research funding landscape, including CIHR and other national or international funding bodies.
Demonstrated success advancing research administration best practices, interdisciplinary collaboration, institutional research priorities, and change in complex academic environments.
Experience building relationships with internal and external partners, including academic leaders, researchers, funding agencies, government, health authorities, Indigenous communities, First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners, public and private sector organizations, community partners, and health sector partners.
Strong communication, collaboration, consensus-building, advocacy, exemplary relationship-building, mentorship, and leadership skills.
A demonstrated commitment to Indigenous engagement, Indigenization, decolonization, reconciliation, equity, diversity, and inclusion, with a demonstrated history of success in advancing Indigenous engagement and Indigenization, and the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion.
Sound judgment, integrity, and the ability to navigate university governance, policy, risk, compliance, and change.

Nice To Haves

Experience as a clinician-scientist, public health leader, Indigenous health scholar, health systems researcher, clinical trials leader, or leader in community-engaged health research.

Responsibilities

Advancing world-class research, scholarly, and artistic work (RSAW) across the institution, with a primary focus on medical, health, and related interdisciplinary research.
Providing institution-wide, visionary leadership to set strategic direction, foster innovation, and enable success across USask’s medical, health, and related interdisciplinary sciences research portfolio.
Serving as USask’s Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Tri-Agency Leader, working closely with other Tri-Agency Leaders, Associate and Vice Deans Research, academic leaders, research centres and institutes, health partners, Indigenous communities, funding agencies, and other internal and external partners to advance USask’s innovation agenda across academic units.
Defining, implementing, and communicating priorities and outcomes for medical, health, and related interdisciplinary sciences research.
Supporting strategic planning, resource alignment, knowledge translation, community engagement, and large-scale research initiatives.
Supporting interdisciplinary research, research clusters, centres and institutes, faculty complement planning, research chair strategies, and highly qualified personnel development.
Advancing and supporting clinical research and clinical trials activity across the University.
Promoting public and community-engaged research, teaching, and learning.
Enhancing USask’s national and international profile through faculty recognition, awards, visibility, and strategic external relationships.
Contributing to University decision-making, representing the Office of the Vice-President Research and the Vice-President Research on internal and external bodies.
Acting on behalf of the Vice-President Research when required, including assuming the role of Acting Vice-President Research.
Working closely with the Joint Governance Council of the Academic Health Sciences, Deans, Vice Deans, Executive Directors, Centre Directors, Associate Deans, Tri-Agency Leaders, health sector partners, and external partners to strengthen interdisciplinary and institutional research activity.
Promoting responsible risk-taking, accountability, transparency, ethical practice, and compliance with relevant regulatory requirements, University policies, collective agreements, and research standards.
Working closely with research ethics, privacy, legal, Indigenous engagement, and research security offices to support ethical, timely, and accountable health research, including research involving human participants, clinical data, Indigenous data sovereignty, AI-enabled health systems, and community-based partnerships.
Fostering a respectful, collaborative, and inclusive research culture grounded in dignity, integrity, and accountability.
Advancing Indigenization, decolonization, and reconciliation by ensuring that research policies and practices respect and support Indigenous methodologies and ways of knowing, and by supporting research by and with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.
Embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion across leadership, policy, and practice, and supporting institutional efforts to dismantle systemic barriers and promote fairness, respect, and equitable participation in research.