Research, Grant & Academic Initiative Planning Advisor

NorQuest College•Edmonton, AB

8d•CA$67,340 - CA$87,464•Hybrid

About The Position

The Research, Grant & Academic Initiative Planning Advisor provides specialized financial planning, analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and advisory services in support of externally funded research initiatives, grant-funded projects, contracts, academic initiatives, and alternative revenue generation activities. This role is responsible for the complete financial lifecycle management of externally funded grants, contracts, and alternative revenue initiatives, supporting projects from proposal development through project closeout. Working closely with project leads, academic leaders, researchers, industry partners, external funders, and internal stakeholders, the Advisor develops comprehensive financial plans, monitors financial performance, ensures funding compliance, and provides strategic financial advice. Through advanced financial analysis, modelling, forecasting, and reporting, this position supports institutional growth, revenue diversification, and the College's long-term financial sustainability.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Commerce, Economics, Public Administration, or a related field.
Minimum five years of progressively responsible experience in financial planning, research administration, grants management, contracts administration, budgeting, forecasting, or a closely related field.
Experience developing and managing complex project, grant, or contract budgets.
Experience in performing financial modelling, forecasting, variance analysis, and financial reporting.
Experience interpreting funding agreements, policies, contracts, regulatory requirements, and funding compliance obligations.
Advanced financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, analytical, and Excel skills, with experience developing dashboards and data visualization.
Experience with ERP platforms and business intelligence tools.

Nice To Haves

CPA, CRA, PMP, CFA, or equivalent financial or grants management certification is preferred.
Experience in post-secondary, government, healthcare, research, publicly funded environments, or supporting alternative revenue initiatives is considered an asset.

Responsibilities

Develop comprehensive and compliant budgets for grant applications, contracts, customized training initiatives, academic projects, requests for proposals, and externally funded programs.
Analyze funding opportunities and interpret funding guidelines, cost-sharing requirements, reporting obligations, and contractual terms.
Collaborate with project leads, researchers, academic areas, and subject matter experts to develop realistic project budgets, financial assumptions, and multi-year forecasts.
Develop financial models and scenario analyses to assess project viability, revenue opportunities, cost recovery, resource requirements, and financial risks.
Monitor and manage financial activities associated with grants, contracts, and externally funded projects, ensuring compliance with funding agreements and institutional policies.
Track project budgets, commitments, revenues, and expenditures, identifying budget variances, spending pressures, and financial risks while recommending corrective actions as required.
Prepare and process financial transactions, financial adjustments, and funding allocations to maintain budget integrity and compliance with funding requirements.
Prepare financial reports, forecasts, cash-flow projections, and budget-to-actual analyses for leadership, project stakeholders, and external funding agencies.
Ensure compliance with funding agreements, legislation, institutional policies, and financial procedures while supporting audit readiness and regulatory compliance.
Provide strategic financial advice, conduct environmental scans and funding research, and support institutional planning activities related to external revenue generation, academic initiatives, and financial sustainability.