Senior Manager, Research Portfolio & Strategic Finance

University of British Columbia•Vancouver, BC

7d•CA$7,623 - CA$11,887•Onsite

About The Position

This position is responsible for providing financial and managerial oversight to the research portfolio of the Director of the School of Population and Public Health (SPPH). This includes managing large-scale grants, PI-held accounts, international agreements, and multi-site initiatives, with responsibility for associated staffing and costing across external centers. The incumbent integrates professional accounting expertise with high-level direction, serving as a strategic partner to the Director in managing large, multi-year research portfolios. The Senior Manager navigates complex and sensitive political landscapes involving UBC Central Administration, the Faculty of Medicine (FoM) Dean’s Executive, and external government partners. This role is responsible for the operational sustainability and fiscal integrity of the Director’s portfolio and ongoing research commitments, including those of other SPPH faculty holding large grants, ensuring alignment with the long-term mission of the School. The position holds significant delegated authority to represent the Director in negotiations and partnerships with senior health care leadership across all levels of provincial and federal government. Working with a high degree of independence, the Senior Manager leads a diverse workforce of research staff. This position acts as a critical liaison between the School and external stakeholders, including Health Authority CEOs, global research partners, and significant donors, to galvanize the relationship between health research operations and institutional public health goals. Housed within the Faculty of Medicine, the School of Population and Public Health (SPPH) is an innovative unit that encompasses many of the health-related groupings at UBC as a collaborative venture. The School is structured around four divisions: Global and Environmental Health; Health Services and Policy; Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Public Health Practice; and Health in Populations. The resulting mix of professions and disciplines is seen as a means of connecting individuals and learners to galvanize the relationship between health research, public health and health services and to enhance learning.

Requirements

Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline.
Minimum of five years of related experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own.
Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Nice To Haves

A professional accounting designation (CPA) is preferred.
Experience working at a management level within an academic setting, with related experience in strategy development and implementation of academic and research programs.
Experience in a senior administrative role managing complex relationships, preferably in a University environment or other large organization, is also desirable.
Knowledge and experience in organizational governance.
Demonstrated experience in financial, human resources and communications management.
Experience in the review of research proposals and the development of program reports.
Experience in grant development and writing, and familiarity with the policies and procedures of national and international funding agencies.
Demonstrated experience in UBC financial, human resources, and communications management is an asset.
Proven ability to successfully recruit, mentor, manage, discipline and terminate staff.
Proven ability to work with or direct and lead a team.
Proven ability in assessing opportunities in a variety of science and technical disciplines.
Excellent research, analytical, negotiation, partnership development, project management, organizational and interpersonal skills.
Ability to deal tactfully with a diversity of people in a calm, courteous, and effective manner.
Knowledge of University & Faculty of Medicine policies, procedures, governance and administrative systems.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

Provides senior-level financial oversight for the Director’s research portfolio with a dedicated focus on the financial architecture of the portfolio and its financial instruments.
Exercises high-level signing authority on all Research Project/Grants and operational budgets within the Director’s portfolio.
Develops and implements sophisticated financial sustainability models; conducts variance analysis and trend forecasting to advise the Director on strategic resource allocation and risk mitigation.
Acts as a resource to the Director and Associate Directors, including directing the financial design and strategic submission of large-scale, multi-site collaborative research grant applications (e.g., Tri-Council, NIH, Industry); ensures budgets maximize recovery and align with institutional priorities.
Provides guidance and consultation on complex financial regulations, grant-agency policies, and contract compliance.
Oversees various accounts, including research and special purpose accounts, proactively resolving issues of non-compliance, over-expenditure, or ineligible costs.
Directs and reviews the preparation of year-end financial grant reports and ensures the integrity of financial data across Workday and external partner systems.
Provides senior-level strategic advice to the Director on research portfolio priorities, risk exposure, and resource sustainability; contributes to the development of the Office's operational roadmap in alignment with SPPH's academic and institutional objectives.
Navigates complex multi-institutional relationships with Provincial and Federal government representatives, University Executives, and Health Authority leadership in managing the Director's research portfolio.
Exercises independent professional judgment to analyze, manage, and take action on complex, sensitive matters affecting the Director's research portfolio; provides guidance to research staff on non-routine issues and determines appropriate escalation or resolution pathways.
Oversees the governance obligations of the Director's Office, including exercising delegated authority over key research-related committees and working groups.
Identifies operational and financial risks across the Director's research portfolio; develops and implements risk mitigation strategies and escalates issues with material implications to the Director in a timely manner.
Provides direct supervisory oversight of the CUPE Administrative Support role responsible for coordinating the Director's meetings, travel, speaking engagements, and external representation logistics, and for triaging sensitive and confidential matters directed to the Director's Office.
Directs the operational lifecycle of major research initiatives, including the management of compliance frameworks and the negotiation and administration of inter-institutional agreements with industry and health partners.
Collaborates with the SPPH Director, Associate Director Research, Vice Dean Research, Faculty of Medicine and VP Research and Innovation Office to advance new research initiatives.
Provides financial and operational expertise to grant development in collaboration with the Senior Manager, Strategy and Engagement, ensuring proposed budgets reflect grant sustainability and agency compliance requirements.
Develop communication strategies and oversee knowledge translation activities related to the Director's research portfolio, ensuring research findings and fiscal outcomes are communicated appropriately to government stakeholders and donors.
Initiates and leads business process reviews to optimize research efficiency and strengthen internal controls for the Director’s portfolio.
Directs research staff development initiatives across the Director's portfolio in partnership with the Director of Administration, fostering a culture of financial accountability and continuous improvement.
Acts on behalf of the Director as delegated; performs other senior-level duties as required.

Benefits

The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position.
The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position.
In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.
At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students.
Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.
UBC supports inspired students, faculty and staff on their journey of discovery, and challenges them to realize their greatest potential.
New ideas, changing infrastructure, innovative technology, and fresh approaches are opening up possibilities for the future of research, teaching, and work.
Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence.
An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged.
We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, and/or Indigenous person.
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
If you have any accommodation or accessibility needs during the job application process, please contact the Centre for Workplace Accessibility at [email protected].