The CDL-Rockies Program in the Haskayne School of Business invites applications for a Specialist. This Full-time Fixed Term position is for approximately 12 months (based on length of grant funding), with the possibility of extension.

This position reports to the Director, Ventures at CDL-Rockies, a fast-paced, impact-driven program focused on science and technology commercialization. This is a year-round, full-time position responsible for designing and implementing strategic recruitment practices for multiple CDL-Rockies programs (CDL, Nurture, and ScaleUp). The role works closely with internal team members and program leads, as well as external partners such as accelerators, VCs, universities, and industry organizations. The work environment is fast-paced and deadline-driven with periods of peak activity aligned to annual program cycles.

Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):

Strategic Recruitment Planning

• Design and implement a year-round recruitment strategy that aligns with stream timelines, program cycles, and stream-specific ideal venture profiles.
• Collaborate with CDL-Rockies leadership to define key recruitment performance indicators (KPIs) and pipeline health metrics.
• Monitor and maintain recruitment tracking systems (e.g. Airtable, Salesforce), ensuring accuracy and functionality across all streams and programs.

Internal Practice Optimization

• Audit current recruitment processes, tools, and documentation to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement.
• Conduct stakeholder interviews with internal staff and partners to surface pain points and improvement areas.
• Recommend and implement updated SOPs and workflows aligned with internal needs and industry benchmarks.

Venture Pipeline Development

• Lead stream-specific and general outreach campaigns to identify and attract high-potential ventures.
• Identify, build and maintain relationships with aligned referral partners (accelerators, incubators, VCs, universities).
• Build and maintain a centralized CRM or contact management system to track outreach activities and partner engagement.
• Represent CDL-Rockies at ecosystem events (e.g. pitch competitions, industry events) to strengthen visibility and recruitment.

Team Training and Enablement

• Develop training materials and toolkits (e.g. messaging guidelines, diligence templates, outreach scripts).
• Deliver workshops to internal team members and Venture Leaders on best practices and recruitment workflows.
• Coordinate debriefs after each recruitment cycle to assess effectiveness and inform continuous improvement.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Serves as CDL-Rockies subject matter expert on venture recruitment.
• Collaborate with internal teams (Ventures, Programming, Stakeholder Engagement) to align recruitment strategy with stream, and program, goals and delivery timelines.
• Supervise summer students/interns. Providing guidance, assigning tasks, and reviewing deliverables.
• Contribute to program positioning efforts and annual strategic planning processes.

Qualifications / Requirements:

Education & Experience

• Minimum of 8 years of progressively responsible experience in recruitment, talent acquisition, or venture sourcing, preferably in innovation ecosystems or fast-paced, multi-program environments.
• Experience working with startups, scaleups, accelerators/incubators, venture capital, or technology commercialization initiatives.
• Demonstrated success designing and executing recruitment or sourcing strategies across multiple business units or program types.
• Experience working in post-secondary, government, or nonprofit sectors considered an asset.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strategic thinking and operational planning skills with the ability to balance long-term vision and short-term execution.
• Knowledge of science and technology commercialization pathways.
• Proficiency with pipeline management tools (e.g. Airtable, Salesforce, CRMs).
• Ability to engage and influence internal and external stakeholders across sectors and seniority levels.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to articulate value propositions and facilitate alignment between ventures and program theses.
• Experience developing training resources and toolkits that drive consistency and efficiency.
• Self-directed and proactive, with strong organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work under pressure, manage multiple priorities, and adapt to evolving requirements.

Application Deadline: December 12, 2025

We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.

This position is classified in theProfessional Career Band, Level 4 of the Management and Professional Staff Career Framework.

For a listing of all management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Management and Staff Careers website.

About the University of Calgary

UCalgary is Canada's entrepreneurial university, located in Canada's most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada's leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.

The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy ii' taa'poh'to'p committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.

The university's commitment to the Indigenous Strategy is evident through the oversight of 18 Elders serving on the Circle of Advisors and the many unit-based circles working towards implementation of the strategy including the Faculty Advisory Circle and teams such as the Office of Indigenous Engagement, the Writing Symbols Lodge, and the Indigenous Research Support Team. Many Indigenous-based events and processes are impacting curriculum, programming and polices at the University of Calgary.

As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Institutional Commitments __(oic@ucalgary.ca ) and requests for accommodations can be sent to People & Culture (hrhire@ucalgary.ca ).

_Do you have most but not all the qualifications? Research show that women, racialized and visible minorities, and persons with disabilities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At UCalgary we are committed to achieving equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible employment practices and workplaces and encourage you to apply if you believe you are right for this role. _

We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.