Administrative Assistant - PI

Summary

The Administrative Assistant works in an office environment, supporting research initiatives and investigations. She will play a key role in ensuring coordination of the Scientist’s administrative, research, and academic responsibilities as well as supporting other staff including but not limited to: CRC, RA and research students (MSc).

The Research Administrative Assistant will provide overall administrative and organizational support to a Principal Investigator running a research project, program, or team. Their primary role is to perform general office duties such as organizing meetings and events (including taking minutes), maintaining calendars and scheduling, making travel arrangements for the team, filing, and document control/updating. They will also assist with the preparation of reports (to funders, the hospital, and other stakeholders), assisting with research (article searches, formatting presentations), and tracking expenses for project budgets.

As the first point of contact, the Research Administrative Assistant should have excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Excellent organizational, writing, computer skills are required. A solid understanding of health research, and enthusiasm for synthesizing large amounts of information are an asset.

Duties/Responsibilities

Word Processing Responsibilities (15% of work time)

• Uses Microsoft application or other relevant programs to type and develop correspondence and other relevant documentation, including letters, memos, reports, invoices, abstracts, etc., often of a confidential nature to support the activities of the Principal Investigator and team.
• Types/prepares drafts documents for review, including legal agreements, presentations, abstracts, key performance indicators, and other documents, in a timely manner.
• Types/prepares funding application for approval.
• Collects, complies, updates, and provides basic statistical and/or financial information, and other data to generate and prepare reports and other documentation, ensuring monthly reporting deadlines are met and all required reports are completed.

Preparation/Formatting of Materials (20% of work time)

• Assists in the preparation and formatting of documents, grant applications and associated/relevant SMH administrative forms, abstracts, teaching materials, correspondence, and memos.
• Assists in the preparation and submission of academic manuscripts and conference abstracts, including article searches and submission of manuscripts to journals.
• Collects and prepares material for research grants including uploading documents for grant applications and assisting with obtaining relevant signatures.
• Coordinates, and prepares any required mail-outs and manage the courier process for the PI/program/project.
• Prepares forms (i.e., reimbursement forms, REB applications and forms, contract submission forms), and coordinates the preparation, and submission of funding proposals.
• Develops and produces regular, and ad hoc reports and documentation, as requested.

Provides Administrative Support for Meetings and Event Planning (10% of work time)

• Liaises with internal and/or external parties to send out invitation for individual and/or committee meetings, advising of meeting time and date, to determine availability/confirm attendance, in a timely manner.
• Books appropriate meeting/conference rooms to accommodate all participants, and notifies parties concerned of meeting time and location, in a timely manner.
• Makes arrangements for catering, audio visual and other equipment/material (e.g., flip chart, etc.), ensuring equipment is set up in a timely manner for meetings and follows up with parties to ensure meeting runs smoothly.
• Follows up on the implementation of meeting decisions, as requested.
• Coordinates research meetings, including scheduling, minute-taking, circulating documentation and following-up with team members on key tasks.
• Takes and transcribes minutes, distributes to team, and follows up with required parties, as required to ensure minutes are an accurate reflection of meeting(s).
• Coordinates and participates in educational programming for staff and students.
• Organizes day to day initiatives and special events such as booking venues, equipment, catering and printing materials.

Administrative Support (10% of work time)

• Support human resources and payroll processes for research personnel, including preparing hiring documentation and coordinating onboarding for students, research staff, and post-doctoral fellows.
• Manages trainees onboarding and departures, including submitting paperwork to HR, and ensuring staff are well oriented and setup in all relevant systems.
• Manages students and overseas visitors and their needs, including supporting graduate and post-graduate trainee’s activities, and coordinates HR tasks such as following up on job postings, contract renewals and reimbursements
• Tracks and manages staff listing and regular updates of staff listing.
• Provides administrative support to Principal Investigator and Research Program team members.
• Submits paperwork for all research visitors and volunteers

Organizes and Maintains Schedule/Calendar (5% of work time)

• Exercises some judgement to reschedule appointment, as required based on the Principal Investigator(s) changing priorities, notifying parties of changes, in a timely manner.
• Utilizes knowledge of the Principal Investigator/Team's activity to manipulate/update the schedules/calendars, ensuring they are kept aware of changes, in a timely manner.
• Plans, and coordinates day-to-day work independently while contributing to the combined needs of the Principal Investigator and team.
• Tracks Principal Investigator’s activities, such as presentations, speaking events, publications, and other activities on a regular basis.

Financial Responsibilities (20% of work time)

• Manage and monitor research and corporate accounts, including tracking expenditures, reconciling transactions, and ensuring compliance with institutional and funder policies.
• Manage contracts/agreements with collaborators.
• Coordinate research fund administration, including assisting with budget tracking, financial reporting, and maintaining accurate records for grants and research projects.
• Prepare Research Project Request forms whenever needed.
• Assist with processing reimbursements or payments and stipends for employees, trainees, and fellows in accordance with institutional procedures.
• Coordinate and process purchasing for laboratory operations, including approving orders for research supplies, equipment, and vivarium-related expenses.
• Prepares monthly financial report, within scope of authority.
• Prepares expense and verifies billing report for Principal Investigator approval.
• Completes appropriate requisition for cheque requests.
• Purchases honorariums for research participants, and research supplies and assist in the disbursement of research funds to project partners and participants.
• Track and manage purchase of computer, and other technical hardware, as well as office furniture.

Office Management (5% of work time)

• Provide administrative and operational support to a Scientist within the research program at Unity Health Toronto. Maintain organized records of financial, HR, and regulatory documentation to support audits, reporting, and compliance requirements.
• Orders and receives office supplies, as required, ensures supplies are accessible to staff.
• Manage engineering and other facility issues/requests, as well as managing security issues (e.g., security cards, keys, access) for Principal Investigator, and team.
• Coordinate the purchase of supplies, as well as manage those supplies for the Principal Investigator, and team.

Document Control and Electronic and/or Paper Filing (5% of work time)

• Assists with SharePoint file organization and management.
• Assists with and tracks Research Ethics Board submissions.
• Maintains inventory of biological specimens from clinical research studies [IF APPLICABLE].
• Maintains up-to-date investigator site files for clinical trials, in collaboration with Principal Investigator and team.
• Organizes and maintains project management/organizational databases for research program (i.e. study materials, software licenses).
• Maintain annual (or more frequently as required) activity reports for funding bodies, managers and other senior leadership (as required and deemed necessary).

First Point of Contact/Communication (5% of work time)

• Acts as a point of contact for research program, responding to routine mail, telephone, and fax enquiries and documents for the PI/program/project.
• Liaise with internal departments (e.g., purchasing, finance, HR, and research administration) to ensure timely processing of orders, payments, and contracts.
• Liaise with University of Toronto regarding invoices and payments.
• Communicate with internal and external stakeholders as necessary.

Performs Cross Functional and Other Duties as Assigned and/or Requested (5% of work time)

• Updates, and maintains Principal Investigators’ CVs and CV modules (i.e. CCV, SSHRC CV, Web CV, COS CV).
• Maintains and updates the research team website using existing webpage design software Strict compliance with patient/employee confidentiality practices and policies.

Performs cross functional and other duties as assigned and/or requested.

• Strict compliance with patient/employee safety practices and standards.
• Appropriate identification, reporting and response to patient/employee confidentiality breaches in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Appropriate identification, reporting and response to patient/employee safety risks and incidents/events in accordance with established policies and procedures.

Qualifications, Knowledge and Skills

• Bachelors Degree or higher OR demonstrable equivalent combination of specialized education and experience

• Experience in an academic, healthcare, or research environment is an asset

• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to manage competing priorities

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• High level of discretion and professionalism when handling confidential information

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and virtual meeting platforms

• Highly detail-oriented and proactive

• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision

• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work with diverse stakeholders

• Flexible and adaptable in a dynamic research environment

• Experience in preparing and submitting research grant proposals

• Demonstrated knowledge of medical and scientific terminology

• Ability to multitask, work accurately and effectively under pressure, meet deadlines, and remain composed in high-pressure situations.

• Ability to produce accurate work with appropriate turnaround time

• Ability to work under pressure and with competing priorities

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal, with a proficiency in proofreading and grammar

• Ability to work collaboratively in a virtual team environment

• Observe relevant SMH rules and regulations, practices, policies, procedures, safety practices, and current legislation (where relevant).

• Strong knowledge of departmental practices, procedures and standards required.

Unity Health Toronto is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive organization. We strive to provide a recruitment process that is barrier-free and in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code. We understand that you may require an accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process. When you are contacted, please inform the Talent Acquisition Specialist and we will work with you to meet your accommodation needs. We want to emphasize that all accommodation requests are handled with the utmost confidentiality, respecting your privacy and dignity.