Associate Director, Operations, Transportation and Logistics Industry Programs
About the role
Job Description:
About the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
The mission of Mount Royal University’s Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship is to create transformative experiences that cultivate the innovative and entrepreneurial talent essential to Alberta's continued economic prosperity. This is accomplished by delivering transformative community-engaged learning experiences. The Institute has been delivering on this mission for 14 years, including the creation of the renowned LaunchPad student program, the Trico Changemaker Studio, and Scaleup and Growth Programs such as Growth Catalyst and ScaleUp Week. It is now taking on the important mission of supporting the vital transportation and logistics sector.
About the Transportation and Logistics Industry Programs
The Alberta logistics system is strong. It has been shaped by decades of investment, optimization, and operational excellence. The opportunity now is to grow that strength by connecting leadership, innovation, talent, and strategy in ways that support long-term resilience, competitiveness, and impact. Powered by Mount Royal University’s Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, these programs are being developed to help make that growth possible.
This is a rare opportunity to be on the ground floor of building a collaborative organization driven by a single outcome - impact.
About the Role
Reporting to the Executive Director, this role owns the internal engine of the Programs. While the Executive Director focuses externally on partnerships, sector leadership, and ecosystem building, the Associate Director ensures the operations run with precision. They oversee budgeting, financial controls, reporting, milestone tracking, and operational delivery. They ensure the Industry Programs meets all funder commitments, including reporting, and keep MRU leadership confident that the organization is disciplined, compliant, and high performing.
This is the role that translates ambitious strategy into reliable execution.
This is a full-time conditionally funded position, working 35 hours per week and expected to conclude March 31, 2029.
Responsibilities
Operational Leadership
-
Design, implement, and continuously refine internal systems which keep operations coordinated, efficient, and predictable.
-
Oversee day-to-day workflow of programs, ensuring resources, timelines, and staff are aligned to commitments.
-
Serve as the primary point of continuity across multiple programs and partners.
-
Leverage influence and expertise to achieve goals, rather than relying on formal authority.
Performance Management and Milestone Tracking
-
Build and operate the KPI system that tracks all outcomes, including individuals trained, numbers, companies engaged, and job creation metrics.
-
Ensure data collection systems meet funder requirements while minimizing burden on companies and staff.
-
Lead risk mitigation planning, especially around milestone-tied funding and indirect job creation expectations.
Financial Stewardship
-
Lead and deliver budgeting, forecasting, cash flow tracking, and financial reporting for the Centre.
-
Ensure spending aligns with eligible cost rules, milestone-linked funding, and MRU financial policies.
-
Develop proactive strategies to manage risks related to milestone-dependent payments and delayed reimbursements.
Funder and Institutional Compliance
-
Own all reporting obligations to funders and internal MRU governance.
-
Ensure the organization stays fully aligned with agreement terms, auditability, and documentation expectations.
-
Translate funder milestones into internal operational plans and staff deliverables.
-
Maintain professional relationships with peers at funders, sensitive to their critical role in the project.
University Liaison
-
Act as the organizations connective tissue with MRU finance, HR, legal, and other institutional entities.
-
Clear internal roadblocks to enable external partnerships and programs to move quickly.
Qualifications
-
Education: Bachelor’s Degree required, Master's Degree preferred.
-
Experience: 5 years of experience in a financial or operational leadership role.
-
Ability to build operating models, manage budgets, forecast, track, and report on financial performance.
-
Excellent project management and risk mitigation skills, achieving desired outcomes without hierarchical authority.
-
Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills.
-
Ability to build respectful professional relationships internally and externally.
-
Evidence of an entrepreneurial mindset, including identifying opportunities, mitigating risk, developing and launching solutions, measuring results and iterating.
Salary: $98,502.00 - $135,930.00 per annum
Closing Date: Open until a suitable candidate is found
A cover letter and resume should be submitted in one .pdf document. Please title your .pdf document as follows: [Last Name], [Requisition Number], [Document Title].pdf (ex. Smith, 9999, CV.pdf).
About Mount Royal University
Welcome to Mount Royal University, where we foster a work environment of mutual respect, transparency and inclusiveness, and where talented and committed employees are the driving force behind student success. We believe we are stronger as a university when employees collaborate and bring diverse perspectives together.
We invest in the wellness and development of our employees, knowing that it benefits both the individual and the university as a whole. Our culture, along with many services, resources and programs, encourages a healthy, productive workplace.
As we strive to enhance our culture of innovation and excellence, we support faculty, staff and management to be innovative in their work -- in our classrooms and across our campus.
This is a place where employees feel a sense of community and belonging. Where people feel supported in their work and enjoy the friendliness and familiarity that only a small campus can provide.
Associate Director, Operations, Transportation and Logistics Industry Programs
About the role
Job Description:
About the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
The mission of Mount Royal University’s Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship is to create transformative experiences that cultivate the innovative and entrepreneurial talent essential to Alberta's continued economic prosperity. This is accomplished by delivering transformative community-engaged learning experiences. The Institute has been delivering on this mission for 14 years, including the creation of the renowned LaunchPad student program, the Trico Changemaker Studio, and Scaleup and Growth Programs such as Growth Catalyst and ScaleUp Week. It is now taking on the important mission of supporting the vital transportation and logistics sector.
About the Transportation and Logistics Industry Programs
The Alberta logistics system is strong. It has been shaped by decades of investment, optimization, and operational excellence. The opportunity now is to grow that strength by connecting leadership, innovation, talent, and strategy in ways that support long-term resilience, competitiveness, and impact. Powered by Mount Royal University’s Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, these programs are being developed to help make that growth possible.
This is a rare opportunity to be on the ground floor of building a collaborative organization driven by a single outcome - impact.
About the Role
Reporting to the Executive Director, this role owns the internal engine of the Programs. While the Executive Director focuses externally on partnerships, sector leadership, and ecosystem building, the Associate Director ensures the operations run with precision. They oversee budgeting, financial controls, reporting, milestone tracking, and operational delivery. They ensure the Industry Programs meets all funder commitments, including reporting, and keep MRU leadership confident that the organization is disciplined, compliant, and high performing.
This is the role that translates ambitious strategy into reliable execution.
This is a full-time conditionally funded position, working 35 hours per week and expected to conclude March 31, 2029.
Responsibilities
Operational Leadership
-
Design, implement, and continuously refine internal systems which keep operations coordinated, efficient, and predictable.
-
Oversee day-to-day workflow of programs, ensuring resources, timelines, and staff are aligned to commitments.
-
Serve as the primary point of continuity across multiple programs and partners.
-
Leverage influence and expertise to achieve goals, rather than relying on formal authority.
Performance Management and Milestone Tracking
-
Build and operate the KPI system that tracks all outcomes, including individuals trained, numbers, companies engaged, and job creation metrics.
-
Ensure data collection systems meet funder requirements while minimizing burden on companies and staff.
-
Lead risk mitigation planning, especially around milestone-tied funding and indirect job creation expectations.
Financial Stewardship
-
Lead and deliver budgeting, forecasting, cash flow tracking, and financial reporting for the Centre.
-
Ensure spending aligns with eligible cost rules, milestone-linked funding, and MRU financial policies.
-
Develop proactive strategies to manage risks related to milestone-dependent payments and delayed reimbursements.
Funder and Institutional Compliance
-
Own all reporting obligations to funders and internal MRU governance.
-
Ensure the organization stays fully aligned with agreement terms, auditability, and documentation expectations.
-
Translate funder milestones into internal operational plans and staff deliverables.
-
Maintain professional relationships with peers at funders, sensitive to their critical role in the project.
University Liaison
-
Act as the organizations connective tissue with MRU finance, HR, legal, and other institutional entities.
-
Clear internal roadblocks to enable external partnerships and programs to move quickly.
Qualifications
-
Education: Bachelor’s Degree required, Master's Degree preferred.
-
Experience: 5 years of experience in a financial or operational leadership role.
-
Ability to build operating models, manage budgets, forecast, track, and report on financial performance.
-
Excellent project management and risk mitigation skills, achieving desired outcomes without hierarchical authority.
-
Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills.
-
Ability to build respectful professional relationships internally and externally.
-
Evidence of an entrepreneurial mindset, including identifying opportunities, mitigating risk, developing and launching solutions, measuring results and iterating.
Salary: $98,502.00 - $135,930.00 per annum
Closing Date: Open until a suitable candidate is found
A cover letter and resume should be submitted in one .pdf document. Please title your .pdf document as follows: [Last Name], [Requisition Number], [Document Title].pdf (ex. Smith, 9999, CV.pdf).
About Mount Royal University
Welcome to Mount Royal University, where we foster a work environment of mutual respect, transparency and inclusiveness, and where talented and committed employees are the driving force behind student success. We believe we are stronger as a university when employees collaborate and bring diverse perspectives together.
We invest in the wellness and development of our employees, knowing that it benefits both the individual and the university as a whole. Our culture, along with many services, resources and programs, encourages a healthy, productive workplace.
As we strive to enhance our culture of innovation and excellence, we support faculty, staff and management to be innovative in their work -- in our classrooms and across our campus.
This is a place where employees feel a sense of community and belonging. Where people feel supported in their work and enjoy the friendliness and familiarity that only a small campus can provide.