Office of Research Services

Vice-President(Research & International)

Position number: 37777

Date posted: May 6, 2026

Job details

Research Infrastructure Specialist - AA4 (AESES)

New Project Full-Time (Budget Funded)

Full-time:

Yes

Permanent:

No

Work schedule:

35 Hours/week (Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm)

Salary:

$32.25 to $45.94 per hour ($58,695.00 to $83,610.80 per annum)

Appointment Dates

June 1, 2026 to December 1, 2027

Trial/Probation period:

840 hours worked

For more information please contact: Allison Stephen, Director VPRIO - allison.stephen@umanitoba.ca

Qualifications

MINIMUM FORMAL EDUCATION/TRAINING:

• Undergraduate degree in a related discipline such as business administration, public administration, research management, or equivalent is required.
• Knowledge of university regulations, programs and procedures as they relate to the function/program is required.
• A Project Management Certificate and/or Master's/PhD degrees would be preferred.

EXPERIENCE:

• Four years of directly-related administrative experience in research administration, or a related field, preferably within a university or research-intensive environment, or managing multi-stakeholder coordination of large-scale infrastructure projects is required.
• Advanced knowledge of the research environment within a university setting, including the policies and procedures of national and provincial infrastructure funding agencies is required.
• An acceptable equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Ability to independently interpret complex program guidelines, assess institutional risk, and manage high-value projects with multiple stakeholders is required.
• Excellent project management skills, including the ability to coordinate complex, multi-institutional infrastructure projects and manage competing deadlines while maintaining high documentation standards is required.
• High-level attention to detail, proactive problem-solving, and the ability to diplomatically manage expectations under high-pressure deadlines and shifting institutional and funder priorities is required.
• Advanced ability to interpret, apply, and communicate national funding agency policies and university-level policies and procedures with accuracy and clarity is required.
• Demonstrated capacity to work independently under pressure in a high-stakes, deadline-driven environment with minimal supervision is required.
• Skill at multi-tasking across large volumes of concurrent files while maintaining accuracy, judgment, and institutional alignment is required.
• Strong analytical skill for reviewing infrastructure budgets, eligibility, project forecasts, and performance reports prepared for senior leadership and funders is required.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience drafting funder-facing correspondence, institutional reports, and drafting contractual clauses as necessary are required.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively across departments and institutions while exercising a high degree of discretion, diplomacy, and professionalism is required.
• Proficiency with MS Outlook and Teams (including live training delivery), Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat, MRT (internal financial tracking), and remote access platforms (e.g., VPN) is required.
• Strong numerical and financial literacy for budget validation, cost eligibility review, and infrastructure costing within multi-million-dollar project frameworks is required.
• High keyboarding accuracy and comfort managing complex digital files in a fully electronic workflow is required.
• Thorough understanding of university research administration practices and compliance frameworks is required.
• Ability to synthesize complex technical, financial, and policy information across multiple projects to inform institutional decision-making and ensure funder compliance is required.
• Excellent judgment in prioritizing tasks, managing multiple competing deadlines, and responding to emerging infrastructure or compliance issues is required.
• Demonstrated strong problem-solving, coordination, organizational, and time-management skills in a high-volume, deadline-driven environment are required.
• Ability to adapt quickly to shifting priorities, funder policy changes, and unexpected delays while maintaining institutional alignment and project continuity is required.
• Ability to work independently with minimal oversight while also contributing to high-functioning, cross-departmental teams is required.
• Ability to handle sensitive or politically complex issues with discretion, professionalism, and confidentiality is required.
• Ability to communicate with clarity and tact when providing institutional guidance or responding to inquiries from researchers, deans and directors, department heads and other administrators, and funders is required.
• Ability to provide timely, accurate, and policy-informed support to academic and administrative stakeholders across all phases of infrastructure project delivery is required.
• Satisfactory work record, including satisfactory attendance and punctuality, is required.

OTHER JOB RELATED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Knowledge of University policies as well as federal and provincial policies governing the administration of grants at educational institutions is required.

Key responsibilities

• Serves as a Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) Liaison (only 1 of 2) for communication on behalf of the University regarding programming and project implementation. Projects require extensive coordination across other post-secondary institutions, faculties, departments, and other funding bodies, which carry significant institutional risk if not managed in alignment with CFI policy and national expectations.
• Holds institutional authority to submit project award finalizations and amendments on behalf of the Vice-President (Research & International), ensuring that only policy-compliant submissions are entered into the funder system.
• Coordinates CFI project implementation of >30 pre-operational projects (current) and oversight of >40 post-operational (within 5 yrs of completion). Ensures projects are implemented in accordance with University and agency guidelines, considering all partner and collaborating institutions’ unique requirements.
• Ensures timely completion of construction and renovation of research space and acquisition of research equipment.
• Organizes and co-chairs project finalization meetings with researchers and university units on awarded projects, with Architectural and Engineering Services, Digital Research Alliance, IST, Capital Accounting, Purchasing Services, Research Accounting to ensure an efficient research infrastructure post-award process. Involves regular communication and updates with the research team and these UM units on multi-year research infrastructure projects (project terms range from 2- 9 years).
• Builds strong relationships with project leaders, university units and other external partners and collaborating institutions to foster a positive working environment and efficient post-award process and compliance.
• Receives requests from researchers for amendment to projects (i.e., budget changes due to change in scope of research, alternative equipment, installation and timelines etc.). Works with researchers to gather information and justification for such requests, ensuring: i) changes adhere to strict guidelines ii) sufficient funds are secured due to changes; and iii) project deliverables are not compromised. Submits amendment package to agency and answers questions as appropriate.
• Works with UM Research Security Office for clearance on research partners and communicates with researchers to ensure adherence to Government of Canada’s new Research Security Policy. Liaises with partner institutions and coordinates inter-institutional agreements and memorandums of agreement in collaboration with research contracts team.
• Coordinates with researchers on submission of their annual project progress reports (five years post operational) and ensures submission by deadline. Unsubmitted reports could result in the agency withholding payments on all institutional projects.
• Drafts Project Implementation Reports for awards with special conditions for submission to CFI, addresses concerns and works with researchers and units to resolve (if necessary).
• Works with researchers to develop a multi-page justification and request for documentation to agency in cases of exceptional circumstances affecting the project, which may result if project faces incompletion (e.g., unanticipated requirement for additional funds, economic fluctuations, government changes.) Submits to agency and fields questions as necessary prior to decision.
• Works on continuous improvement activities to establish best practices to streamline the management of awards and mitigate risk to the University. Advises deans, department heads and researchers on risk mitigation, procurement strategy, and compliance across the full project lifecycle.
• Conducts critical review of CFI infrastructure applications with the focus on financial section (budget, operations and maintenance, sustainability) prior to submission. Offers agency specific recommendations to strengthen proposal. Ensures accuracy and eligibility of expenses, and adequate operations and maintenance support in place, etc.
• Participates in the design of institutional material, including deadlines for multi-year project submissions.
• Advises researchers of appropriate timeline for their submission of Research Manitoba Matching fund applications for successful CFI awardees. Provides guidance for completion of proposal and answers agency specific questions with a view to strengthening proposal. Ensures benefits to Manitoba are clearly articulated.
• Liaises with Research Manitoba regarding post-award requests from researchers due to need for end date extensions. Obtains adequate justification from researchers, submits to agency and fields questions as necessary prior to approval.
• Supports institutional research planning and reporting by coordinating research metrics other analytics activities, including preparing analyses for senior leadership, and assisting with training for researchers and administrators.
• Other duties as assigned

Additional information

The University of Manitoba is committed to the principles of equity, diversity & inclusion and to promoting opportunities in hiring, promotion and tenure (where applicable) for systemically marginalized groups who have been excluded from full participation at the University and the larger community including Indigenous Peoples, women, racialized persons, persons with disabilities and those who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, questioning, intersex, asexual and other diverse sexual identities).

If you require accommodation supports during the recruitment process, please contact UM.Accommodation@umanitoba.ca or 204-474-7195. Please note this contact information is for accommodation reasons only.

Application materials, including letters of reference, will be handled in accordance with the protection of privacy provisions of "The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act" (Manitoba). Please note that curriculum vitae will be provided to participating members of the search process.