Executive Assistant to the Executive Director Pan-Canadian AI Strategy & Project Coordinator

Executive Assistant to the Executive Director Pan-Canadian AI Strategy & Project Coordinator

This is a hybrid position based out of the CIFAR office located in the MaRs Discovery building. Staff are required to be in the office three days a week, ensuring a balance of in-person collaboration and flexibility.

About CIFAR:

The Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) is a globally influential research organization proudly based in Canada. We mobilize the world’s most brilliant people across disciplines and at all career stages to advance transformative knowledge and solve humanity’s biggest problems, together.

For more information please visit our website.

Purpose of the Position:

The Executive Assistant to the Executive Director, Pan-Canadian AI Strategy and Project Coordinator provides high-level administrative support, project management, and reporting coordination to ensure the efficient and effective operation of the AI Team. This role involves working closely with the Executive Director and the AI team to manage AI projects, support ongoing initiatives, and enhance communication within the team and across CIFAR. Additionally, the position includes key administrative responsibilities such as coordinating progress reports for funders and AI Institutes and maintaining CIFAR’s CRM system, Salesforce. The ability to handle multiple priorities with changing levels of urgency is essential for success in this role.

Responsibilities:

1. Manage the Executive Director’s calendar and coordinate meetings with various stakeholders; prioritizing conflicting needs and handling matters proactively to ensure deadlines are met.
2. Prepare meeting materials, including briefing notes, information packages, and presentations.
3. Arrange travel, accommodation, visa applications, and other logistics for the Executive Director, as well as process expense claims and receipts for Finance.
4. Work with the Government Relations team to ensure all reporting obligations to external funders are met accurately and in a timely manner.
5. Track deadlines and requirements for regular reports, gather and analyze data, and draft reports for review by the Executive Director and other leaders.
6. Ensure all reports from AI Institutes are received on time, complete, accurate, and in compliance with funding agreements.
7. Provide administrative support to the PCAIS team, including coordinating meetings, updating mailing lists, and preparing materials where required.
8. Support AI team projects by tracking progress and ensuring completion of action items from meetings.
9. Maintain up-to-date and complete information within the department through platforms such as Salesforce, Google Drive, and other relevant tools to support the department’s operations.
10. Coordinate departmental invitation lists for CIFAR events and ensure guest information is accurate in the CRM database.

Qualifications:

Education/Experience required:

1. College diploma or an acceptable combination of education and experience, preferably in business administration, marketing, or communications.
2. 3-5 years of relevant work experience.
3. Experience working in an office setting with compliance and accountability requirements for government funding.

Core Professional/Technical Knowledge & Skills required for the position:

1. Advanced computer skills in word, excel, online survey tools, and database software including Salesforce.
2. Strong skills in Google suite (GMail, Calendar, Slides, Sheets and Drive).
3. Strong analytical skills to extract and present information in effective and meaningful ways.
4. Excellent organization and time management skills.
5. Demonstrate professional behaviour and integrity to develop and maintain credibility and trust.
6. Application of strong judgement in handling difficult / competing situations with tact and diplomacy.
7. Demonstrate initiative and ability to perform independently under general guidance and direction.
8. Project management training and experience.
9. Experience in a research or academic setting is an asset.
10. Excellent business writing skills.
11. Experience with CRM databases including Salesforce considered an asset.

Apply:

Qualified applicants are invited to apply by April 27, 2025. We appreciate your interest in this opportunity, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted via email.

CIFAR is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion. We recognize that bringing together individuals from multiple backgrounds, perspectives and experiences is integral to advancing excellence and increasing the impact of our organization. Our leadership, staff and volunteers strive to create an equitable, diverse and inclusive workplace and, in turn, an environment that will give our diverse global community of researchers the support to successfully address the most important questions facing science and humanity. Ensuring that every person feels valued and welcome, regardless of age, education, sexual orientation, gender expression and identity, parental status/responsibility, immigration status, Indigenous status, religion, disability, language, race, place of origin, ethnicity, culture, socio-economic status, and other attributes is vital to achieving our mission. We strongly encourage applications from members of our society who face systemic barriers and biases, including, but not limited to, women, Indigenous persons, members of visible minority/racialized communities, 2SLGBTQ+ persons, members of marginalized gender identity communities, and persons with disabilities. Applicants may confidentially self-identify at the time of application.

ACCESSIBILITY FOR APPLICANTS WITH DISABILITIES - CIFAR is committed to providing accommodations throughout the recruitment and selection process to applicants with disabilities, in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, and the Ontario Human Rights Code. To request a reasonable accommodation, please email hrteam@cifar.ca and include the term ‘Accessibility’ in the Subject Line, or call 416-971-4251. Please provide your name, preferred contact method, and a detailed description of the nature of any accommodation that you may require. Please include any materials or processes that may be used to ensure your equal participation.

CIFAR frequently communicates in both official languages and our preference is to hire employees who are fluent in both English and French where possible. Other languages are also considered an asset. For a French version of the job posting, please visit www.cifar.ca.

CIFAR is supported by the governments of Canada, Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec as well as international partner organizations, individuals, foundations, and corporations.