Manager, Innovation and Continuous Improvement

SickKids Foundation; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 82,000 - 103,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

flex benefit plan

tuition reimbursement

flexible work arrangements

pension plan

birth parent/parental top up

Job summary

SickKids Foundation is seeking a Manager, Innovation & Continuous Improvement to lead assigned projects and workstreams that build our innovation capabilities and improve how the organization operates. Reporting to the Director, Innovation & Process Improvement, you will apply CI, PM and change-management methods to analyze challenges, identify opportunities, coordinate implementation and measure results.

You will work with sponsors, process owners and cross-functional teams to drive practical

Qualifications

• Relevant university degree in a field such as design, engineering, human behaviour, innovation, business, or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5+ years of progressive experience in continuous improvement, process improvement, innovation, project management, operational excellence or similar cross-functional work.
• Strong knowledge of continuous improvement and project management practices, with practical knowledge of innovation, process analysis, facilitation, change management, stakeholder engagement and performance measurement.
• Experience applying recognized improvement methods such as Lean, Six Sigma or an equivalent approach within a complex organization.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess operational information, identify root causes and develop practical recommendations.
• Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to coordinate multiple initiatives, priorities, stakeholders and dependencies.
• Demonstrated facilitation skills, including experience leading process-mapping, discovery and structured problem-solving sessions.
• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to build relationships and coordinate cross-functional participants without formal authority.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain improvement and innovation concepts in practical language and communicate recommendations clearly to leaders and employees.
• Experience supporting organizational change and helping teams adopt new processes, tools or ways of working.
• Ability to establish and monitor financial and non-financial measures and use results to assess progress and identify opportunities for further improvement.
• A relevant continuous improvement or project management certification is considered an asset

Responsibilities

• Plan and manage assigned continuous improvement projects, working with the Director, project sponsors and participating teams to establish clear problem statements, workplans, milestones, stakeholder involvement, risks and measures
• Gather and analyze operational information, identify root causes, develop improvement options and recommendations, and coordinate implementation and progress against agreed outcomes
• Apply continuous improvement, innovation, project management and process-management methods, tools, templates and standards, adapting them where appropriate to support the needs of specific projects and teams
• Support leaders and process owners in understanding and consistently using innovation and improvement tools and practices, identifying opportunities to strengthen adoption and effectiveness
• Coordinate assigned innovation programs, events and pipeline activities, helping teams document ideas, develop concepts and prototypes, conduct iterative tests and capture evidence and learning
• Facilitate discovery, synthesis and structured problem-solving sessions with cross-functional teams and stakeholders
• Provide practical guidance and coaching to project participants on improvement methods, change adoption and new ways of working
• Work with project sponsors and process owners to establish baseline measures, track financial and non-financial results, assess progress and document lessons learned
• Coordinate reviews of completed or maturing initiatives and recommend follow-up actions to support continued improvement
• Manage multiple assigned projects and activities, maintaining workplans, schedules, risk and issue logs, decision records, status reports and benefits tracking
• Monitor approved project expenditures and resource requirements and identify risks, dependencies or issues requiring escalation
• Prepare clear recommendations, project updates and reporting for leaders, sponsors and other stakeholders

Skills

Continuous improvement

Project management

Innovation

Cross-functional collaboration

Operational excellence

Education

Relevant university degree

Tools

Lean

Six Sigma

Job description

Manager, Innovation and Continuous Improvement

Job Category: Corporate

Requisition Number: MANAG001265

• Posted : September 16, 2026


• Full-Time


• Hybrid

Locations

Showing 1 location

Toronto, ON M5G2L3, CAN

Description

ABOUT US

SickKids Foundation, with over 50 years of philanthropic impact is Canada's largest charitable funder of child health research, learning and care, raising over $200 million last year. As a national charity, SickKids Foundation invests in national and international initiatives to benefit children in Canada and around the world. As the fundraising partner to The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), we are aligned in supporting Precision Child Health (PCH), the future of tailoring medicine to each child's unique traits so SickKids can diagnose faster, treat smarter, and predict better.

We are driven by our core values of integrity, collaboration, excellence, innovation, and inclusion, with goals of delivering a superior donor experience, investing in our people and culture, driving innovative and sustainable fundraising, and disrupting the market through data and technology.

SickKids Foundation is committed to an inclusive culture by embedding equity, diversity and inclusion in our policies, practices, and behaviours. We aim to build awareness and skills in this area, both internally and with our partners. Our commitment extends to creating a safe, positive work environment. For details on our Equity, Diversity & Inclusion commitment, please click here.

We’re committed to attracting and retaining passionate individuals to help create a healthier future.

Position Status: Permanent Full-Time

Available: Immediately

Date Posted: September 16, 2026

Available To: Internal and External Candidates

Description of the Position

The Manager, Innovation & Continuous Improvement will support SickKids Foundation’s continuous improvement and innovation priorities by managing assigned projects and workstreams that build our innovation capabilities and help improve how we work across the organization.

Reporting to the Director, Innovation & Process Improvement, the Manager will apply continuous improvement, project management, innovation and change-management methods to analyze operational challenges, identify opportunities for improvement and new value creation, coordinate implementation, measure results and help leaders and teams adopt improved ways of working.

Working collaboratively with project sponsors, process owners and cross-functional teams, this role will bring a practical, structured approach to problem-solving, process improvement and innovation initiatives across the Foundation.

Key Responsibilities

You will:

• Plan and manage assigned continuous improvement projects, working with the Director, project sponsors and participating teams to establish clear problem statements, workplans, milestones, stakeholder involvement, risks and measures


• Gather and analyze operational information, identify root causes, develop improvement options and recommendations, and coordinate implementation and progress against agreed outcomes


• Apply continuous improvement, innovation, project management and process-management methods, tools, templates and standards, adapting them where appropriate to support the needs of specific projects and teams


• Support leaders and process owners in understanding and consistently using innovation and improvement tools and practices, identifying opportunities to strengthen adoption and effectiveness


• Coordinate assigned innovation programs, events and pipeline activities, helping teams document ideas, develop concepts and prototypes, conduct iterative tests and capture evidence and learning


• Facilitate discovery, synthesis and structured problem-solving sessions with cross-functional teams and stakeholders


• Provide practical guidance and coaching to project participants on improvement methods, change adoption and new ways of working


• Work with project sponsors and process owners to establish baseline measures, track financial and non-financial results, assess progress and document lessons learned


• Coordinate reviews of completed or maturing initiatives and recommend follow-up actions to support continued improvement


• Manage multiple assigned projects and activities, maintaining workplans, schedules, risk and issue logs, decision records, status reports and benefits tracking


• Monitor approved project expenditures and resource requirements and identify risks, dependencies or issues requiring escalation


• Prepare clear recommendations, project updates and reporting for leaders, sponsors and other stakeholders

Qualifications

While we know that for any job posting no one candidate will possess the qualifications being sought in equal measure, below is an outline of the qualifications we believe are important for a candidate to bring to the position or for the successful candidate to develop while in the role:

• Relevant university degree in a field such as design, engineering, human behaviour, innovation, business, or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.


• 5+ years of progressive experience in continuous improvement, process improvement, innovation, project management, operational excellence or similar cross-functional work


• Strong knowledge of continuous improvement and project management practices, with practical knowledge of innovation, process analysis, facilitation, change management, stakeholder engagement and performance measurement


• Experience applying recognized improvement methods such as Lean, Six Sigma or an equivalent approach within a complex organization


• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess operational information, identify root causes and develop practical recommendations


• Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to coordinate multiple initiatives, priorities, stakeholders and dependencies


• Demonstrated facilitation skills, including experience leading process-mapping, discovery and structured problem-solving sessions


• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to build relationships and coordinate cross-functional participants without formal authority


• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain improvement and innovation concepts in practical language and communicate recommendations clearly to leaders and employees


• Experience supporting organizational change and helping teams adopt new processes, tools or ways of working


• Ability to establish and monitor financial and non-financial measures and use results to assess progress and identify opportunities for further improvement


• A relevant continuous improvement or project management certification is considered an asset

We’re looking for a passionate individual who is interested in moving the dial and making a difference. We are an environment that looks to attract hardworking and committed people; people who want to challenge themselves and grow with a globally recognized brand that continues to change the world. If this describes you, consider joining our team. We look forward to reviewing your application.

Total Compensation Package

Expected Hiring Salary Range: $82,064 - $102,582; with the ability to progress to a maximum of $117,971 with demonstrated experience and proficiency. To ensure fair and equitable pay at SickKids Foundation, placement on the salary range will be based on your years of experience, skills, and qualifications relevant to the Manager, Innovation & Continuous Improvement position.

To help you lead in the fight for kids’ health and to support your health, wellness, and career growth, in addition to competitive compensation, we offer a comprehensive benefit package (includes a flex benefit plan), tuition reimbursement, flexible work arrangements, pension plan and birth parent/parental top up – to name a few!

• flex benefit plan


• tuition reimbursement


• flexible work arrangements


• pension plan


• birth parent/parental top up

SickKids Foundation is committed to its people and the talents, capabilities, and perspectives they bring to our mission. We live that commitment by being open and accessible to all, by valuing and respecting every individual, and by equally supporting every employee. As an organization proud to have joined the BlackNorth Initiative’s CEO pledge, we uphold our commitment by inviting and encouraging individuals from diverse lived experiences from Black, Indigenous, communities of colour, people with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ community and all candidates who may contribute to the further diversification of the Foundation’s community.

Candidates who require accommodation during the recruitment process should contact the Human Resources Department at: [e-mail]