Manager, Innovation Talent Pathways

Alberta Innovates; Edmonton, Calgary; Hybrid; CAD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Health, dental, and pension benefits

Professional development

Collaborative and inclusive workplace

Flexible work arrangements

Job summary

Alberta Innovates is seeking a Manager, Innovation Talent Pathways to lead the talent framework, pathways, and investment planning across Alberta's innovation ecosystem. You will steer cross-sector collaboration with government, post-secondary, industry, and funders to align programs with strategic priorities and measurable outcomes.

In this hybrid, full-time role, you will build evidence-based programs, monitor portfolio performance, and provide leadership to programme managers, ensuring

Qualifications

• 8 years of progressively responsible experience managing and delivering complex programs within innovation, research, commercialization, or economic development.
• 2 years of people leadership or management experience.
• Experience managing multi-stakeholder partnerships involving government, industry, post-secondary institutions, and ecosystem organisations.
• Experience developing and implementing programme strategies, frameworks, policies, funding programmes, or investment portfolios.
• Experience building relationships, influencing decision-making, and facilitating collaboration among stakeholders with diverse interests.
• Experience working within Alberta's innovation, research, commercialization, workforce development, or post-secondary ecosystem is considered an asset.

Responsibilities

• Lead implementation and continuous improvement of Alberta Innovates' talent framework and pathways.
• Coordinate engagement across Alberta's innovation ecosystem to identify talent challenges and opportunities.
• Convene collaborations among post-secondary institutions, industry partners, government agencies, funders, investors, and ecosystem organisations.
• Develop investment priorities, funding models, and performance measures supporting commercialization and ecosystem objectives.
• Monitor portfolio outcomes and provide leadership to executives and staff.
• Represent Alberta Innovates on provincial and sector committees and working groups.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Budget management

Partnership management

Programme strategy

Relationship building

Systems thinking

Multi-stakeholder collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration / related

Job description

Employment Status: Full-time - Permanent

Location: Edmonton or Calgary

Work Model: Hybrid

About The Opportunity

The Manager, Innovation Talent Pathways is an opportunity to be part of a professional, purpose-driven team that values collaboration, innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement. Most importantly, your work will contribute to meaningful outcomes that make a difference for Albertans and help shape the future of our province.

Key responsibilities in the role of Manager, Innovation Talent Pathways include:

Talent Framework Leadership

• Lead the implementation, evolution, and continuous improvement of Alberta Innovates' Commercialization Talent Framework, ensuring alignment with corporate priorities and innovation outcomes.
• Lead the implementation and ongoing enhancement of talent pathways and programs spanning student engagement, graduate training, work-integrated learning, entrepreneurial development, commercialization skills development, and industry talent attraction and retention.
• Develop and recommend investment priorities, funding models, and performance measures that support commercialization and innovation ecosystem objectives.
• Manage portfolio planning activities and develop investment and resource allocation recommendations.
• Develop evidence-based recommendations for leadership regarding new programming, policy development, program redesign, and investment opportunities.
• Use market intelligence, labour market trends, ecosystem data, and stakeholder insights to identify emerging talent gaps and opportunities.
• Support the development of business cases, strategic plans, briefing materials, and recommendations for leadership and government stakeholders.
• Implements performance measurement processes and monitors portfolio outcomes.

Ecosystem & System Leadership

• Coordinate and facilitate engagement across Alberta's innovation ecosystem to identify talent challenges, opportunities, and system-level solutions.
• Convene and facilitate collaborations among post-secondary institutions, industry partners, government agencies, funders, investors, and ecosystem organisations.
• Contribute subject matter expertise to provincial talent strategies and related planning activities.
• Support ecosystem alignment and collaboration around talent development, workforce readiness, entrepreneurship, research commercialization, and innovation capacity building.
• Represent Alberta Innovates on provincial, national, and sector-specific committees, advisory groups, and working groups.
• Monitor and assess emerging trends related to innovation talent, workforce development, commercialization, and research translation.

Client and Stakeholder Management

• Build and sustain relationships with leaders and key decision-makers across government, academia, industry, investment organisations, Indigenous communities, and ecosystem partners.
• Lead consultations and co-development processes to ensure programming reflects stakeholder needs and market realities.
• Influence decision-makers and partners to achieve alignment around talent investment priorities, commercialization objectives, and ecosystem development initiatives.
• Facilitate collaboration across Alberta Innovates portfolios to support integrated client pathways and coordinated ecosystem investments.

Partnership and Growth

• Identify, develop, and negotiate partnerships that enhance talent development outcomes and expand Alberta's commercialization capacity.
• Support partnership development with post-secondary institutions, federal funding agencies, industry associations, innovation organisations, foundations, and private-sector partners.
• Support the development of partnership and investment approaches that leverage external funding and resources.
• Evaluate opportunities for program expansion, new funding mechanisms, and collaborative initiatives that strengthen provincial talent pathways.
• Assess partnership opportunities and provide recommendations to executive leadership regarding priorities and investments.

Leadership

• Provide leadership, set clear goals, monitor performance, and drive professional development.
• Offer ongoing feedback, mentorship, and training to build team capability and high performance.
• Define project scopes, objectives, and successful criteria for programs and initiatives.
• Create and deliver project plans, status reports, and presentations to stakeholders and senior leadership within the organization.
• Ensure adherence to organisational policies, practice standards, and change management processes.
• Provide leadership, direction, and mentorship to programme managers and project teams.
• Establish performance measures, goals, objectives and priorities in collaboration with Executive Director.
• Assign and review work completed by direct staff.

What You Need to Thrive in This Role

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, Public Policy, Innovation, Science, Engineering, Technology Management, Economic Development, Higher Education Administration, or a related discipline.
• 8 years of progressively responsible experience managing and delivering complex programs, initiatives, portfolios, partnerships, or projects within innovation, research, commercialization, talent development, economic development, post-secondary education, government, or industry sectors.
• 2 years of people leadership or management experience, including responsibility for team leadership, operational planning, stakeholder engagement, budget administration, and achieving programme or business objectives.
• Experience managing multi-stakeholder partnerships involving government, industry, post-secondary institutions, and ecosystem organisations.
• Experience developing and implementing programme strategies, frameworks, policies, funding programmes, or investment portfolios with measurable organisational or ecosystem impact.
• Experience building relationships, influencing decision-making, and facilitating collaboration among stakeholders with diverse interests and perspectives.
• Experience working within Alberta's innovation, research, commercialization, workforce development, or post-secondary ecosystem is considered an asset.
• Systems-thinking capability with the ability to implement, manage, and continuously improve complex frameworks, initiatives, and portfolios that deliver organisational and ecosystem outcomes. Ability to translate corporate strategy into actionable plans, priorities, investments, and measurable outcomes.

Who We Are

Alberta Innovates is the province’s most comprehensive research and innovation agency. From funding to commercialization, we are Alberta’s innovation engine. We foster and accelerate research and innovation to support entrepreneurs and drive economic growth for the benefit of Albertans.

What We Offer

• Competitive compensation aligned with our internal career framework and pay structures
• Comprehensive health, dental, and pension benefits to support you and your family
• Professional development and learning opportunities to help you grow and advance your career
• A collaborative and inclusive workplace where diverse perspectives are valued and every contribution matters
• Flexible work arrangements, where operationally appropriate, along with vacation and earned time off to rest, recharge and help you bring your best self to work.

Privacy Statement

The personal information collected in the application process is for recruitment and hiring purposes only. This collection is authorized under section 4(c) of the Protection of Privacy Act.

Employment Equity

Alberta Innovates is committed to the principle of equity in employment and encourages applications from all qualified individuals. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Additional Information

This recruitment process does not use artificial intelligence (AI) to screen, assess, or select candidates. All hiring decisions are made by human reviewers.

If you are selected for an interview, please note that recording the interview or using AI tools or assistance during the interview is not permitted.