Manager, Research Operations and Partnerships

University of Regina Careers; Regina; On-site; CAD 77,000 - 104,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, Dental and Vision benefits

Defined Contribution Pension Plan

Flexible spending options

Job summary

University of Regina Careers is seeking a Manager, Research Operations and Partnerships to turn opportunities into funded, well-supported initiatives. Reporting to the Director, ORPI, you’ll collaborate with Principal Investigators, Lab Directors, research teams, and external organizations to build operational frameworks that enable research to grow.

The role covers contracts, budgeting, risk and data governance, policy interpretation, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in business, public health, law, or related field.
• 3–5 years in research administration, contracts, operations, or equivalent.
• Combination of education and experience may be considered.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate intake of external research, agreements, and statements of work; ensure requirements addressed.
• Develop procedures, workflows, and project management systems for service delivery and onboarding.
• Monitor project scope, timelines, staffing, and capacity; address gaps proactively.
• Strengthen financial accountability through budgeting, invoicing, and reporting.
• Support risk assessments, privacy, data governance, and ethics considerations.
• Translate policies and contracts into clear, sustainable processes for teams.
• Build relationships with researchers, admins, and external partners to move initiatives forward.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational capacity and controls as programs grow.
• Advise researchers on contracts and readiness; keep ORPI informed.
• Shape new processes as needs evolve.

Skills

Contract administration

Data governance

Privacy & ethics

Budget monitoring

Project management

Risk management

Financial reporting

Process improvement

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Negotiation

Interpersonal skills

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant field

Job description

Manager, Research Operations and Partnerships

Position Details

Posting Summary Competition Number 20260167A/S Position Title Manager, Research Operations and Partnerships Faculty/Department VP Research Unit Office of Research Partnerships & Innovation Employee Group URFA APT Collective Agreement Consideration Open with preference given to APT members. CUPE 5791 Job Family Category Staff Number of Vacancies 1

Position Summary Research is growing more complex—and great research needs strong operations behind it. As the Manager, Research Operations and Partnerships, you’ll help turn research opportunities into well-supported, sustainable initiatives. Reporting to the Director, Office of Research Partnerships and Innovation ( ORPI ), you’ll work closely with Principal Investigators, Lab Directors, research teams, University partners, and external organizations to build the processes, partnerships, and operational frameworks that enable research to grow. From contracts and project planning to financial oversight, risk management, and data governance, you’ll connect the pieces to help research teams operate effectively and responsibly.

What You’ll Do

• Support research partnerships from opportunity to delivery by coordinating the intake of external research, collaboration, service, and data-sharing requests; reviewing agreements and statements of work; and ensuring operational requirements are addressed before new engagements move forward.
• Build strong operational foundations by developing and maintaining procedures, workflows, and project management systems that support effective service delivery, client onboarding, data handling, issue escalation, and the day-to-day management of research initiatives.
• Keep projects and resources on track by monitoring project scope, deliverables, timelines, staffing, and operational capacity, identifying emerging gaps and working with research leaders and ORPI to address them proactively.
• Strengthen financial accountability through project-level budget tracking, invoicing, financial reporting, and reconciliation, while monitoring funding requirements, overhead, and other financial considerations associated with research and partnership activities.
• Help manage risk, data, and compliance by supporting risk assessments, privacy and research ethics considerations, data governance, intellectual property disclosure, and corrective action planning to ensure research activities align with University requirements and contractual commitments.
• Translate complexity into practical solutions by interpreting University policies, contractual requirements, and operational considerations and turning them into clear, sustainable processes and guidance for research teams.
• Build relationships and drive collaboration by working with researchers, administrative teams, University stakeholders, and external partners to coordinate requirements, resolve issues, and move initiatives forward.
• Support sustainable growth and continuous improvement by identifying opportunities to strengthen operational capacity, systems, processes, and controls as research programs and partnerships evolve.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to research leaders by providing practical guidance to Principal Investigators and Lab Directors while keeping ORPI informed of contract status, operational readiness, risks, capacity, and emerging opportunities.
• Plus more: You’ll have the opportunity to shape how emerging research initiatives are supported, helping build new processes and approaches as the needs of researchers, partners, and the University continue to evolve.

Why Join Us?

• Meaningful Impact: Play a key role in enabling transformative research initiatives that support institutional priorities and societal advancement.
• Professional Growth: Expand your expertise in project management, research administration, strategic planning, and operational leadership.
• Collaborative Environment: Work alongside researchers, university leaders, and partners from across the institution and beyond.
• Dynamic and Diverse Work: Every project brings new challenges, opportunities, stakeholders, and experiences.
• Competitive Compensation: We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package, including Health, Dental and Vision benefits, flexible spending options, a Defined Contribution Pension Plan, and more.
• Work-Life Balance: We value employee well‑being and support a healthy balance between professional and personal commitments.

Bring structure to innovation. Build partnerships. Enable research to thrive. Join us in creating the operational foundation that helps bold research ideas become sustainable, impactful initiatives.

Position Requirements

What You’ll Bring to the Position:

• An undergraduate degree in a relevant field such as business administration, public administration, health administration, law, or a related discipline.
• 3–5 years of progressively responsible experience in research administration, contracts administration, operations management, project management, or a comparable professional services environment.
• A combination of relevant education and experience may be considered.

Skills That Will Ensure Your Success in the Role:

• Experience coordinating complex initiatives involving multiple stakeholders, with responsibilities related to compliance, financial oversight, risk management, and operational planning.
• Knowledge of contract administration, including statements of work, confidentiality and data-sharing provisions, intellectual property, and related institutional requirements.
• Knowledge of project and operations management, including workflow development, capacity planning, resource allocation, project tracking, and continuous improvement.
• Experience with financial administration, including budget monitoring, expenditure tracking, invoicing, revenue and cost recovery, and financial reporting.
• Knowledge of privacy, research ethics, data governance, and information management requirements. Experience in health, clinical, or human-subjects research environments is an asset.
• Formal training or coursework in contract law, project management, research administration, or a related area would be an asset.
• Strong relationship-building and stakeholder management skills
• Highly developed consultation, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Strong negotiation and influencing skills
• Excellent organizational and project management skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Sound judgment and decision-making skills
• Ability to manage competing priorities and complex projects
• Strong attention to detail and follow-through
• Ability to interpret and apply policies, contracts, and regulatory requirements
• Ability to identify risks and develop practical mitigation strategies
• Strong financial and operational planning skills
• Ability to develop and improve processes, systems, and procedures
• Ability to work collaboratively across diverse teams and areas of expertise
• Adaptability and comfort working in a complex and evolving environment

Physical Demands

Pay Grade APT 6 Salary Range $77,127 to $104,063 annually Status Term Work Hours 8:15 am – 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday Duration (if Term/Temporary) 3-year term (with possibility of extension or becoming permanent) Full-Time/Part-Time Full Time Preference Posting No Preference Target Posting Not Targeted Additional Information Contact Information Job Open Date 10/01/2026 Job Close Date 10/14/2026 Open Until Filled No Special Application Instructions

Safety Statement The University is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy workplace and strengthening a culture of safety across the campus community. All employees share responsibility for contributing to a safe working environment.

Diversity Statement The University of Regina is committed to an inclusive workplace that reflects the richness of the community that we serve. The University welcomes applications from all qualified individuals, including individuals within the University’s employment equity categories of women, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities, Indigenous persons, individuals of diverse gender and sexual orientation and all groups protected by The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code, 2018.

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Documents Required

Required Documents

• Resume/Curriculum Vitae
• Cover Letter

Optional Documents

• Reference Contact Info