Partnerships and Innovation Specialist

University of Toronto; Toronto; On-site; CAD 97,000 - 124,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Toronto Mississauga seeks a Partnerships and Innovation Specialist to advance UTM’s research enterprise by identifying funding opportunities, coordinating grant applications, and developing strategic partnerships across disciplines. You will work with academic leadership and the Director to strengthen research funding activities and ensure sponsor compliance.

You will cultivate external relationships, draft submissions, and support UTM research environments in meeting University

Qualifications

• Master's Degree or acceptable combination of equivalent experience.
• Minimum five years of relevant experience in an academic research environment.
• Experience writing, editing and coordinating the creation of complex, multi-stakeholder grant applications.
• Expert understanding of Provincial, Canadian and International partnership-based research funding programs and sponsors (ERA, ORF, CFI, SSHRC, etc.).
• Experience organizing and facilitating workshops and training sessions.
• Demonstrated experience cultivating relationships with external partners to advance research and innovation priorities.
• Demonstrated project management skills with multiple, deadline-driven initiatives.
• Experience negotiating and interpreting partnership agreements (MOUs, IP terms).
• Advanced computer skills (Excel, Access, Word, PowerPoint).
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent organizational, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, negotiating, and marketing skills

Responsibilities

• Advising faculty on funding application strategies.
• Coordinating and guiding applicants through various phases of the research funding application process.
• Providing detailed information to faculty and administrative staff on completing and submitting research applications.
• Writing applications for research funding.
• Keeping well-informed on research funding programs, guidelines, policies and regulations.
• Planning and overseeing activities to enhance research funding activity and effectiveness.
• Identifying, developing and executing strategies for research and development collaborations.
• Developing and implementing plans to support areas of research relevant to partnership needs that align with the University’s mission

Skills

Verbal and written communication

Relationship building

Project management

Negotiation

Marketing

Grant/funding strategy

Education

Master's Degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Excel

Access

Word

PowerPoint

Job description

Partnerships and Innovation Specialist

Date Posted: 09/16/2026

Req ID: 50197

Faculty/Division: UofT Mississauga

Department: UTM: Office of the Vice-Principal, Research and Innovation

Campus: University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM)

Position Number: 00052156

Existing Vacancy: Yes

Description

About us

U of T Mississauga- the second largest campus of Canada’s top-ranked university and the only research university in Ontario’s booming Peel Region is one of the world’s great catalysts of human potential.

Our employee community hums with the energy of 3,400 faculty, librarians and staff, who power our campus with curiosity, connection and care. We work together to spark life-changing research and innovation, make an indelible mark on the world by building equitable cities and societies, enable healthy lives, create a sustainable future and ignite entrepreneurship. Above all, we prioritize student success, and seek to give our 16,500 students the lift of a lifetime through learning and discovery. We love to open opportunities available nowhere else for our community to achieve their ambitions and make their unique contributions to Canada and the world.

This work all comes together on a spectacularly green campus, alongside the Missinihe-ziibi (Trusting Creek or Credit River), where we seek to honour truth, reciprocity and reconciliation on the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, Seneca and the Mississaugas of the

Your opportunity

The Partnerships & Innovation Specialist will support UTM’s research community to advance UTM’s and the University of Toronto’s strategic research administration activities. The position will work in collaboration with the VPRI, and under the direction of the Director, Partnerships & Innovation, Office of the Vice-Principal, Research and Innovation.

You will be responsible for developing and enhancing the research enterprise at UTM. Working closely with academic leadership, you will identify opportunities for research funding, support the application development process of collaborative funding opportunities, including team and interdisciplinary projects, and develop strategies for partnerships. You will support the research endeavours at UTM by drafting and coordinating submissions for research funding, awards, and honours. You will support faculty and UTM in ensuring all submissions and applications meet University and sponsor standards and requirements. You will support the UTM research environment by cultivating relationships and partnerships across the university and within the division.

The Partnerships & Innovation Specialist is an integral member of the UTM research enterprise and acts as a resource and support to faculty and academic leadership.

Your responsibilities will include

• Advising faculty on funding application strategies
• Coordinating and guiding applicants through various phases of the research funding application process
• Providing detailed information to faculty and administrative staff on completing and submitting research applications
• Writing applications for research funding
• Keeping well-informed on research funding programs, application guidelines, policies/procedures and regulations
• Planning and overseeing activities that enhance and expand research funding activity and effectiveness
• Identifying, developing and executing strategies for research and development collaborations
• Developing and implementing plans to support areas of research relevant to partnership needs that are consistent with the University’s academic mission

Essential Qualifications

• Master's Degree or acceptable combination of equivalent experience.
• Minimum five years of relevant experience in an academic research environment required.
• Experience writing, editing and coordinating the creation of complex, multi-stakeholder grant applications required.
• Expert understanding of Provincial, Canadian and International partnership-based research funding programs and sponsors, such as ERA, ORF, CFI, SSHRC, etc. required.
• Experience organizing and facilitating workshops and training sessions required.
• Demonstrated experience identifying, cultivating and managing relationships with external partners (e.g., industry, government or community organizations) to advance research and innovation priorities required.
• Demonstrated project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple concurrent, deadline-driven initiatives with numerous stakeholders required.
• Experience negotiating and interpreting partnership agreements, such as memoranda of understanding or intellectual property terms.
• Advanced computer skills (Excel, Access, Word, PowerPoint).
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent organizational, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, negotiating, and marketing skills

To be successful in this role you will be

• Communicator
• Diligent
• Diplomatic
• Organized
• Resourceful
• Team player

Please note that one continuing position is available.

Closing Date: 09/24/2026, 11:59PM ET

Employee Group: USW

Appointment Type: Budget - Continuing

Schedule: Full-Time

Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone: USW Pay Band 15 -- $97,348. with an annual step progression to a maximum of $124,491. Pay scale and job class assignment is subject to determination pursuant to the Job Evaluation/Pay Equity Maintenance Protocol.

Job Category: Administrative / Managerial

Recruiter: Desiray Stewart

Lived Experience Statement
Candidates who are members of Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, persons with disabilities, and other equity deserving groups are encouraged to apply, and their lived experience shall be taken into consideration as applicable to the posted position.

Job descriptions are available upon request for internal applicants.

Diversity Statement

The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission.

As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see http://uoft.me/UP.

Accessibility Statement

The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members. Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission.

The University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As such, we strive to make our recruitment, assessment and selection processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants with disabilities.

If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact [e-mail].

Job Segment

Sustainability, R&D, Project Manager, Application Developer, Energy, Research, Technology