Portfolio Manager

Ontario University Athletics; Guelph; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational institution in Ontario seeks a Portfolio Manager for a temporary full-time position. The role focuses on climate-smart agriculture, managing relationships across diverse research teams, and ensuring effective knowledge mobilization. Candidates should hold an undergraduate degree and have 3-6 years of experience in Knowledge Mobilization. Strong networking and communication skills are essential for success in this high-contact position, with an attractive salary and dynamic work environment.

Qualifications

• 3-6 years of experience in Knowledge Mobilization, preferably in university or government.
• Strong ability to manage multiple projects and track progress.
• Ability to present information clearly in oral and written formats.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain relationships with research teams and partners.
• Engage stakeholders for effective knowledge mobilization.
• Facilitate trainings and workshops to ensure actionable outcomes.
• Organize events to convene project teams and stakeholders.

Skills

Networking

Facilitation

Communication

Organizational skills

Education

Undergraduate degree

Job description

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Primary Category Page: Staff and Management

Requisition ID: 1987

Department: Office of the AVP Research Innovation and Knowledge Mobilization
This position is classified under the Grant & Trust Professional Group

Temporary full-time from 01/05/2026to 12/29/2028

This position is a temporary full-time position of 30 hours per week.

If you are a current employee of the University of Guelph you must apply on the internal Career Page in order to be considered as an internal applicant.
Career Opportunities (sapsf.com)

General Purpose

The Portfolio Manager acts at the forefront of a cross-national initiative in Climate Smart Agriculture, wokring within the Agricultural Genomics Action Centre. This high contact position will build strong relationships across diverse research teams and external partners to support knowledge mobilization and impact, and will engage frequently with associated project leadership, knowledge mobilization leads, Project Managers, and non-academic experts to define portfolio level theme areas and synthesize research outcomes.

Reporting directly to the Operations Director, the Portfolio Manager provides strategic coordination across multiple national projects, ensuring that research outcomes are synthesized, communicated, and mobilized effectively for ecosystem partners and decision-makers.

Working collaboratively with various ecosystem participants, including the Operations Director and the Knowledge Mobilization Specialist, the Portfolio Manager will identify, engage, and map key stakeholders, conduct needs assessments, and support knowledge mobilization activities. Building robust relationships with project teams, particularly with Knowledge Mobilization Leads, Project Managers, and the corresponding Data Portfolio Manager, will be key to successfully achieving project objectives.

Duties and Responsibilities

Key responsibilities:

• Building and maintaining strong relationships with research teams, project leads, and partners to foster collaboration and alignment.
• Engage with the funder and portfolio teams, as well as serving as a liaison between research teams and other interest-holders ensuring effective knowledge mobilization planning, maping needs and gaps, and establishing portfolio level themes.
• Planning and facilitating trainings, workshops, and working groups focused on priority topics, ensuring inclusive participation and actionable outcomes.
• Collaborating with the Data Hub to integrate evidence and support cross-portfolio analysis and reporting
• Organizing annual events to convene project teams, knowledge users, and interest-holders.
• Supporting the mobilization and communication of knowledge stemming from national projects, ensuring it reaches relevant ecosystem participants.
• Cultivating strong relationships with project teams, focused on working closely with Knowledge Mobilization Leads, Project Managers, and the corresponding Data Portfolio Manager.
• Supporting communication and social media activities to share portfolio updates, highlight research impacts and engage a wider audience.
• Contributing to impact reporting, including developing action plans, tracking progress, synthesizing outcomes and supporting the development of knowledge mobilization products.
• Promoting Indigenous engagement across the portfolio, supporting respectful relationship-building and knowledge-sharing.
• Identify opportunities where alignment exists between national projects with the strategic portfolio level goals.

This role combines strategic coordination with hands‑on relationship building, ensuring that knowledge generated across the portfolio translates into meaningful action for climate‑smart agriculture.

Requirements

To be considered for this role, candidates must have:

• A undergraduate degree level of education or equivalent

3-6 years' experience

• 3-6 years' experience in the field of Knowledge Mobilization. Experience within a university, hospital, NGO, government agency/department preferred
• Proven networking, relationship building, facilitation, and communication skills
• Strong organizational skills to manage multiple projects, track progress, and support impact reporting.
• A reputation as an effective communicator; able to succinctly present information orally and in writing with experience producing reports, summaries, and digital communications.
• Proven experience working with distributed teams, including data-focused teams, research leads, and external funders, in a highly collaborative environment.
• Demonstrated ability to anticipate and identify problems; analyze, recommend and execute solutions
• Familiarity with climate change and agri-food systems considered a strong asset.
• French language skills considered a strong asset.
• Proof of a valid (Ontario) Driver’s License
• Authorization to work in Canada (Ontario) at the time of application

The candidate we are seeking is experienced in Knowledge Mobilization and has a strong aptitude in building partnerships with a lasting positive impact. They are both optimistic about the opportunities for research to result in positive change, and practical about ways to achieve it.

At the University of Guelph, fostering aculture of inclusion is an institutional imperative. The University invites and encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in employment, who may contribute to further diversification of our Institution.

Posting Date: 11/28/2025
Close Date:12/12/2025

*Tentative evaluation; subject to committee review.