Program Officer

Universities Canada; Ottawa; Hybrid; CAD 59,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Four weeks of vacation

Pension plan

Group insurance

Free gym membership

Scholarships for children of employees

Job summary

Universities Canada is seeking a proactive Program Officer to support delivery of programs for Canadian universities and external partners. The role is based in Ottawa with a hybrid work model requiring two days in the office weekly.

You will manage stakeholder relationships, monitor program activities, and assist in reporting to funders, ensuring objectives are met and outcomes delivered. A university degree and 3+ years of related experience are preferred.

Qualifications

• Minimum of three years of experience in program administration, project coordination or related field.
• Experience reviewing financial and narrative reports and preparing reports for funders, partners or senior stakeholders.
• Experience managing stakeholder relationships and providing client or partner support.
• Experience working in grant-funded programs or postsecondary education sectors is an asset.
• Knowledge of the Canadian postsecondary education sector is considered an asset.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain day-to-day relationships with university program contacts, providing guidance and support throughout the program lifecycle.
• Interpret program guidelines and communicate requirements, deadlines and processes to participating institutions.
• Monitor program activities and reporting requirements to ensure compliance with established objectives and guidelines.
• Coordinate program processes, maintain accurate records and track deadlines, deliverables and follow-up actions.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation activities to assess progress and support program outcomes.
• Review financial and narrative reports submitted by universities, ensuring completeness and alignment with requirements.
• Analyze program information to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
• Prepare components of reports for funders and internal audiences, including information requests.
• Support calls for proposals, including preparation of guidelines and materials for selections.
• Coordinate stakeholder meetings and advisory groups.
• Support development of program communications materials, including web content and updates.

Skills

Relationship-building

Organizational skills

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Bilingual ability (asset)

Independent work

Attention to detail

MS Office

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

MS Office

Data management tools

Job description

Universities Canada (UC) is the voice of Canadian universities, at home and abroad. We are a membership organization providing universities with a unified voice for higher education, research and innovation. Universities Canada advances the mission of our member institutions to transform lives, strengthen communities and find solutions to the most pressing challenges facing our world.

As one of Canada’s leading advocacy organizations, we are seeking a proactive, organized and relationship-focused professional to join our Partnerships and Programs team as a Program Officer.

Reporting to the Manager, Programs, the Program Officer supports the delivery of programs and initiatives for Canadian universities and external partners. The role serves as a primary point of contact for participating institutions, providing guidance on program requirements, supporting program implementation, monitoring results, coordinating stakeholder engagement activities, and contributing to reporting for funders and partners. Working closely with universities, funding partners and internal colleagues, the Program Officer helps ensure programs are delivered effectively, meet established objectives and provide meaningful outcomes for participants.

This is a full-time, term position to March 31, 2028

Your responsibilities will include:

• Build and maintain day-to-day relationships with university program contacts, providing guidance and support throughout the program lifecycle.
• Interpret program guidelines and communicate requirements, deadlines and processes to participating institutions.
• Monitor program activities and reporting requirements to ensure compliance with established objectives and guidelines.
• Coordinate program processes, maintain accurate records and track deadlines, deliverables and follow-up actions.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation activities to assess progress, identify lessons learned and support program outcomes.
• Review financial and narrative reports submitted by universities, ensuring completeness, accuracy and alignment with program requirements.
• Analyze program information to identify trends, risks, results and opportunities for improvement.
• Prepare components of reports for funders, stakeholders and internal audiences, including responses to information requests.
• Support calls for proposals, including the preparation of guidelines, selection materials and committee meetings.
• Coordinate stakeholder meetings, advisory groups, working groups and other program-related activities.
• Support the development of program communications materials, including web content, social media and stakeholder updates.

The ideal person for this job will have the following:

Education

A university degree, preferably in a social sciences discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Knowledge and Experience

• A minimum of three years of experience in program administration, project coordination or a related field.
• Experience reviewing financial and narrative reports and preparing reports for funders, partners or senior stakeholders.
• Experience managing stakeholder relationships and providing client or partner support.
• Experience working in grant-funded programs, contribution agreement environments, postsecondary education or other stakeholder-focused sectors is considered an asset.
• Knowledge of the Canadian postsecondary education sector is considered an asset.

Abilities

• Strong relationship-building skills and a commitment to providing excellent service to stakeholders and partners.
• Excellent organizational and coordination skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to review information, identify issues and summarize findings clearly.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills. Bilingualism in English and French is considered an asset.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with internal and external partners.
• High attention to detail and accuracy.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and data management tools.

The position is based in Ottawa. Universities Canada has adopted a hybrid work model where employees are expected to work in the office a minimum of two days per week.

The hiring range for this position is $59,153 to $70,000, with the ability to progress to a maximum of $81,336. To ensure fair and equitable pay at Universities Canada, placement on the salary range will be based on years of experience, skills and qualifications relevant to the position. Candidates who do not meet all of the position requirements may be considered in an underfill capacity, in which case they would be hired at a lower level than the position level.

Universities Canada is a National Capital Region Top Employer. We offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes four weeks of vacation, an attractive pension plan, group insurance, free gym membership and scholarships for children of our employees.

While all responses will be appreciated and handled in strictest confidence, only those being considered for interviews will be acknowledged. You must be legally allowed to work in Canada to be eligible for this position.

AI-enabled tools may be used for administrative purposes (e.g. interview transcription). All candidate screening, assessment and hiring decisions are made by humans.

Universities Canada promotes the principles of diversity and inclusion and adheres to the tenets of the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Ontario Human Rights Code. We encourage applications from women, Indigenous peoples and persons of all races, ethnic origins, religions, abilities, sexual orientations and gender identities and expressions. Universities Canada provides accommodation during all parts of the hiring process, upon request, to applicants with disabilities. If contacted to proceed to the selection process, please advise us if you require any accommodation.

Universities Canada respectfully acknowledges that our offices are situated on the traditional lands of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg people.