Programming Research Specialist, UCalgary Continuing Education

University of Calgary; Calgary; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Calgary Continuing Education seeks a Programming Research Specialist for a roughly six-month term. The role will research grants, RFPs and programs to support adult learners, delivering data-driven reports and recommendations for new programming opportunities.

You will work with internal partners, design surveys, analyze results and maintain a pipeline of funding opportunities to inform program development and delivery.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in business, education, marketing, psychology or related field.
• Graduate degree in a related field is an asset.
• Minimum of 5 years of proven professional experience in market research.
• Knowledge of adult learners’ professional development needs.
• Knowledge of primary and secondary research techniques.
• Strong market research, judgment and analysis skills.
• Ability to turn data into actionable insights and reports.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency in data visualization and reporting.
• Experience with multiple projects and deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Conduct market scans and assess growth areas for programming.
• Research demographics and industry data to inform opportunities.
• Monitor procurement portals and funding opportunities for RFPs.
• Prepare reports, briefs and presentations for internal partners.
• Maintain a pipeline of RFPs and corporate training opportunities.
• Collaborate with university departments and external partners.
• Design and review surveys and analyze results.
• Track project goals and timelines to ensure on-time delivery.

Skills

Market research

Data analysis

Reporting

Stakeholder mgmt

Qualtrics

Data visualization

Project management

MS Office

Survey programming

Education

Undergraduate degree in business/education/psychology

Graduate degree asset

Tools

MS Project

Basecamp

Asana

Trello

Qualtrics

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Description

Continuing Education is currently seeking a Full-time Limited Term Programming Research Specialist for approximately 6 months.

Reporting to the Lead, Program Partnerships & Projects, the Programming Research Specialist will research, evaluate and provide reports and recommendations regarding grants, RFPs and programs that respond to the needs of adult learners. They will contribute with insights, data and reports for new programming opportunities and their implementation.

Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):

• Conduct scan of industry, public sector, and work force planning data and help determine potential programming areas of growth.
• Conducts market assessments and secondary research leveraging current internal and external data (e.g., demographics, industry data) and analytics to provide a complete picture of the customer to internal business partners.
• Conduct Competitive Analysis: scan of course/program offerings from other post-secondary programs.
• Perform in-depth analysis of competitors' products, services, promotional tactics, and market positioning.
• Regularly monitor relevant procurement portals, government tendering systems, granting programs, industry association websites and other sources for requests for proposals, requests for information, expressions of interest and related funding or partnership opportunities.
• Identify RFP opportunities that align with Continuing Education's corporate training capabilities, subject-matter expertise, delivery models, strategic priorities and capacity.
• Designs and reviews study questionnaires, program ad-hoc online research surveys, analyze data collected and compiles results and creates reports and presentations.
• Create, maintain, and communicate project updates, reports, timelines, etc.
• Track goals, processes and/or metrics for the different projects assigned, to ensure these are delivered on-time.
• Prepares research activity reports. Prepare presentations, reports, briefs, and other documentation as required.
• Help maintain an up-to-date pipeline of prospective RFPs and corporate training opportunities, including submission deadlines, qualification status, recommended next steps and responsible internal leads.
• Reports results and provides recommendations for action/next steps for a variety of audiences.
• Develops a variety of reporting templates for effectively communicating results. This could include a full report, presentation, infographic, etc.
• Manages relationships with key stakeholders. This may involve engaging with university departments, external organizations, professional associations, instructional designers, instructors, or subject matter experts to help inform new program development.
• Share relevant market intelligence and upcoming opportunities with internal partners in a timely and organized manner.

Qualifications / Requirements:

• Undergraduate degree in business administration, education, marketing, psychology, organizational development or related field.
• Graduate degree in business administration, education, marketing, psychology, workplace learning, or adult education, or related field is an asset.
• Minimum of 5 years of proven professional experience working in market research, or related area.
• Knowledge and understanding of the professional development and personal enrichment educational needs of adult learners.
• Knowledge of primary (qualitative and quantitative) and secondary research techniques and applications.
• Strong market research skill set, including judgment and proficiency in overall research tools.
• Demonstrated ability to prepare market analysis and segmentation, environmental scans, and business case development to support new program recommendations.
• Detail oriented, driven by data, and able to effectively communicate and interpret data.
• Strong writing skills, particularly in being able to turn research data into meaningful recommended actions.
• Proficient in turning research information into data visualization.
• Ability to perform multiple and complex tasks, with attention to detail and follow business process.
• Demonstrated capability to handle multiple projects, competing deadlines and changing priorities.
• Demonstrated project management skills and knowledge of project management technology tools such as MS project, Basecamp, Asana, Trello or similar.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills along with a strong customer service orientation.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office Professional (Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint).
• Proficiency in online survey programming tools (e.g., Qualtrics).
• Positive attitude and demonstrated ability to be a collaborative team member.
• Proven ability to build positive, mutually beneficial relations with internal colleagues and external partners.
• Good judgment and initiative, tact, and diplomacy in dealing with the frequent interactions with, staff, instructors, university departments and external organizations.
• Experience in adult and workplace learning program development (as well as instructional design and development) for both in-class and online delivery, is an asset.

Application Deadline:

November 17, 2026

We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.

This position is part of the AUPE bargaining unit, and falls under the Specialist/Advisor Job Family, Phase 2.

About the University of Calgary

UCalgary is Canada's entrepreneurial university, located in Canada's most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada's leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.

The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy ii' taa'poh'to'p committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.

The university's commitment to the Indigenous Strategy is evident through the oversight of 18 Elders serving on the Circle of Advisors and the many unit-based circles working towards implementation of the strategy including the Faculty Advisory Circle and teams such as the Office of Indigenous Engagement, the Writing Symbols Lodge, and the Indigenous Research Support Team. Many Indigenous-based events and processes are impacting curriculum, programming and polices at the University of Calgary.

As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Institutional Commitments ([e-mail]) and requests for accommodations can be sent to People & Culture ([e-mail]).

Do you have most but not all the qualifications? Research show that women, racialized and visible minorities, and persons with disabilities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At UCalgary we are committed to achieving equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible employment practices and workplaces and encourage you to apply if you believe you are right for this role.

We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.