Research, Grant & Academic Initiative Planning Advisor

NorQuest College; Edmonton; On-site; CAD 74,000 - 96,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work options

Job summary

NorQuest College in Edmonton seeks a Research, Grant & Academic Initiative Planning Advisor to manage budgets for externally funded projects and advise on financial strategy. You will model financial scenarios, track performance, and ensure funding compliance across grants and contracts.

Qualified candidates will have a Bachelor’s degree and 5+ years in financial planning or grants management; professional certifications (CPA, CFA) are preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Commerce, Economics, Public Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum five years of progressively responsible experience in financial planning, grants management, budgeting, forecasting, or related field.
• Experience developing and managing complex project, grant, or contract budgets.
• Advanced financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, analytical, and Excel skills, with dashboards and data visualization.
• Experience interpreting funding agreements, policies, contracts, regulatory requirements, and funding compliance obligations.

Responsibilities

• Develop comprehensive and compliant budgets for grant applications, contracts, and externally funded programs.
• Analyze funding opportunities and interpret guidelines, cost-sharing, reporting obligations, and terms.
• Collaborate with project leads to develop realistic budgets and multi-year forecasts.
• Monitor financial activities for grants and contracts to ensure compliance and reporting readiness.
• Prepare financial reports, cash-flow projections, and budget-to-actual analyses for leadership and funding agencies.
• Provide strategic financial advice and support institutional planning related to external revenue generation.

Skills

Advanced financial planning

Budgeting & forecasting

Excel

Data visualization

ERP systems

BI tools

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

ERP platforms

Business intelligence tools

Job description

COMPETITION NUMBER: 1935

CLOSING DATE: NOVEMBER 24, 2026 @ 10:59PM ABT

ACADEMIC PLANNING & REPORTING

The Research, Grant & Academic Initiative Planning Advisor provides specialized financial planning, analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and advisory services in support of externally funded research initiatives, grant-funded projects, contracts, academic initiatives, and alternative revenue generation activities. This role is responsible for the complete financial lifecycle management of externally funded grants, contracts, and alternative revenue initiatives, supporting projects from proposal development through project closeout. Working closely with project leads, academic leaders, researchers, industry partners, external funders, and internal stakeholders, the Advisor develops comprehensive financial plans, monitors financial performance, ensures funding compliance, and provides strategic financial advice. Through advanced financial analysis, modelling, forecasting, and reporting, this position supports institutional growth, revenue diversification, and the College's long-term financial sustainability.

How You’ll Make a Difference

• Develop comprehensive and compliant budgets for grant applications, contracts, customized training initiatives, academic projects, requests for proposals, and externally funded programs.
• Analyze funding opportunities and interpret funding guidelines, cost-sharing requirements, reporting obligations, and contractual terms.
• Collaborate with project leads, researchers, academic areas, and subject matter experts to develop realistic project budgets, financial assumptions, and multi-year forecasts.
• Develop financial models and scenario analyses to assess project viability, revenue opportunities, cost recovery, resource requirements, and financial risks.
• Monitor and manage financial activities associated with grants, contracts, and externally funded projects, ensuring compliance with funding agreements and institutional policies.
• Track project budgets, commitments, revenues, and expenditures, identifying budget variances, spending pressures, and financial risks while recommending corrective actions as required.
• Prepare and process financial transactions, financial adjustments, and funding allocations to maintain budget integrity and compliance with funding requirements.
• Prepare financial reports, forecasts, cash-flow projections, and budget-to-actual analyses for leadership, project stakeholders, and external funding agencies.
• Ensure compliance with funding agreements, legislation, institutional policies, and financial procedures while supporting audit readiness and regulatory compliance.
• Provide strategic financial advice, conduct environmental scans and funding research, and support institutional planning activities related to external revenue generation, academic initiatives, and financial sustainability.

What You Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Commerce, Economics, Public Administration, or a related field.
• CPA, CRA, PMP, CFA, or equivalent financial or grants management certification is preferred. Experience in post-secondary, government, healthcare, research, publicly funded environments, or supporting alternative revenue initiatives is considered an asset.
• Minimum five years of progressively responsible experience in financial planning, research administration, grants management, contracts administration, budgeting, forecasting, or a closely related field.
• Experience developing and managing complex project, grant, or contract budgets.
• Experience in performing financial modelling, forecasting, variance analysis, and financial reporting.
• Experience interpreting funding agreements, policies, contracts, regulatory requirements, and funding compliance obligations.
• Advanced financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, analytical, and Excel skills, with experience developing dashboards and data visualization.
• Experience with ERP platforms and business intelligence tools.

WHAT MAKES YOU A DIFFERENCE MAKER?

• Exercise independent judgment in the development of grant and contract budgets, financial models, forecasts, and funding strategies.
• Interpret complex funding guidelines, contractual obligations, policies, and financial requirements to support sound decision‑making and compliance.
• Identify financial, operational, and compliance risks and recommend practical mitigation strategies that support long‑term sustainability.
• Influence decision‑making through financial analysis, forecasting, reporting, and evidence‑based recommendations.
• Act as a subject matter expert on grant administration, contract financial management, funding compliance, and external revenue planning.
• Build collaborative partnerships with project leads, researchers, academic leaders, funding agencies, external partners, and internal stakeholders.
• Support knowledge sharing and capacity building related to budgeting, grant administration, funding compliance, and financial stewardship.
• Balance multiple competing priorities while maintaining the accuracy, integrity, completeness, and timeliness of financial planning, reporting, forecasting, and compliance activities.

Salary

AUPE Band Level 9 | Senior Analyst I | $74,085 - $96,200 annually reflective upon what you bring AKA your education and experience. This is a full time, permanent position with the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE). For more information regarding the AUPE Collective Agreement, please check out this link. We are proud to be recognized as one of Canada's Most Admired Corporate Cultures.

We offer flexible work options. We strive for balance between a flexible work environment, connectedness to the campus community, and ensuring NorQuesters are set up to succeed in their roles and responsibilities.

Additional Information

Pre-Employment Checks will be completed to assess the candidate’s suitability for a role. These checks may include (but are not limited to): references, criminal record check, academic verification, etc.

Required

For applicants who have completed post-secondary studies from outside of Canada, it is required they obtain an assessment of their credentials from a recognized Canadian Credential Evaluator, such as:

• International Qualifications Assessment Service https://www.alberta.ca/international-qualifications-assessment
• World Education Services https://www.wes.org/ca/

We encourage applicants to include the assessment certificate as part of their application.

This competition may be used to fill future vacancies, across NorQuest College, at the same or lower classification level.

Our Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

We're on a journey to become an inclusive, anti-racist, and decolonized organization. NorQuesters are trailblazers – we are curious, creative, and innovative - our lived experiences are honoured, creating accessibility and a sense of belonging for everyone.

NorQuest 2030 We Are Who We Include shares our strength and difference comes from who is included, and along with our students we are learning and growing to listen deeply and say what we feel.

NorQuest College is committed to being an employer of choice for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people by recognizing, respecting, and supporting Indigenous people's self‑determination through the institution’s work in decolonization, reconciliation, and Indigenization.

Accessibility

At NorQuest, we are who we include. We strive to provide access and accommodation throughout the recruitment, application, and selection process. We want to create opportunities for you to confidently be your authentic self. If you would like an accommodation at any stage of the process, please reach out to [e-mail].