Senior Advisor

Simon Fraser University; Burnaby; Hybrid; CAD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

4 weeks vacation

Hybrid-work program

Pension plan (defined benefit)

On-campus tuition waiver

Tuition reimbursements & professional

Professional development funds

Job summary

Simon Fraser University in Burnaby invites applications for a Senior Advisor, Health to lead strategic research development for our growing health portfolio. You will coordinate across faculties, partners, and funders, shaping opportunities and preparing compelling funding proposals.

The role emphasizes interdisciplinary programs spanning health systems, digital health, and population health, with a focus on high-value, institutionally significant grants.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in a health-related discipline with six years of experience in research development.
• Strong writing, strategic thinking and project coordination.
• Ability to collaborate with multiple investigators across faculties and partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead opportunity assessment and proposal strategy for health research.
• Support team formation, narrative development and partner engagement.
• Coordinate submission planning across faculties and partners.
• Translate health strengths into competitive, fundable initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

Writing

Strategic thinking

Project coordination

Communication skills

Narrative development

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Doctoral degree

Job description

Who We Are

Simon Fraser University is a leading research university, advancing an inclusive and sustainable future. Our purpose – the essence of SFU – is to create and connect knowledge, learning and community for deeper understanding and meaningful impact. We are committed to fostering excellence, innovation, belonging and community in all that we do.

SFU’s Institutional Strategic Awards (ISA) leads strategies and initiatives that increase research capacity, income, and visibility by supporting prestigious, high-value funding programs and projects. ISA provides support for pre-award research development, proposal strategy, stakeholder engagement, institutional commitments, limited submissions, and post-award project management for complex initiatives involving multiple teams, partners, and funders. The Senior Advisor, Health will be part of ISA’s Research Development team and will support SFU’s emerging health research portfolio, including major opportunities linked to the Stephens Family School of Medicine. Our culture is collaborative, strategic, responsive, and focused on helping researchers build ambitious, fundable programs.

About the Role

The Senior Advisor, Health will provide strategic research development leadership for SFU’s emerging health research portfolio, with emphasis on major, complex, and institutionally significant funding opportunities. The role will help build interdisciplinary research programs that advance health systems, primary care, digital health, implementation science, population health, translational research, infrastructure-enabled discovery, and innovations that improve care delivery and community health. Working across Faculties, the School of Medicine, research platforms, partners, and institutional units, the Advisor will support opportunity assessment, team formation, proposal strategy, narrative development, partner engagement, and coordinated submission planning. This position will help SFU convert emerging health strengths into competitive, collaborative funding initiatives with tangible benefits for health-system improvement and community impact.

The ideal candidate holds a doctoral degree in a health-related, biomedical, health systems, population health, clinical, digital health, neuroscience, or other relevant discipline, with six years of related experience in research development and administration. They are a strong writer, strategic thinker, and skilled project coordinator who can shape complex health research ideas into compelling funding applications. They can work effectively with multiple investigators across Faculties, institutions, health-system partners, and research support teams, and bring sound judgment, diplomacy, and initiative to proposals supporting research, training, infrastructure, and partnerships.

Full Job Description

Qualifications

Doctoral degree in Science, Applied Sciences, Social Sciences, Health Science, or a related/relevant discipline, and six years of related experience in research development and administration at a Canadian university, funding agency or related agency; experience in writing and coordinating multidisciplinary research award proposals with multiple collaborators for a variety of funding sources (public and private); or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Good knowledge of strategic research priorities at institutional, agency, and government levels.
• Ability to develop strategies for complex, high-value funding competitions and coordinate multidisciplinary, multi-investigator proposals.
• Excellent leadership skills and ability to work directly with faculty from multiple disciplines, senior leaders, institutional units, partners, and funders.
• Excellent writing, editing, presentation, and communication skills, including the ability to summarize complex information in clear, succinct language.
• Excellent strategic and project management skills, with the ability to coordinate projects and resources, prioritize competing demands, and meet critical deadlines.

What We Offer

At SFU, our goal is to ensure our people are valued and supported by promoting a healthy work-life balance, professional growth and development, as well as a safe and respectful workplace. We offer continuing employees who belong in the Administrative & Professional Staff Association (APSA):

• 4 weeks’ vacation (prorated for the first year)*
• Hybrid-work program for eligible positions
• Employer paid defined benefit pension plan
• On-campus tuition waiver for employees and their immediate family members*
• Off-campus tuition reimbursements and professional development funds*
• And more! View our benefits brochure

*Prorated for part-time employees

Additional Information

Please include your cover letter and resume in one attachment.

SFU is an equity employer and strongly encourages applications from all qualified individuals including women, Indigenous Peoples, visible minorities, people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, persons with disabilities, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of the university.

We are committed to facilitating accessibility within our application and interview processes. If you require any assistance or accommodations, please contact [e-mail].