Senior Advisor, Academic-Industry Partnerships - Okanagan

Mitacs; Kelowna; On-site; CAD 91,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Mitacs, a mission-driven national organization advancing Canada’s innovation system, is seeking a Senior Advisor, Academic-Industry Partnerships to strengthen research ties in the Okanagan and Thompson-Okanagan regions.

The role builds institution-level relationships with UBC Okanagan, Thompson Rivers University, and Okanagan College, connects regional needs with Mitacs programs, and coordinates with internal teams to deliver high-quality service.

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent in a relevant field or strong combination of education and experience.
• 3–5 years of experience building relationships across academic, industry, government, community, or not-for-profit environments.
• 3–5 years of managing a complex portfolio of external relationships with a high degree of independence.
• Ability to translate organizational needs into collaborative research, innovation, or talent-development opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage a regional portfolio of academic, industry, not-for-profit, community, and economic development relationships.
• Engage post-secondary institutions such as UBC Okanagan, TRU, and Okanagan College, including researchers and senior stakeholders.
• Identify and advance high-value opportunities connecting partner needs with Mitacs programs.

Skills

Relationship building

Portfolio management

Needs translation

Post-secondary knowledge

Consultative skills

Communication skills

Public speaking

Strategic thinking

Independent work

English proficiency

Education

PhD or equivalent

Job description

Would you like to leverage your partnership, research, or innovation experience to strengthen the Okanagan region? Do you want to be part of a mission driven organization shaping Canada’s innovation future? Do you thrive in collaborative environments where creativity, continuous improvement, and strategic thinking are valued? Are you motivated by work that strengthens Canada’s competitiveness and delivers meaningful impact for communities and businesses?

At Mitacs, we take a talent first approach to building Canada’s innovation capacity. We connect researchers with organizations across every region of the country to help solve pressing challenges and accelerate economic growth. By enabling business academic collaboration and supporting the development of highly skilled talent, we contribute to a resilient, future ready Canadian economy.

Guided by our values — Impact, Integrity, Collaboration, Excellence, and Talent — we work with partners nationwide to advance research, commercialization, and innovation.

At Mitacs, you become part of a team committed to empowering Canadian talent, fostering meaningful partnerships, and driving innovation that supports Canada’s long-term competitiveness. If you’re inspired by big ideas and passionate about creating national impact, we encourage you to apply.

The Opportunity

As a Senior Advisor, Academic-Industry Partnerships, you will play a key role in strengthening research and innovation partnerships across the Okanagan and Thompson-Okanagan regions. You will be trusted to understand a diverse regional innovation ecosystem, develop institution-level relationships, identify high-value opportunities, and independently move partnerships forward.

Working with post-secondary institutions, economic development organizations, and industry and not-for-profit partners, you will connect regional needs and opportunities with academic expertise, talent, and Mitacs programming. You will manage a varied regional portfolio and act as a credible connector and trusted advisor across academic, business, community, and innovation environments.

The ideal candidate will reside in Kelowna and have access to an automobile, as this role will require frequent engagement with ecosystem partners throughout the region.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and manage a regional portfolio of academic, industry, not-for-profit, community, and economic development relationships.
• Build and advance institution-level relationships with regional post-secondary institutions such as UBC Okanagan, Thompson Rivers University, and Okanagan College, including researchers, students, research offices, and senior administrative stakeholders.
• Engage industry and not-for-profit organizations to understand their research, innovation, talent, and organizational challenges.
• Identify, shape, and advance high-value opportunities that connect partner needs with academic expertise, student and postdoctoral talent, and appropriate Mitacs programs.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to partners by providing informed guidance on partnership development, project design, and available Mitacs pathways.
• Develop and maintain relationships with regional economic development organizations and other innovation ecosystem partners to identify shared priorities and collaborative opportunities.
• Represent Mitacs at regional meetings, events, and sector-focused forums, and strengthen Mitacs’ visibility and value within the regional innovation ecosystem.
• Guide prospective partnerships from early-stage exploration through project and application development, coordinating with internal Mitacs teams as required.
• Develop regional engagement plans, prioritize opportunities, and exercise sound judgment in allocating time and resources across a geographically distributed portfolio.
• Monitor regional trends, emerging sectors, institutional priorities, and partner needs, and share insights that inform business development planning.
• Collaborate with Mitacs Business Development, Research, Programs, and other teams to deliver responsive, high-quality service and programming.
• Maintain accurate and timely portfolio, opportunity, and relationship information in Mitacs systems

Skills and Experience:

• An advanced degree, with a PhD preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience in research, innovation, partnership development, economic development, business development, or a related field.
• 3-5 years of demonstrated experience building productive relationships across academic, industry, government, community, or not-for-profit environments.
• 3-5 years of experience managing a complex portfolio of external relationships and advancing multiple opportunities with a high degree of independence.
• Ability to understand organizational and sector needs and translate them into collaborative research, innovation, or talent-development opportunities.
• Knowledge of post-secondary research and innovation environments, including the interests and needs of researchers, students, and institutional partners.
• Strong consultative, relationship-management, facilitation, and opportunity-development skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate credibly with senior institutional and organizational stakeholders.
• Excellent presentation and public-engagement skills.
• Sound judgment, strategic thinking, and the ability to establish priorities in a dynamic environment.
• Ability to work independently across a geographically distributed region while contributing effectively to a collaborative national team.
• Adaptability, curiosity, initiative, and a practical approach to developing new relationships and partnership opportunities.
• Knowledge of written and spoken English is required in this role, as the successful candidate will interact with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders located across Canada.

Additional Assets:

• Established relationships within the Okanagan or Thompson-Okanagan research, innovation, economic development, or industry ecosystem.
• Experience working with UBC Okanagan, Thompson Rivers University, Okanagan College, or comparable post-secondary institutions.
• Experience developing cross-sector partnerships involving academic, industry, government, community, or not-for-profit participants.
• Knowledge of one or more sectors important to the regional economy.
• Experience with research funding, project development, or application development.

• Mitacs is committed to reconciliation with Indigenous communities across Canada. Lived experience or perspectives connected to Indigenous worldviews are considered strong assets.

Equity, diversity, and inclusion and reconciliation are strong commitments at Mitacs: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion - Mitacs. We believe a diverse workforcecomprisedof individuals with different lived experiences, ideas, strengths, and backgrounds (e.g., gender identities and expressions, Indigeneity, race, abilities, sexual orientation, and other identities) are crucial to our success. We welcome everyone to apply and encourage you to connect with us if you require accommodations during the recruitment process.

Hiring Range: $90,975 - $115,235

Hiring and Salary Range Transparency

Typically, employees are hired, transferred, or promoted within the salary range, specifically between the minimum and midpoint in the hiring range. The salary range refers to the range of base salaries for a given position, encompassing the minimum and maximum amounts. The midpoint of the range is positioned approximately halfway between the minimum and maximum, indicating a fully qualified employee with comprehensive job knowledge and experience for the role. Only in rare and exceptional circumstances, where a candidate has the experience, skills, and expertise that far exceed those required for the position, would we consider paying above the hiring range for this role.

Our recruitment process may use artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled tools to support activities. Any use of AI is subject to human review and all hiring decisions are made by a human member of our hiring team.