Senior Specialist, Program Management

University of Ottawa; Ottawa; Hybrid; CAD 97,000 - 121,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Ottawa’s Impact+ Chair program is seeking a Senior Specialist, Program Management to lead planning, execution and continuous improvement for a newly launching Arctic governance and community resilience initiative.

You will translate strategies into program plans, coordinate cross-project activities and optimize resources while collaborating with Indigenous and northern partners, governments, researchers and international organizations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a field related to the core business of the program.
• 5 years of related experience in program or project management.
• 3 years of experience in supervision.
• Experience in budget management and planning.
• Experience interpreting performance metrics for evidence-based decision-making.

Responsibilities

• Program Operations Management: oversee courses, workshops, training and events, and financial functions.
• Planning: contribute to needs analyses and strategic planning; translate objectives into operational plans.
• Continuous Improvement: develop KPIs and track data to evaluate performance.
• Human Resources Management: supervise operations staff; oversee recruitment and development.
• Program Promotion: act as an ambassador and promote program impact.

Skills

Planning

Initiative

Client service orientation

Teamwork and cooperation

Education

Bachelor's degree in a field related to the core business of the program

Job description

## Senior Specialist, Program ManagementApply: Ottawa, ON: Main Campus: Full time: Posted Today: End Date: September 28, 2026 (10 days left to apply): JR39054**Follow us on LinkedIn****Posting Reason:**New Position**Job Type:**Employee**Anticipated Duration in Months** (for contracts and temporary assignments):24**Job Family:**Program Management**# of Open Positions:**1**Faculty/Service - Department:**Impact+ Chair\\_Jennifer Spence\\_PM**Campus:**Main Campus**Union Affiliation:**N/A**Date Posted (YYYY/MM/DD):**2026/09/17**Applications must be received** ****BEFORE**** **(YYYY/MM/DD):**2026/09/16**Hours per week:**35**Salary Grade:**Non-Union Grade NR8 - 35 hrs**Salary Range:**$96 570,00 - $120 712,00The Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair in Arctic Governance and Community Resilience, based in the Faculty of Social Sciences and led by Dr. Jennifer Spence, is an ambitious new research program focused on the most consequential challenges and opportunities facing the Arctic today. Working closely with Dr. Spence and with Indigenous and northern partners, governments, researchers, and international organizations, the program will advance research and policy innovation in Arctic governance, research cooperation and science diplomacy, Indigenous leadership and innovation, and community resilience. As the program gets underway, Dr. Spence is building a collaborative and dynamic team committed to producing research that matters and translating ideas into meaningful policy and community impact. The Program Manager will work directly with Dr. Spence and play a critical role in building the program from the ground up. You will be part of shaping the team, partnerships, activities, and ways of working that will define its success. This is an opportunity to join an engaged and supportive team and help build an important new Arctic research program together. About the Faculty of Social Sciences The FSS comprises nine departments, schools and institutes, which offer undergraduate, masters and doctoral programs in both English and French. With its 10,000 students, 260 full-time professors, and wide array of programs and research centres, the Faculty of Social Sciences plays a key role at the heart of the University of Ottawa. Its graduate students are supervised by excellent researchers and undertake cutting-edge research in the Faculty's masters and Ph.D. programs. Along with its complement of about 100 administrative employees, the faculty is proud to provide a collaborative working environment that inspires new ideas, encourages creative ingenuity, and promotes excellence.**Position Purpose**Leads the planning, organization, execution and continuous improvement of all aspects related to the efficient delivery of a defined special program or research program in a faculty. Translates strategies into program plans and deliverables in support of meeting program objectives while promoting service excellence. Ensures collaboration among program staff and establishes processes and procedures that optimize resources contributing to the overall success of academic, research and/or special services offered by the University of Ottawa.**In this role, your responsibilities will include:*** Program Operations Management: Oversees all ongoing operational activities, including but not limited to courses, workshops, training and events, in support of core program delivery including administrative and financial functions, resource allocation, monitoring and communication. Coordinates cross-project activities of inter-connected projects within the program scope with the objective of maximizing resources and enhancing communication. Acts as management liaison with other faculties or services whose contribution is a key input to program success, as well as to ensure effective communication and collaboration on areas of common interest. Oversees activities undertaken as part of special projects within the overall scope of the program.* Planning: Participates in needs analyses and strategic planning activities by contributing innovative ideas and evidence-based information related to program delivery. Translates global program objectives and needs into short -, medium- and long -term operational plans. Identifies risks to success and implements contingency measures to ensure program continuity. Plans all key resources; human, material, financial and space, towards meeting program objectives.* Continuous Improvement: Devises key performance indicators and ensures accurate tracking of data for evaluating performance against program objectives. Analyses performance trends and adjusts program elements accordingly. Monitors industry trends and norms to introduce innovations into program planning and delivery, and ensures continuous alignment of deliverables with global objectives of the sector while favouring service excellence. Given the ongoing nature of programs, ensures that program deliverables continue to evolve with the evolving needs of program participants.* Human Resources Management: Supervises operations staff of the program. May oversee the work of additional staff assigned to special projects within the scope of the program to ensure alignment with overall program goals. Responsible for recruitment, professional development, performance management and conflict management for the staff under his or her responsibility.* Program Promotion: Acts as an ambassador for the program, and actively promotes program impact, features and successes. Effectively communicates the link between program objectives and the overall vision of the faculty or service, while consistently supporting and upholding the reputation of the program.**What you will bring:*** Knowledge, Experience and Skills Essential Qualifications (cannot be modified)* Bachelor’s degree in a field related to the core business of the program* 5 years of related experience in program or project management* 3 years of experience in supervision* Experience in budget management and planning* Experience interpreting performance metrics in support of evidence-based decision-making* Ability to succeed in a high-paced, high demand environment with strict deadlines* Strong organizational skills to manage multiple elements of ongoing operations* Ability to simplify and explain rules and regulations* Ability to motivate a team and to collaborate with multiple stakeholders* Strong interpersonal and communication skills* Proven commitment to client satisfaction* Ability to work outside of normal office hours* Ability to travel outside of the region* Bilingualism - French and English (spoken and written)**Key Competencies at uOttawa:** Here are the required competencies for all or our employees at uOttawa: **Planning:** Organize in time a series of actions or events in order to realize an objective or a project. Plan and organize own work and priorities in regular daily activities. **Initiative:** Demonstrate creativity and initiative to suggest improvements and encourage positive results. Is proactive and self-starting. Show availability and willingness to go above and beyond whenever it is possible. **Client Service Orientation:** Help or serve others to meet their needs. This implies anticipating and identifying the needs of internal and external clients and finding solutions on how to meet them. **Teamwork and Cooperation:** Cooperate and work well with other members of the team to reach common goal(s). Accept and give constructive feedback. Able to adjust own behaviour to reach the goals of the team. The University of Ottawa embraces diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We are passionate about our people and committed to employment equity. We foster a culture of respect, teamwork and inclusion, where collaboration, innovation, and creativity fuel our quest for research and teaching excellence. While all qualified persons are invited to apply, we welcome applications from qualified Indigenous persons, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, women and LGBTQIA2S+ persons. The University is committed to creating and maintaining an accessible, barrier-free work environment. The University is also committed to working with applicants with disabilities requesting accommodation during the recruitment, assessment and selection processes. Applicants with disabilities may contact [e-mail] to communicate the accommodation need. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. **Note: if this is a union position:** The hiring process will be governed by the current collective agreement related to the union affiliation noted above; you can click here to find out more. *If this is a front-line position with responsibilities to interact with students, selected candidates must be rated at the Low Advanced proficiency level or higher for both oral comprehension and reading comprehension in their second official language. The rating is determined by a proficiency test designed by the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute.*Prior to May 1, 2022, the University required all students, faculty, staff, and visitors (including contractors) to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as defined in Policy 129 – Covid-19 Vaccination. This policy was suspended effective May 1, 2022 but may be reinstated at any point in the future depending on public health guidelines and the recommendations of experts.