Date Posted: 09/26/2025
Req ID: 45305
Faculty/Division: Faculty of Arts & Science
Department: Technoscience Research Unit
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)

 

Description:

The Technoscience Research Unit (TRU), founded in 2007 at the University of Toronto, is an Indigenous-led home for critical and creative research on the politics of technoscience. The TRU draws together social justice approaches to Science and Technology Studies from across the university with an emphasis on Indigenous, feminist, queer, environmental, anti-racist and anti-colonial scholarship. Led by M. Murphy and Kristen Bos and emphasizing training Indigenous students and community researchers, the TRU has an internationally recognized focus on Indigenous STS, Indigenous Environmental Data Justice, and Indigenous approaches to chemicals and sustainability. 

 

“Transforming Chemical Risk Management with Indigenous Expertise" (CMITEx) project is a new, ambitious, collaborative research initiative that seeks to re-envision chemical risk management with implications for pollution and climate change. The project brings Indigenous research methods to the challenge of profoundly transforming chemical risk management for Indigenous community-based practice, university labs and classes, regulatory practices, and policy development. This large, interinstitutional research project brings together 20 researchers and collaborators from institutions in Canada and Aotearoa (New Zealand), putting Indigenous experts as leaders in designing how chemical risk is evaluated and managed. It is a six-year-long collaborative effort supported by $22 million through the federal New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF).  Our project puts Indigenous knowledges at the forefront of how chemical risk is managed in communities, research design, and policy in this urgent time of environmental change.

 

Your Opportunity

The Administrative Director manages a large research project across institutions and communities, leads administrative and operational activities, setting strategic operational goals, and bringing strategic, operational leadership, direction and oversight to ensure the initiative's success in achieving its mission and vision of building Indigenous approaches to chemical risk management useful for communities, university researchers, and government practices.   As the senior administrative member of the team, the Administrative Director has a pivotal leadership role in strategic development, research administration and development, and project management. Responsibilities will include oversight of Canadian and international research contracts and accounts and full management responsibility for the administrative staff of the project. The Administrative Director provides leadership in developing a strategic plan for the project, financial management, budgeting and forecasting, develops and manages strategic partnerships across institutional, governmental, sectoral and geographic borders, and oversees public relations activities, including major events.

 

The Administrative Director builds strong partnerships with the researchers, Indigenous experts, communities and organizations involved in the project, as well as with governmental partners to foster a productive and cooperative work environment.  The role acts as a strategic liaison between the research projects at the University of Toronto, internally with partners and stakeholders, and with external partners  at the University of Guelph and the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, University of Aukland, the Canadian federal government, and New Zealand federal government, as well Indigenous organization partners in Canada and New Zealand with the goal to safeguard and augment the efficiency of the program’s operations to facilitate collaboration among the different research teams and accelerate long-term success.

 

Education

A Master’s degree or an acceptable combination of education and experience. 

 

Experience

• Minimum eight (8) years relevant experience in leading research activities with a focus on strategic, financial, administrative and operational leadership in post-secondary or research-intensive institutions.
• Demonstrated experience in research management and research proposal writing.
• Experience with public-private partnerships or related non-profit experience.
• Experience working with a variety of stakeholders and funders, in a senior administrative role managing complex relationships, preferably in a university environment or other large organization, is also desirable.
• Knowledge and experience in organizational governance.
• Demonstrated experience in financial & budget planning, human resources and communications management.
• Proven experience leading and managing staff ( in a unionized environment is preferred).
• Experience working with Indigenous communities and organizations is strongly preferred.

 

Skills

• Thorough knowledge of Canadian research administration landscape, excellent planning and strategic skills to lead a variety research and operational activities.
• Demonstrated leadership skills to discover the most efficient ways to run a complex program with several partners with diverging cultural backgrounds.
• Demonstrated ability to build and foster strong connections with the Indigenous experts, communities and organizations involved in the project, as well as with governmental partners to foster a productive and cooperative work environment.
• Experience in using human and financial management systems such as AMS
• Strong financial administration leadership skills, along with strong computer skills (Microsoft Suite, Adobe, Share Points etc.)
• Excellent research, analytical, negotiation, partnership development, project management, organizational and interpersonal skills, creative problem solving and decision making.
• Excellent communication skills, verbal and written, that can connect with and inspire scholars, students, partners, and Indigenous community organizations.
• Demonstrated tact, diplomacy, sensitivity and flexibility in interacting with research teams, Indigenous communities and organizations, and other project participants.
• Ability to work at strategic levels, and to take strategy and move it through to tactics and action. 
• Ability to interact University and external stakeholders in a manner which facilitates cooperation and consensus building.
• Strong leadership capabilities; and sound understanding of research methodologies.
• Demonstrable commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and the promotion of a respectful and collegial learning and working environment.

 

Other

• Assets included knowing an Indigenous language, having prior experience working with policies regarding Indigenous sovereignty, such as OCAP and CARE, and having familiarity with public debates surrounding chemical risk and/or environmental risks.
• Ability to initiate, build and nurture academic and research partnerships and engage with international collaborations.

 

Note:  This is a grant-funded position through the New Frontiers in Research Fund   

 

Closing Date: 10/10/2025, 11:59PM ET
Employee Group: Salaried
Personnel Subarea:PM
Appointment Type: Budget - Continuing
Schedule: Full-Time
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone: PM 4 -- Hiring Zone: $106,705 - $124,491 -- Broadband Salary Range: $106,705 - $177,843
Job Category: Administrative / Managerial