Date:	November, 2013
Reports to (Job Title):	Director, Global Research and Strategic Alliances
Jobs Reporting (Job Titles):	Administrator, International Reseach and Partnerships
Location:	Main Campus
Grade:	USG 10 35 hr/wk

Primary Purpose

The Manager, International Research and Partnerships has a leadership role in the development and management of funding proposals for international research, negotiation of research agreements, and the administration of awards. The Manager is responsible for overseeing the complete grant cycle process related to international research, assisting researchers from all six faculties with the preparation of funding applications by providing significant content and editorial review, and negotiating grant agreements. As a key strategic driver for enhancing international research activities, the incumbent will contribute directly to advance the university’s internationalization goals.

Key Accountabilities:

1. Leads and manages the preparation and review of international research and development program (capacity building) proposals and applications and negotiates research agreements and contracts.

Acts as the main institutional point of contact for specific programs within the portfolio;
Communicates regularly with sponsoring agency officials regarding program guidelines to ensure that the Office of Research has the most recent information and that the interpretation of guidelines transmitted to UW researchers is complete, current and accurate. Advises Department Chairs, Deans, Centre Directors, and researchers on new guidelines and other information critical to funding programs within the portfolio;
Coordinates and organizes sponsor visits/workshops to promote international funding programs and represents UW at conferences and events;
Takes leadership role to provide guidance to faculty on possible suitable funding sources, both face-to-face through presentations and through regular email updates;
Develops and implements strategies to increase the number of international funding proposal submissions;
Maintains close relationships with UW faculty members, departments, faculties, research centres for an in-depth understanding of international expertise, activities and priorities;
Pro-actively identifies and disseminates international research opportunities of interest to faculty members and of strategic importance to UW;
Assists researchers in all six faculties in the development of applications for international funding. This includes reviewing proposals for clarity, impact and typographical or grammatical errors; budget development; ensuring compliance with sponsor and program requirements; and identifying contractual terms that put the university and researcher at risk, with special attention to financial terms, liability, publication, licensing, intellectual property and patent rights, legal, and reporting issues, and indirect cost recovery;
The Manager has the authority to negotiate terms for research grants and contracts and to commit the university to such work through delegated signing authority. The incumbent takes a leading role in negotiating research agreements, contracts, and amendments, ensuring that all relevant details/support documents are included and compliant with agency requirements and university policies. International agreements often involve multiple institutions, are time-consuming, and require special consideration with regard to foreign currency, language differences, cultural nuances, time zones / geographic implications, university liability, indemnity, licensing and patent rights/intellectual property protection, governing law, publication, insurance, etc;
Participates in continuous process improvement by analyzing award decision results, preparing reports for senior administrators, and making recommendations for improving the institution’s application success rate;
Monitors and provides strategic advice to the director, global alliances regarding high risk, complex and/or problematic applications that may create risk to the institution; and
Attends meetings or conferences on and off the university campus with agency representatives, government officials, and/or researchers, and prepares written and makes oral presentations as required.

Supervises and supports grant administration:

Understands and interprets university policies and procedures as they relate to grants and contracts, intellectual policy, financial management, procurement services, and human resources;
Ensures ongoing projects comply with agency terms and conditions and conform to UW policies and procedures;
Identifies process gaps and inefficiencies with respect to how research projects are managed and provides solutions to improve efficiencies, reduce duplication of work, and mitigate risks;
Provides operational support, life-cycle awards management, and resolves problems and disputes;
Tracks and monitors progress of proposals and projects and prepares statistics and reports; and
Plays a leadership role in developing, supporting, and implementing development projects of strategic importance to the university.

Develops and supports strategic institutional partnerships:

Assists in supporting existing and establishing new collaborative international partnerships with key external partners, particularly as they relate to international research and development projects;
Assists with drafting and managing institutional research agreements (e.g. Memorandums of Understanding)
Tracks country collaboration and institutional partnerships and disseminates information and statistics on international activities and programs to the university community, government agencies, and other external partners;
Provides support for and participates in incoming and outgoing research delegations and visits; and
Helps deliver the UW’s Strategic Plan goals, particularly the Global Prominence and Internationalization and Transformational Research themes, and identifies opportunities for UW to enhance its international profile.

Other relevant tasks:

Assists the Director in managing the annual International research operating budget; and
Supervises staff and students.

Position Requirements

Education:

Master’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Experience:

Experience

Demonstrated experience in project management and administration are essential, preferably in an international academic or research environment;
Proven ability to evaluate and edit grant proposals and negotiate agreements and contracts;
Extensive knowledge of the international academic and research environment, including international academic administrative protocols, legal and financial issues pertaining to international activity, intellectual property rights, and conflict of interest and liability issues;
Experience supervising staff and students;
Excellent working knowledge of university policies and procedures, particularly related to international research activities;
A track record of generating significant new ideas, developing new initiatives, and improving existing practices and procedures;
Experience working in intercultural settings; and

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

Highly motivated with strong administrative and organizational skills, as well as a demonstrated ability to evaluate and edit grant proposals, negotiate agreements and contracts, and manage the associated extensive administrative requirements;
Proven international experience in intercultural relations and/or project management and/or partnership development;
Ability to fully understand, synthesize and translate material of a highly technical nature into text that is accessible to all readers;
Ability to communicate effectively with researchers from a variety of disciplines within all six faculties, partner institutions, government representatives, and senior UW administrators;
Project management and negotiation skills are essential, as is the ability to work under pressure, within time constraints and conflicting deadlines and to function in a complex and changing environment;
Excellent written and oral communication skills, and superior attention to detail;
Exceptional editorial and time-management skills;
Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, with the ability to adapt to a fast-paced environment characterized by changing priorities;
Demonstrated strategic thinker with experience designing and/or improving business processes and practices;
Demonstrated awareness of and sensitivity to cultural, language, religious, political, socio-economic, and other relevant factors related to UW’s international focus;
Proficiency with a variety of computer software applications including a working knowledge of software for word processing, spreadsheets, database management, and web content management;
Strong analytical skills and the ability to integrate data from various sources into reports;
Ability to work confidently on own initiative, and also as part of a team;
Familiarity with Canadian and international granting agencies is an asset; and

Technical:

MS Word	Excel	PowerPoint	Other

Nature and Scope

Interpersonal Skills:

This position is highly-collaborative and requires interaction with a broad range of internal and external contacts. Internally, the Manager works closely with faculty members, research assistants, students, and staff from other departments. Externally, the incumbent liaises with federal and provincial ministries, international funding agencies, embassies, other Canadian and international universities and businesses, and public and private foundations that support international research

Level of Responsibility:

The job has specialized work with minimal supervision and provides guidance to others.

Decision-Making Authority:

The Manager is responsible for decision making in his/her area of responsibility and resource management.

Physical and Sensory Demands:

Minimal demands typical of an office position.

Working Environment:

Minimal exposure to disagreeable conditions typical of an office based position. Some periodic travel may be required