Senior Advisor

Public Knowledge Project

$99K — $119K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Doctoral degree in Health Science or related field and six years of research development experience in a Canadian university or funding agency.
  • Experience in writing and coordinating multidisciplinary research award proposals.
  • Knowledge of strategic research priorities at institutional and governmental levels.
  • Strong leadership skills to collaborate with faculty across disciplines and senior leaders.
  • Excellent writing, editing, and communication skills, capable of simplifying complex information.
  • Proficient in strategic and project management, balancing multiple demands and deadlines.

Responsibilities

  • Provide strategic leadership for SFU's health research portfolio.
  • Help build interdisciplinary research programs aligned with health systems and community health.
  • Support opportunity assessments and team formations for funding proposals.
  • Develop proposal strategies and narratives for funding submissions.
  • Engage with partners and coordinate submission planning to enhance competitiveness.
  • Convert emerging health strengths into collaborative funding initiatives.
  • Drive initiatives that lead to improved health-system and community impacts.

Benefits

  • 4 weeks' vacation (prorated for the first year).
  • Hybrid-work program for eligible roles.
  • Employer paid defined benefit pension plan.
  • On-campus tuition waiver for employees and their immediate families.
  • Off-campus tuition reimbursement and professional development funds.
  • Emphasis on a healthy work-life balance and professional development opportunities.
Full Job Description
Union/Affiliation:

Administrative and Professional Staff (APSA)

Pay range:

$99,865 to $119,148 annually

SFU Department Descr:

Research Operations

Position Grade:

12

# of openings:

1

Biweekly Hours:

72

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.

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