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Research Operations & Communications Coordinator (.5 FTE)

At UBC we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research innovation and learning for all faculty staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Summary

This position provides support for the Applied Behaviour Change Lab which is located in the Centre for Health Behaviour Change in the School of Health and Exercise Sciences. Specifically the position supports the Principal Investigator Dr. Heather Gainforth in managing multiple grants trainees (undergraduate graduate and postdoctoral) and diverse internal and external partners.

This role plays an integrative function across the lab supporting financial accountability project coordination scheduling compliance and communication. This position works closely with the Principal Investigator to help ensure that research activities are well organized deadlines are tracked systems are maintained and communication with partners is clear responsive and accessible.

Organizational Status

This position provides operational administrative and communications support for research projects and activities within the Applied Behaviour Change Lab. The Labs research focuses on knowledge mobilization and translation behavioural science and integrated knowledge translation research partnerships (see ) with a specific emphasis on working with people with physical disabilities particularly people with spinal cord injury.

This position reports to the Principal Investigator Dr. Heather Gainforth or her designate. The incumbent will work closely with members of the research team including undergraduate and graduate students postdoctoral fellows project partners and other internal and external collaborators to support the effective coordination and delivery of research activities.

Work Performed

Finance & Grant Administration

• Leads and supports financial and administrative tasks related to research activities.

• Ensures financial protocols are implemented accurately and in compliance with institutional and funder requirements.

• Assists with the preparation administration and tracking of grant applications budgets and strategic work plans in collaboration with the Principal Investigator.

• Assists with writing grant proposals and liaises with granting agencies and institutional offices on a variety of administrative and reporting matters.

• Supports preparation of financial and narrative components of grant reports and annual reports as required.

• Ensures timely notification of the Principal Investigator and research team regarding financial issues risks or required followup.

Research Operations & Project Support

• Leads and supports daytoday administrative and operational functions of the lab.

• Oversees project coordination and monitors workflow to ensure alignment between project plans timelines and execution.

• Tracks project progress deliverables and dependencies; follows up and recommends action as needed to support timely completion of project targets.

• Coordinates and participates in research team meetings including preparation documentation and followup.

• Supports recruitment of trainees and hiring of research assistants including drafting position descriptions posting positions and screening applicants.

• Coordinates onboarding and offboarding of research assistants trainees and undergraduate students including leading orientation and training related to onboarding daily activities and offboarding processes.

• Ensures research ethics research data management and compliance protocols are appropriately established implemented monitored and maintained.

• Monitors workflows to support highquality data collection tracking management and archiving.

• Arranges and coordinates equipment or technology maintenance as required.

• Ensures timely notification of the Principal Investigator and research team of operational issues risks or emerging concerns.

• Performs other related duties consistent with the scope of the position as required.

Communications & Partnership Coordination

• Coordinates and facilitates internal and external communications related to the research program.

• Prepares composes edits and proofreads reports and documents for publication academic proposals grant applications annual reports and presentations.

• Provides support and expertise to design write proof disseminate and maintain internal and external communications including:

  • Website content

  • Community and partnership updates

  • Posters letters and memos

  • Social media content

  • Video podcast and other multimedia materials

• Coordinates communications and engagement activities across platforms and formats (e.g. website graphic design social media video podcasts inperson events).

• Responds to inquiries from research participants partners and community or government groups related to ongoing research.

• Builds and maintains effective working relationships within and outside the lab including with students trainees researchers staff partners and community members.

• Applies accessibilityinformed and respectful communication practices when working with all partners including diverse disability communities.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

The Project Director associated with this research project will monitor the work of this position. Errors or incorrect decisions could seriously compromise the quality of the research and result in delays in completing projects. Additionally serious compromises to the quality of the research will jeopardize future funding opportunities. Failure to clearly represent and communicate the work of the research team could result in severed relationships with the funding agency and collaborators. The work in this position must be completed at a high level of accuracy and efficiency.

Supervision Received
This position works under the general direction of the Principal Investigator (Dr. Heather Gainforth). The position operates with a high degree of independence and is expected to work collaboratively with minimal daytoday supervision. This position exercises judgment in carrying out defined responsibilities based on broad objectives and priorities and is responsible for proactively identifying communicating and escalating issues risks or unusual situations to the Principal Investigator as they arise or are anticipated.

Supervision Given
This position provides functional guidance and daytoday support to approximately 14 research assistants trainees and students at the undergraduate and graduate levels. This includes providing direction related to assigned tasks supporting onboarding and training processes and ensuring work is completed in alignment with project requirements and timelines under the overall supervision of the Principal Investigator.

Qualifications

Minimum

• Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of two years of relevant experience or an equivalent combination of education.

• Demonstrated willingness to respect diverse perspectives including perspectives that may differ from ones own.

• Demonstrated commitment to enhancing ones awareness knowledge and skills related to equity diversity inclusion and accessibility particularly in collaborative or communityengaged contexts.

Preferred

• Masters degree in a relevant discipline (or nearing completion) would be considered an asset.

• Experience supporting administrative operational coordination or communications functions in a research academic or related professional environment.

• Experience or training in administration partnership development and/or communications.

• Experience in project management including coordination of multiphase and/or multimethod research projects.

• Experience supporting the preparation and submission of research grants including familiarity with grant portals such as ResearchNet and Common CV.

• Experience using project management and workflowtracking tools (e.g. Asana Trello MS Planner or similar platforms).

• Experience working in research partnerships involving researchers trainees community partners and/or research users.

• Knowledge of or interest in knowledge translation and mobilization behaviour change implementation science and/or partnered research approaches.

• Experience supporting research ethics submissions amendments renewals and ongoing compliance with Research Ethics Board requirements.

• Experience with research data management including data tracking organization documentation storage and archiving.

• Strong written and oral communication skills including experience drafting and editing research reports grant materials newsletters website content blog posts and presentations.

• Experience coordinating and maintaining internal and external communications including websites newsletters social media and partner updates.

• Familiarity with social media platforms digital engagement strategies and basic analytics (e.g. Google Analytics or platformbased metrics).

• Basic understanding of graphic design principles and experience using tools such as Canva Adobe Acrobat and/or Adobe Creative Suite (e.g. Photoshop).

• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 (Outlook Word Excel Teams SharePoint).

• Experience using datarelated and referencemanagement tools such as Excel NVivo SPSS Qualtrics FluidSurveys Zotero or other reference managers.

• Familiarity with the appropriate and ethical use of AIsupported tools (e.g. for drafting editing organizing summarizing or workflow support) with an understanding of confidentiality accessibility and responsible use in research and administrative contexts.

• Demonstrated understanding of equity diversity inclusion and accessibility particularly in research or communityengaged contexts.

• Strong organizational skills exceptional attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.

• Ability to exercise initiative apply sound judgment and contribute to continuous improvement of systems and workflows.

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a collaborative team.

• Demonstrated organizational skills.

• Ability to work proactively in a dynamic research environment.