Manager, Grants Administration

Manager, Grants Administration   Services - Full-Time 14 month Temporary

Alberta Innovates is seeking a Manager, Grants Administration Services responsible for providing strategic oversight, leadership, guidance, and support to the Grants Administration Services team. The Manager, Grants Administration Services also works collaboratively with staff in investment program areas throughout Alberta Innovates (the “Organization”) as well as Legal and Finance to provide advice and administrative direction for investment applications and associated Agreements from application submission through to file close.

Are you our next Manager, Grants Administration Services? You would be a good fit for this position if you:  

• Have a deep understanding of grant or contract administration and management principles.
• Bring exceptional leadership, communication and problem-solving skills.
• Have extensive experience in administering grants or contracts throughout their lifecycles, ensuring audit compliance and optimizing processes.

We are game changers.  

Alberta Innovates is a provincially funded corporation with a mandate to deliver 21st-century solutions for the most compelling challenges facing Albertans. We do this by building on our province’s research and technology development strengths in the core sectors of health, environment, energy, food and fibre, and platforms such as artificial intelligence, nanotechnology and omics. We are working with our partners to diversify Alberta’s economy, improve our environmental performance and enhance the well-being of Albertans through research and innovation.  

Our subsidiary, InnoTech Alberta, offers a diversified range of scientific engineering and technological research and testing capabilities, and the facilities to support technology scale-up. Our multidisciplinary team has the depth of experience to work across all sectors, from energy to health to food and fibre. InnoTech Alberta offers you access to research talent, technical expertise, and unique facilities that can help accelerate technology development that serves both the private and public sector.

Intrigued? Here’s some more information about the position:  

Reporting to the Executive Director of Corporate Planning and Reporting , the Manager, Grants Administration Services will be accountable for leading the grants administration process throughout the Organization for investment Applications, Agreements and Amendments. The Manager has authority to make decisions on the administration of grants based on risks to the organization, audit considerations, policies and procedures and applicable laws. The successful incumbent will be accountable for (but not limited to) the following:  

• Manages and oversees the day-to-day operations of a team focused on delivering leadership, guidance and operational activities related to grants administration policies and procedures, including identifying areas of risk exposure. Operational activities include, but are not limited to, the administration of grants from initial application to file closure and includes the drafting of Investment Agreements and Amendments. Establishes team priorities and standards to ensure consistent compliance with service level objectives and high quality of work.
• Manages staff activities, establishes team goals and objectives, monitors productivity and work quality, ensures adherence to policies and best practices and works collaboratively with the Executive Director, Corporate Planning and Reporting on recruitment activities for the Grants Administration Services team. Manages staff workflow including planning, allocation, prioritization of work and cover off and re-allocates staff as necessary to ensure continuity of grants administration across the organization.
• Leads an effective performance management process, develops, and implements employee professional development plans, completes succession planning and provides coaching strategies for continuous development of team. Provides mentorship and training to team members and manages resources to achieve high performance.
• Identifies opportunities for improvement in grants administration processes and practices across the Organization, including the enterprise grant management system. Builds and maintains effective collaborative relationships with business lines, General Counsel and Finance staff to understand internal stakeholder needs, influence change and develop strategies for improved grants administration services across the Organization.
• Proactively identifies opportunities for business optimization through grants administration process and activity improvements across the Organization. Develops strategies and implements plans through appropriate structures to ensure continued momentum in achieving efficiency, effectiveness, and operational transparency to ensure changes are approved and implemented.
• Collaborates within Corporate Planning and Reporting to help establish operational performance measures and targets for grant related operations and ensures appropriate business intelligence is readily available in a concise format.
• Provides guidance, subject matter expertise and recommendations to the Organization regarding grants administration activities, ensuring process is understood and adhered to in support of audit process.
• Actively contributes to committees, working groups and other collaborative activities to support operational activities and priorities that touch on grants administration services and corporate goals.
• In collaboration with the Executive Director, Corporate Planning and Reporting, manages team budget and reporting activities, authorizes expenditures within budget and approved limits, explains variances, and ensures the timely submission of required internal and external reports and financial documents.

Educational Requirement:

• Post-secondary education in Business Management, Legal or Contract Management.
• Undergraduate or Graduate Degree in Business Administration, Business Management or related relevant discipline preferred.

Experience and Qualifications we are looking for:

• Minimum 8 years of progressively responsible grant administration, contract management, legal or management experience
• Minimum 2 years of leadership/people management experience
• Experience working in private industry, government and corporate administrative or management environment.
• Higher exposure to and understanding of corporate, commercial and contract workflows, processes, and requirements.
• Experience working independently and as a team.
• Proficiency in using Microsoft Office applications.
• Preferably , someone with knowledge of policies and process for administrating funding/service applications and agreements; knowledge of relevant Government of Alberta policies and practices.
• Familiarity with government, research and/or innovation orientated environments is an asset.

Skills Required:

• Strong dispute, conflict resolution and negotiation skills
• Management and leadership skills
• Business and strategic planning concepts
• Ability to lead and work in a team environment.
• Ability to develop and maintain stakeholder relationships.
• People management skills, motivate, coach, mentor and develop staff.
• Able to work under tight deadlines, deal with change and adapt to new circumstances in a fast-paced environment.
• Priority management and organizational skills
• Strong verbal, written, listening and interpersonal skills to convey concepts and information.
• Analytical, critical thinking, problem solving and decision-making skills.

Why Alberta Innovates?

We offer our employees opportunities to work on projects that will expand their skill sets while witnessing the visible impacts of their efforts. We value the development of our employees and create opportunities for working in capacities that allow new skills to be learned. We know that the wellness of our team is the most important part of our business, so we offer a strong benefits package and generous vacation and paid time off programs to promote work-life balance.  

The final candidate will be required to undergo a security clearance. All interviewees must be able to meet the requirement specified in the Physical Demand Analysis. This document will be supplied during the interview process to the successful candidate. This competition will remain open until a successful candidate is found.   

ALBERTA INNOVATES IS COMMITTED TO THE PRINCIPLE OF EQUITY IN EMPLOYMENT AND ENCOURAGES APPLICATIONS FROM ALL QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS. WE WISH TO THANK ALL APPLICANTS FOR THEIR INTEREST. HOWEVER, ONLY THOSE INVITED FOR AN INTERVIEW WILL BE CONTACTED.