Lead, Communications and Knowledge Mobilization - CIHR (Research Institute)

Do you want to work for a world-renowned research institute that pushes the boundaries of biomedical science and health research? Right here in Montreal! At the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC), you can be part of an organization focused on scientific discovery and innovation in patient-centered medicine. Join us today and make a difference!

Job Description

RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF THE MUHC
The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) is a world-renowned biomedical and hospital research centre. Located in Montreal, Quebec, the Institute is the research arm of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University. The RI-MUHC is supported in part by the Fonds de recherche du Québec - Santé (FRQS).

Position summary
The Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health (ICRH) is one of the thirteen virtual institutes of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). It is based out of The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre in Montréal (RI-MUHC).

ICRH has a broad mandate and supports strategic research activities that engage research teams from multiple institutions and organizations across Canada to conduct research into causes, mechanisms, prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, support systems, and palliation for a wide range of conditions associated with the heart, lung, brain (stroke), blood, blood vessels, critical care and sleep. ICRH has a focus on strengthening Indigenous health research within our mandate and strives for respectful partnerships with Indigenous Peoples. The Institute is also committed to the values and principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) across all aspects of its activities. The RI-MUHC and ICRH foster personal growth with opportunities for advancement and continued professional development.

In this exciting and interesting position, the incumbent reports to the Associate Director and leads the communications and knowledge mobilization activities for Institute.
•The incumbent is required to work independently, interacting with an integrated team environment, which includes the Institute team, staff based at the CIHR offices in Ottawa and members of the ICRH Institute Advisory Board from across Canada,
•The position requires independence, creativity and judgment,
•Excellent communication skills (oral and written) and an ability to work under time constraints are required,
•Excellent organizational skills are needed in order to manage the day-to-day communications and knowledge mobilization responsibilities for the Institute and balancing multiple priorities,
•The position requires up-to-date skills in novel communication strategies including social media, science writing for the public and communication with academic and non-academic stakeholders,
•The position is key to the success of the Institute as it assumes an important front-line role in communications with other institutes within CIHR and partners outside of CIHR interacting with different stakeholder communities, regionally, nationally and internationally,
•Due to the diverse scope of interactions conducted on behalf of the federal government, fluent oral and written French and English are required.

General Duties
Communications Activities - 75%
•Leads activities and develops, maintains and manages the Institute’s annual and weekly Communications Plan in collaboration with Institute and CIHR staff on key portfolios,
•Builds and updates the Institute’s communications calendar,
•Creates bilingual content for the Institute’s social media, website, newsletter and mailing list e-blasts, and works to generate a high volume of interest among these channels,
•Collaborates with Institute and CIHR staff to develop and promote communications (, pre-announcements) for funding opportunities and Institute activities in a timely fashion to ensure the Institute research community is well informed,
•Synthesizes background information, edits, formats and writes a variety of media materials (, newsletters, SD messages, e-blasts, information bulletins, etc.) for the Institute,
•Researches and selects relevant data and documents to inform communication reports, briefing notes and presentations as needed,
•Creates and edits presentations, speeches and slideshows for the Institute, as required,
•Synthesizes media channel analytics reports, and identifies strengths, areas for growth and future goals,
•Prioritizes requests and assignments to successfully execute deliverables on time,
•Reviews bilingual content translated by CIHR to ensure accuracy of translation, and formats or suggests changes to any provided translations as required,
•Maintains brand and messaging consistency in accordance with the CIHR Branding Guide and direction from the CIHR Communications Branch,
•Participates in the organization and planning of a pan-Canadian knowledge exchange tour (in the first 18 months of the position)




Knowledge Mobilization Activities – 25%
•Liaises with internal and external stakeholders to facilitate collaboration and engagement of the Institute partners in support of ICRH knowledge mobilization goals,
•Interprets and identifies key results from research evidence and succinctly summarizes findings in plain language,
•In collaboration with the Scientific Director, designs, organizes and evaluates knowledge mobilization and knowledge exchange events such as stakeholder meetings, webinars, and other engagement activities,
•Leads the development of meaningful research outputs for ICRH partners and stakeholders,
•Develops/implements end-user reports as well as other reporting and survey templates,
•Prepares factsheets and targeted white papers,
•Adapts written and oral communications to meet the information needs of different audiences.

Website of the organization

Education / Experience

Education:

•Undergraduate degree in a relevant field is required: communications, and/or journalism or equivalent.
•A graduate degree (MSc) in a relevant field considered an asset.

Work Experience:

•At least 3 years of progressively responsible communications and knowledge mobilization experience in a post-secondary setting,
•A least 3 years of experience developing, designing, and publishing communications content,
•Knowledge mobilization theory or practice, or experience with the integration of research-based evidence into policy or practice is an asset,
•Experience in science communications or journalism is an asset.

Required Skills

•In the first 18 months of the position, the incumbent will be involved in the organization and planning of a pan-Canadian knowledge exchange tour. Experience with data acquisition and analysis of interviews, surveys and roundtables to inform strategic planning is an asset.
•Advanced oral and written communication,
•High fluency in English and French required (listening, comprehension, writing and speaking),
•Ability to write in different tones, styles and for a variety of scenarios,
•Knowledge and understanding of the Canadian health research landscape, including health research funding organization is an asset,
•Superior time management, interpersonal and organizational skills as well as a high level of accuracy and attention to detail,
•High degree of initiative and ability to work independently,
•Ability to follow instructions and integrate constructive feedback,
•Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), and Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Acrobat) software,
•Ability to use language model AI tools is an asset,
•Must be tech savvy and willing to stay up-to-date with new technology,
•Working knowledge of social media tools such as Twitter/X, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram,
•Project management experience is an asset.