Manager, ISI Office & Programs

Date Posted: 10/09/2026
Req ID: 50511
Faculty/Division: VP - Research
Department: Institutional Strategic Initiatives
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)
Existing Vacancy: No

Description:

About us

The Vice-President, Research & Innovation (VPRI) portfolio supports the University of Toronto as a top public research university in the world. Our mission is to create the most supportive environment possible so that our researchers, innovators and learners can do what they do best — advance understanding and apply new knowledge. Our work supports, fosters and promotes the research and innovation culture and activities of our faculty, staff and students, along with our partner hospitals, funding sponsors, and partners in the public and private sector.

The Institutional Strategic Initiatives (ISI) portfolio is dedicated to improving the university's capacity to seed, develop, and sustain large, cross-divisional, interdisciplinary, excellence-driven research initiatives. Working with university-wide and divisional units, the ISI portfolio provides support in areas such as research leadership, external partnerships, budget and finance, human resources, and proposal development.

Your chance

Reporting to the Executive Director, Strategic Initiatives, the Manager, ISI Office & Programs provides operational and program leadership for the ISI portfolio. Working through and alongside a team of staff, the Manager builds the systems, processes, tools and practices that enable a portfolio of complex interdisciplinary research initiatives to operate effectively, share knowledge and meet institutional requirements.

This managerial role spans program and competition delivery, portfolio tracking and reporting,



strategic communications, committee and governance support, digital and website oversight, workshops and communities of practice, and the development of operational guidance and agreements. The Manager serves as a key advisor to the Executive Director, translates strategic priorities into practical operational plans, and identifies opportunities to improve service, coordination, and consistency across the portfolio.

The Manager oversees the day-to-day administrative and operational activities of the ISI Office, including workflow management, prioritization and troubleshooting, and develops and maintains the operational procedures, SOPs, guidance documents, templates and other tools that support this work. The Manager also leads the development and rollout of ISI programs and funding competitions, and establishes and maintains the portfolio trackers, dashboards and reporting processes used to collate reports and monitor key outcomes. The Manager drafts and negotiates agreements, and oversees the document and information management systems and practices that keep the portfolio’s records and data organized and accessible

In support of the portfolio’s communications and governance needs, the Manager prepares and oversees reports, proposals, slide decks, memos and other communications, and provides strategic oversight of ISI websites and digital platforms.



The Manager also supports ISI committees and governance processes — including meeting materials, coordination and follow-up — and plans and oversees workshops, communities of practice and other engagement activities.

Essential Qualifications:

(MINIMUM)

Education:

Post graduate degree (Master's or PhD) or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Experience:

- At least 5 years of relevant experience in strategic, financial, administrative and operational leadership, project management and business administration in a large research university or equivalent complex organization.
- Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional teams and managing a complex portfolio of programs and projects involving multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
- Experience managing complex relationships with senior administrators, funders, partners and other stakeholders, preferably in a university environment or other large complex organization.
- Experience developing and implementing programs, funding competitions or other structured institutional processes.
- Experience developing operational procedures, SOPs, guidance documents, templates and process improvements.
- Experience developing portfolio tracking, reporting and evaluation approaches, including trackers or dashboards and qualitative and quantitative information.
- Experience overseeing digital platforms and information-management systems such as SharePoint or similar tools, as well as websites and digital communications.
- Experience preparing complex written and presentation materials for varied audiences, including reports, external funding proposals,

📌 Manager, ISI Office (Toronto)
🏢 University of Toronto
📍 Toronto