Animal Care & Veterinary Services

Research Ethics & Compliance

Position number: 09590

Date posted: November 9, 2026

Job details

Director, Animal Care and Use Program - Level 10 (EMAPS)

Continuing Full-Time

Full-time:

Yes

Permanent:

Yes

Work schedule:

35 Hours/week (Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm)

Salary:

$51.08 to $91.94 per hour ($92,962.49 to $167,332.48 per annum)

Expected Start Date

February 1, 2027

Trial/Probation period:

1820 hours worked

For more information please contact: Allison Stephen, Director, Office of the VP (Research and International) - [email protected]

The Director, Animal Care & Use Program (ACUP) provides strategic leadership and oversight for all animal-based research, teaching, and testing activities at the University of Manitoba. Reporting to the Associate Vice-President (Research), the Director is responsible for ensuring the University's animal care and use program meets all applicable municipal, provincial, and federal regulations, as well as the standards of the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC). The role oversees program governance, policy development, compliance frameworks, and Veterinary Services, while ensuring the University remains aligned with evolving regulatory requirements and best practices in animal ethics and welfare. As both a senior administrator and clinical veterinarian, the Director leads a multidisciplinary team supporting animal care, training, monitoring, and veterinary services. Through strong regulatory stewardship, operational leadership, and a commitment to ethical animal care, the Director plays a critical role in enabling research excellence, maintaining accreditation, and preserving public confidence in the University's animal-based research programs. This is an in-person primarily based out of the Fort Garry campus. Travel to the Bannatyne campus and other facilities is required.

Qualifications

MINIMUM FORMAL EDUCATION/TRAINING:

- Must hold D.V.M. and be eligible for licensing in Manitoba.
- Requires demonstrated leadership experience in a complex, policy-driven environment, with strong judgment, stakeholder management, change leadership, risk management, communication, and process improvement capability.

EXPERIENCE:

- Four (4) full years working with laboratory animals and one (1) year of large animal experience is preferred.
- Formal training in laboratory animal medicine is preferred (Cert. LAM, or other post graduate programs specifically in lab animal medicine).
- Previous management experience is preferred.
- Experience with institutional animal care is required.
- Knowledge of Canadian Council on Animal Care Guidelines is required.
- An acceptable equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

- Ability to handle multiple issues and timelines is required.
- Excellent interpersonal skills are required.
- Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, are required.
- Ability to interpret and formulate feedback/articulate key messages is required.
- Ability to use inclusive, respectful language in all communication is required.
- Ability to carry out all aspects of the position with a high degree of tact, confidentiality, diplomacy, discretion and professionalism is required.
- Must be skillful in handling, restraint of various species of animals, as well as diagnosis and treatment of a variety of species.
- Good surgical skills, blood collection techniques and other standard veterinary techniques are required.
- Ability to work independently with minimum supervision is required.
- Ability to set priorities and exercise independent judgment and action in meeting the responsibilities is required.
- Ability to multi-task and work accurately under pressure is required.
- Ability to evaluate large documents for completeness, consistency, and compliance is required.
- Robust technical skills to learn and adapt to new and changing technology are required.
- Must be flexible and willing to accept new and variable responsibilities.
- Must be able to maintain composure in a busy multi-user/multi-demand service organisation and to treat animals and the personnel that work with them with compassion and respect despite hectic work pace.
- Ability to motivate staff to work toward future goals is required.
- Satisfactory work record, including satisfactory attendance and punctuality, is required.

OTHER JOB RELATED QUALIFICATIONS:

- Must possess a philosophy compatible with animal-based research.
- Humane treatment of all animals at all times must be a guiding principle.
- Must have an understanding of the ethical questions involved in using animals for research, and have a thorough knowledge of the CCAC and University guidelines and policies regarding the use of animals in research.
- Must be able to effectively articulate these philosophies to technical and research staff as well as other members of the community.
- Must not be allergic to animals.

Key responsibilities

Personnel Management:

- Oversees the ACUP core services, team operations, key processes, stakeholder relationships, and related systems or tools required to deliver effective research support.
- Oversees all staff and operations of Animal Care and Veterinary Services.
- Oversees the functioning of the Veterinary Services program and ensures compliance of the program to the mandate set out in consultation with VPRI and the UCAC.




- Directs personnel to carry out assignments in a manner that ensures compliance with all applicable guidelines and regulations.
- Plans work rotations to give adequate veterinary clinical coverage amongst the various facilities holding animals at the University of Manitoba. Plans rotating coverage for evenings, nights, weekends and holidays. This includes the co-ordination of vacation, continuing education leave and absences.
- Evaluates workforce/workload to determine staff requirements.
- Interviews, hires, job orients, and develops a training program for new employees.
- Writes and reviews the job descriptions of subordinate staff in conjunction with staff members.
- Ensures that staff members are adequately trained for their particular job. Arranges training sessions with Lab Animal Training Co-ordinator and other veterinary services staff.
- Maintains a training profile for all employees and develops a training program with them. Encourages and facilitates staff participation in the training programs of the Canadian Association for Laboratory Animal Science, Canadian Association for Laboratory Animal Medicine and American Association for Laboratory Animal Science.
- Assesses staff for performance evaluation. Discusses performance issues, including deficiencies.
- Initiates corrective action when required.
- Liaises with Human Resources on personnel issues within the department.
- Chairs regular staff meetings (e.g., monthly Veterinary Services and Extended Veterinary Services meetings) for discussion of animal care issues, staff workload and safety issues and facilitates meetings with facility directors, animal care personnel and other individuals.

Program and Monitoring Management:

- Identifies, manages, documents, and escalates risks related to compliance, policy interpretation, service delivery, systems, data, financial commitments, and cross-unit dependencies.
- Determines ongoing Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) requirements for post approval monitoring. Oversees the development and implementation of the Post Approval Monitoring Program for the University of Manitoba. Duties related to post approval monitoring will include:
- monitoring compliance of research activities to approved protocols
- reviewing performance of procedures and surgeries
- monitoring the use of animals and endpoints
- assisting in certifying competency for research staff.

- As the Qualified Person in Charge, administrates the purchase and sale of controlled drugs under the Veterinary Services Licensed dealer License and maintains records and reports to Health Canada in compliance with licensing requirements.
- Maintains adequate central records of inventory, consumables usage, equipment and personnel files.
- Is responsible for overseeing the review, documenting, categorizing, and maintaining of a library of all husbandry, equipment, facility, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the Animal Care and Use Program. Monitors the use of SOPs and identifies areas of SOP deficiencies.
- Develops and reviews health monitoring programs in all facilities on an ongoing basis to ensure appropriate SOPs are in place and being used appropriately. Advises when new situations warrant changes in the program. Monitors health reports and prepares action plans in conjunction with Facility directors.
- Advises facilities on all sources of animals in order to make decisions about animal acceptance and housing.
- Assists in ensuring compliance with all federal, provincial and university regulations as well as with the standards set forth by the Canadian Council on Animal Care, the International Transport Association and GLP (Good Laboratory Practices) of Canada and the United States via regular, self-directed review of any current and updated information from these organizations.

Financial Management:

- Prepares an annual budget submission.
- Monitors Expenses/Revenues throughout the year to assess budget status.
- Initiates orders for supplies, equipment and services. Evaluates suppliers’ product/service for best selection.
- Authorises departmental purchases.
- Is a signing authority for the Animal Care budgets.
- Researches and prepares financial reports used to investigate financial trends and to support requests for funding assistance from University Administration.

Policies, Guidelines, Legislation and Regulations:

- Ensures processes, procedures, and documentation remain clear, current, accessible, and aligned with national guidelines.
- Maintains a current working knowledge of all University policies, CCAC Guidelines, and any and all Provincial or Federal legislation that affects the care and use of animals in research or the workplace in general.
- Maintains a current working knowledge on issues concerning the Animal Care and Use Program.
- Advises the V. P. (Research) on University Policy on Animal Care and Use, both current and long term.
- Oversees CCAC accreditation documentation and site visits.
- Represents Veterinary Services and the Animal Care and Use Program at UCAC meetings.
- Serves on various committees to provide expertise on animal care and use issues.



Committees include Workplace Health and Safety, University Biosafety Committee, the Education Committee and the Infrastructure Planning Committee (both sub-committees of UCAC), Local Animal User Committees, and facility design committees.
- Is familiar with Health Canada’s Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines. Knowledgeable in methods to contain a zoonotic disease outbreak.
- Works to provide consistency across the University’s Animal Facilities and their animal care and use programs.
- Has been delegated the authority to:
- stop any objectionable procedure if it is considered that unnecessary distress or pain is being experienced by an animal;
- stop immediately any use of animals which deviates from the approved use, any non approved procedure, or any procedure causing unforeseen pain or distress to animals;
- humanely kill an animal if pain or distress caused to the animal is not part of the approved protocol and cannot be alleviated;
- treat, remove from a study or euthanize, if necessary, an animal according to the veterinarian’s professional judgement.

- Reviews and provides comments on guidelines and other material for the CCAC.
- Participates in CCAC accreditation visits of outside institutions when requested.
- Participates in national organizations promoting animal research and the welfare of laboratory animals.
- Assists in the management, development and design of new facilities.

Animal Care Committee:

- Responsible for determining when existing workflows are outdated, ineffective, or no longer aligned with program needs, and for leading improvements or developing new approaches that strengthen the program and support research.
- Acts as a resource to and participates in the activities of the Animal Care Committee, keeping abreast of new research techniques, including the 3 R’s (Reduction, Refinement, Replacement), and setting humane endpoints.
- Acts as a primary reviewer of animal care protocols, and reviews amendments to, and renewals of protocols, and advises on analgesia, anesthesia, surgical procedures, and humane endpoints.
- Participates in animal care facility and research laboratory inspections.
- Monitors adherence to written protocols and amendments and troubleshoots animal use problems for the Committee.
- Provides pre-review of protocols prior to submission: advising researchers on animal care issues related to research.
- Works to review and develop SOPs.
- Participates in the testing and procurement of research administration software.

Training and Research Support:

- Liaises with researchers and their technical support staff to assist them in all aspects of their animal based research, advising on model development, analgesia, anesthesia, surgical procedures and humane endpoints.
- Contributes to the academic achievements of members of the research community by assisting principal investigators in designing and writing research protocols.
- Lectures on Animal Care and Use and Animal Health for University community, related organisations, schools, Red River College, etc., when requested.
- Ensures and assists in the development and delivery of the university’s animal user training program and associated training labs.
- Prepares and presents lectures and wet labs for the University Laboratory Animal Care Seminars. Participates in the review and revision of WebCT on-line animal care ethics and policy course. Reviews wet lab manuals for Laboratory Animal Training Co-ordinator.

Clinical Veterinary Medicine:

- Provides clinical care to a diverse population of animals used in research, teaching, and testing at the University of Manitoba. This involves the routine observation of animals as well as treatment of individual clinical cases including surgery. Participation in a rotating on call schedule, providing clinical care coverage outside of regular business hours (evenings, nights, weekends and holidays) is required.
- Assists in maintaining and monitoring the established quality control programs for disease surveillance in animal colonies. Specific duties may include but are not limited to performing postmortem examinations, interpreting laboratory test results, reviewing and updating procedures for colony/herd health maintenance, etc.
- Provides technical and surgical services for researchers.
- Acts as a resource for the Clinical Veterinarians.
- Keeps current on veterinary medicine and licensing requirements.
- Other duties as assigned.

Additional information

The University of Manitoba is committed to the principles of equity, diversity & inclusion and to promoting opportunities in hiring, promotion and tenure (where applicable) for systemically marginalized groups who have been excluded from full participation at the University and the larger community including Indigenous Peoples, women, racialized persons, persons with disabilities and those who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, questioning, intersex, asexual and other diverse sexual identities).

If you require accommodation supports during the recruitment process, please contact [email protected] or (phone hidden). Please note this contact information is for accommodation reasons only.

Application materials, including letters of reference, will be handled in accordance with the protection of privacy provisions of "The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act" (Manitoba). Please note that curriculum vitae will be provided to participating members of the search process.

📌 Director, Animal Care and Use Program - Level 10 (EMAPS) (Winnipeg)
🏢 University of Manitoba
📍 Winnipeg