Established in 2000, the Canadian Research Data Centre Network (CRDCN) is a national platform for leading edge research and training in the quantitative social and population health sciences, creating social, economic, health and environmental benefits for Canadians. The Network is a partnership between Canadian universities and Statistics Canada. Its mission is to enable quantitative researchers to address vital questions; train the next generation of highly qualified personnel in social and population health sciences; and contribute to evidence-based policy and decision-making by facilitating access to confidential microdata supported by state-of-the-art computing facilities. There are four key strategic priorities set out in the current CRDCN Strategic Plan (2019-2024): facilitate data access and training; connect researchers and end users; optimize network performance; and, heighten the Network’s impact and profile. This national facility is run by a central management team (14 FTEs) based at McMaster University as the host institution. It is led by the Executive Director who reports to a national Board and at McMaster to the Vice President Research, who also serves on the Board. CRDCN is a distributed network, currently comprising 33 physical Research Data Centres (RDCs) based in partner universities, each led by an Academic Director, whose roles and responsibilities are overseen by CRDCN. The CRDCN currently serves over 2,100 researchers and trainees in all 10 provinces and one territory across Canada. CRDCN is primarily funded by federal and provincial government agencies—namely Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Fonds de recherche du Quebec (FRQ)—as well as Statistics Canada and 33 partner universities. The total budget from these and other funding sources in the current funding term is $42M (2017-2023). The budget for the subsequent funding term is $80M (2023-2029).
CRDCN is one of only 17 CFI Major Science Initiatives. CRDCN also manages additional CFI funding ($10.1M) to build an advanced research computing platform, which will centralize physical and remote data access to all RDCs via two Compute Canada data centres located at the University of Waterloo and Simon Fraser University. CRDCN’s central management team will take on new responsibilities to operate and maintain this advanced research computing platform upon completion of its build.
Job Summary:
The CRDCN is a complex national network requiring efficient, effective and transparent interactions and transactions with McMaster University, our 33 partner institutions, Statistics Canada, Compute Canada, key end-user stakeholder organizations, especially federal and provincial government departments and ministries, and our funding agencies. The Director of Finance and Operations (DFO) provides senior administrative and operational leadership for the Network in finance, human resources, and operational management, including governance, inter-institutional management, stakeholder relationships and communication, Academic Council and Academic Director liaison and engagement, physical resources management, and program and project management. The DFO reports to the Executive Director and is accountable to the CRDCN
Board and Finance Committee, and to McMaster’s Vice President Research Office. The DFO is accountable for the success measures of the CRDCN’s strategic priority to optimize Network performance. This includes facilitating alignment between CRDCN objectives and Statistics Canada’s modernization initiative; leveraging human resources to fully exploit the scientific and technical capacities of the Network; securing federal, provincial, and institutional financial resources to sustain the Network’s operations; and adopting and implementing best practices in governance and management. The DFO has planning and oversight responsibility over a current annual operating budget of over $8M, which will increase to $12M annually as of 2023. The DFO also oversees the CFI Innovation Fund project and award ($10.1M) to implement a new advanced research computing platform. The DFO has primary responsibility for managing all human resource activity within the Network, as well as overseeing human resources functions and processes for McMaster employees. The DFO plays a lead role in the senior management team to ensure alignment of all administration, finance and operational activities with the mission, vision, and strategic priorities of the Network. Accountabilities: Strategic Planning and Operational Management
The DFO plays a key role with the Executive Director and senior leadership in strategic planning of the Network, ensuring alignment with the CRDCN’s mission and vision, and priorities of its strategic partners, namely Statistics Canada, federal funding partners, allied digital research organizations and partner universities.
• Works with the Executive Director and senior leadership to align strategic priorities with expectations of the CRDCN in administrative, finance and operational activities.
• Leads annual operations planning, development, monitoring and reporting to ensure alignment of Network activities with CRDCN’s strategic plan and objectives.
• Provides critical analysis of Network financial, human, IT and physical resource needs to optimize Network performance.
• Advises the Executive Director on inter-institutional dynamics affecting the Network as a whole.
• Leads the development and implementation of policies and procedures to optimize the performance of the CRDCN as a national digital research network per the objectives of the CRDCN Strategic Plan.
• Establishes and implements policies and procedures to ensure effective and efficient operations of the central management team and optimal deployment of staff time and resources. Governance
• Evaluates, develops, and implements best practices in governance and management.
• Supervises the Network Operations Manager in governance secretariat functions to plan, organize and execute Board and Board Committee activities
• Prepares and delivers plans, updates, presentations, and webinars to CRDCN’s national Board and Board Committees (Executive Committee, Finance Committee, Academic Council, Governance and Human Resources Committee, Joint Operations Committee). Financial Management
• Develops a fiscal plan for the long-term financial sustainability of the Network.
• Develops, implements, monitors, reports and revises multiple budgets according to varying funding agency policies, procedures and funding requirements and multiple fiscal year end cycles.
• Leads budget planning and justification for CRDCN external funding renewal applications.
• Identifies and evaluates opportunities to strengthen the CRDCN’s revenue generation activities, including refinements to the CRDCN Access and Fee- for-Service Policy, government agency funding support, new data and analytic services to the research community, and institutional contributions.
• Evaluates, recommends, and implements appropriate revisions to the allocation formula for distribution of funding to 33 partner universities.
• Ensures that all financial accountabilities to CRDCN’s external funding agencies are met (CFI, SSHRC and CIHR), including matching contributions from partner institutions and provincial governments.
• Oversees management of funds awarded through research grants and other funding sources.
• Advises the CRDCN Board’s Finance Committee on operational and financial risk management and mitigation.
• Develops and administers business models for the CRDCN’s collaborative research programs with government and other partner organizations.
• Prepares reports for the CRDCN Finance Committee and Board, McMaster University Research Administration, and external funding agencies.
• Supervises the activities of the Network Operations Manager and Administrative Coordinator in day- to-day financial and procurement activities, including management of sub-award agreements and funding allocations to 33 partner institutions, coordination of financial reporting from all partner institutions back to McMaster, internal accounts management and accounts payable and receivable activities (vouchers, purchase orders, expense reimbursements and monthly p-card reconciliations).
• Develops financial plans for new initiatives. Human Resources Management
The DFO has primary responsibility for managing all human resource activity within the Network.
• Aligns CRDCN and Statistics Canada human resource plans for optimal deployment of CRDCN staff, Academic Directors and Statistics Canada staff.
• Oversees all human resource functions and processes for McMaster employees.
• Manages recruitment, promotion, and human resource functions for a diverse group of McMaster employees:
- Continuing, limited term
- TMG, Unifor and casual employees
- Executive, finance and operations, IT, research, communications and engagement staff.
• Supervises the Network Operations Manager and Administrative Coordinator in day-to-day activities related to time and absence reporting, recruitment and appointment of staff, orientation and onboarding, health and safety, AODA and EDI training.
• Guides portfolio directors and supervisors in the development of job descriptions, the adherence to all University policies and procedures including those related to hiring practices, occupational health and safety, work from home policies, violence in the workplace, and disciplinary action.
• Works with Human Resources and McMaster Employee Labour Relations to manage and resolve disputes and employee matters within the framework of collective agreements or other employment standards or human rights standards and processes.
• Provides central staff leadership in developing a formal Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) plan for the CRDCN that aligns with the Network’s core values and the composition of the research community and strategic priorities.
• Supports and advances McMaster University’s commitment to EDI by creating a positive work culture for all staff that reflects a commitment to the principles of EDI. Academic Council and Academic Director Liaison and Engagement
• Works with the Academic Council chair to evaluate, develop and implement best practices in Academic Director (AD) appointments, roles, and responsibilities.
• Works with the Academic Council chair to develop, implement and evaluate a mentoring program for new ADs.
• Ensures new ADs have the tools and infrastructure in place to advance their local RDC priorities.
• Collaborates with partner institutions to ensure processes are in place to effectively manage AD transitions.
• Supervises the Network Operations Manager in serving as the key point of contact in all administrative and operational matters in support of Academic Council meetings, webinars, and AD engagement. Inter-Institutional Management
• Participates in negotiations with partner organizations regarding Memoranda of Understanding, inter-institutional agreements, and Service Level Agreements (e.g., with Statistics Canada, 33 partner universities, Compute Canada facilities).
• Establishes and sustains effective working relationships with counterpart senior officers internally and externally. Physical Resources Management
• Oversees the allocation and management of space for McMaster employees at LR Wilson Hall.
• Ensures all staff have the space, ergonomic, and IT resources needed to do their work.
• Ensures all staff participate in and adhere to Joint Health and Safety Guidelines. Program and Project Management Leads or participates in special projects:
• Strategic and operations planning: for example, leads annual operations planning process by collaborating with senior leadership and staff through facilitating annual retreats to establish key activities and success measures, present to and gain Board approval of a final operations plan for each fiscal year, monitor progress, and manage and mitigate risks.
• Department finance and human resources initiatives: for example, evaluates and revises funding allocation plan for the distribution of funds to 33 partner institutions based on activity and output; leads development and implementation of a CRDCN management plan that encompasses governance, partnerships, research, IT, communications and engagement, and finance and operations management; provides central staff leadership in developing a formal EDI plan for CRDCN that aligns with the Network’s core values and the composition of the research community and strategic priorities.
• Collaborative research and policy initiatives: for example, collaborates with the Research portfolio to seek new federal and provincial partnerships to advance research to policy opportunities for CRDCN researchers. Examples of past initiatives have included collaborative research and funding partnerships with Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC).
• IT infrastructure operations and services: for example, provides operations oversight over current $10.1M CFI-funded infrastructure project to build an advanced research computing platform for CRDCN and establish policies and procedures for the operations and maintenance of the platform. Qualifications:
Education: â-ª University degree at Master’s level in a related field, MBA is an asset or equivalent combination of education and experienc
Experience â-ª 5 to 10 years of managerial experience, preferably in a research or University environment.
â-ª Demonstrated experience in senior level research-related finance and operations administration Knowledge/Skills Skills:
â-ª Financial planning, modelling, analysis, oversight, budgets
â-ª Human resources recruitment, performance management, supervision and development staff, resource analysis, role development
â-ª Strategic planning – vision, mission, objectives, results, and KPIs
â-ª Change management leadership
â-ª Exceptional interpersonal, diplomacy, negotiation, mediation, and conflict resolution skills
â-ª Demonstrated ability to work in collaboration with and manage staff
â-ª Ability to collaborate effectively with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, within and across institutions
â-ª Strong critical thinking skills to identify, analyze and solve complex problems and demonstrate sound judgment and decision-making
â-ª Strong project management and organizational skills
â-ª Communication, presentation, facilitation skills, preferably in both official languages
â-ª Excellent writing skills – Board and committee reports, business and operating plans, presentations
â-ª Experience in research or grants administration
â-ª Experience working in a unionized environment is considered an asset.
â-ª Experience working with Mosaic/PeopleSoft preferred. Knowledge:
â-ª Knowledge of accounting and financial best practices
â-ª Current management theories and best practices
â-ª Collective Bargaining Agreement management
â-ª Labour relations and Occupational Health and Safety legislation, human rights, equity, diversity and inclusion best practices and principles
â-ª University policies and procedures
â-ª Information systems management
â-ª Advanced knowledge of research-related operational and financial administration Dimensions
Staff Supervised â-ª 2 direct, 6 indirect Financial Accountability
â-ª Planning and management oversight, and department approver over:
- Operating funds over $8M annually, which will increase to $12M annually as of 2023, comprised of multiple federal, provincial, institutional and corporation funding sources
- Infrastructure funds ($10.1M), comprised of multiple federal, provincial, institutional and corporation funding sources
- Collaborative research funding initiatives with WAGE and CIRNAC, currently $300K
â-ª Accountable to the Executive Director, the CRDCN Board and Finance Committee, and McMaster Vice President Research Office for the proper management of these funds. External Impact and Relationships â-ª Manages programs and relationships that cross institutional boundaries as a result of partnership agreements:
- Statistics Canada
- 33 partner universities across Canada, including Academic Directors, research office personnel and RDC staff
- SAS Canada, ESRI Canada
- Compute Canada – CRDCN is implementing and will operate and maintain an advanced research computing platform that will house Statistics Canada data at two Compute Canada sites at University of Waterloo and Simon Fraser University.
- Digital Research Alliance of Canada
â-ª Federal and provincial funding agencies - CRDCN’s operations and finance administration are central to its strategic research plan and priorities and to the commitments and deliverables under the CRDCN’s external funding from CIHR, SSHRC and the CFI. They are key to heightening the success and reputation of the Network. Operational â-ª The work of the DFO affects the quality of service to and experience of a national Network of more than 2100 researchers, which includes approximately 700 graduate students, as well as a wide range of provincial, federal, and non-profit partners from across the country.
â-ª Through its lead role in the CRDCN’s operations and financial administration, the position is key to achieving the CRDCN’s strategic objective of optimizing network performance as one of Canada’s major science initiatives. Administrative â-ª Participates actively in CRDCN Board and Committee meetings, Academic Council meetings, and interactions as appropriate with funders and external stakeholders.
â-ª Oversees all administrative functions of CRDCN, ensuring each portfolio (executive, research, communications and engagement, IT, finance, and operations) is managed in an effective and efficient manner.
â-ª Ensures policies and procedures are followed in each area (e.g., HR, Finance, Research administration) Programs or Projects Managed
â-ª Oversees implementation, operations, and maintenance of CRDCN’s advanced research computing infrastructure.
â-ª Finance and operations oversight over collaborative research initiatives
â-ª Leads CRDCN’s development, implementation and evaluation of financial and operational policies, plans and procedures designed to optimize the performance of the CRDCN as a national research network.
For more information, visit McMaster University for DIRECTOR, FINANCE & OPERATIONS
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