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The Community Conservation Research Network (CCRN) is seeking an experienced and enthusiastic individual to serve as Research Project Manager. The CCRN is a six-year (2012-18) university-based, cross-Canada and international (fourteen-country) research network involving a wide variety of partners and participants. The CCRN’s Research Project Manager will be the chief staff person of the CCRN, a role which brings both great opportunity and significant responsibility. Accordingly, the successful candidate will have a strong track record in administrative and research management, preferably in a similar environment to that of the CCRN, and will also have demonstrated research experience appropriate to their career stage.

The CCRN is a research and capacity-building initiative, exploring how local communities can most effectively find win-win solutions that balance environmental and economic priorities, and how governments can best support these efforts. Specifically, the CCRN is researching how incentives affect conservation outcomes, how values inform conservation incentives, what social and policy arrangements enhance or weaken livelihood and conservation outcomes and how these outcomes can be monitored and evaluated. We conduct our research within a novel ‘Social Ecological Systems’ framework, where rather than separating our analysis into ‘human’ and ‘environment’ spheres, we investigate the human-natural environment system as an integral whole. To accomplish this, the CCRN (with funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada) brings together a world-class set of Canadian and international researchers with a remarkable set of partners: First Nations, community-based and environmental NGOs, government agencies, other research networks, and Saint Mary’s University, the CCRN’s host institution. Note that further details on the CCRN are available at our website: www.CommunityConservation.Net.

The Research Project Manager will work full-time in our office at Saint Mary’s University, carrying out a diverse set of administrative and research duties as described below. The position is available from June 01, 2015 (beginning with attendance at the CCRN’s network meeting, June 01-05). The position will be renewable, subject to successful annual review and continuation of grant funding, over the time frame of the project. The position will pay an annual salary of $47,000 inclusive of vacation pay.

The Research Project Manager will provide administrative support for network activities, reporting to the CCRN’s Director and the network’s governance bodies, with responsibilities that include:

Policy and Research Support: Supporting the research activities of community partners, researchers and students; ensuring compliance with funding body and University guidelines; knowledge of ethics review process and familiarity with intellectual property.
General Organizational Support: Assisting the CCRN Director and Management Committee to oversee implementation of operating policies and procedures; acting as secretary to the CCRN’s Council, Management Committee & Research Committee; facilitating/maintaining communications among CCRN participants, including taking and distributing minutes for all meetings.
Event Management: Organizing all aspects of the CCRN’s Biennial Network Meeting; support for CCRN participation in international conferences and workshops as well as CCRN-focused meetings; assisting with travel arrangements and completing subsequent travel expense claims.
Program Development: identifying new opportunities and developing successful grant proposals; developing and coordinating knowledge mobilization strategies.
Office Management: Maintaining accurate and up-to-date administrative records and files for all aspects of the project; ensuring proper financial management of the CCRN, including liaising with the Saint Mary’s University financial office; maintaining internal budgets; ensuring compliance with SSHRC funding guidelines; supervising interns.
Reporting: Assisting in the preparation of interim and annual reports required by the network funders; ensuring proper internal reporting procedures are followed by all participants; gathering and documenting annual financial and narrative reports.
Outreach: Maintaining a comprehensive, accessible and innovative CCRN website; a basic knowledge of web based content management systems; experience with social media and video production; the ability to support the production of media articles, press releases, other publications, and presentation materials.

As the ideal candidate, you are a highly motivated individual, a self-starter with excellent attention to detail and a fast learner able to work with minimal supervision. You can diligently execute a range of administrative protocols and project management procedures. You are a team player and enjoy working with individuals across a wide range of activities. You have good interpersonal and intercultural skills and you are able to handle uncertainty and occasionally heavy workloads. You are passionate about environmental conservation and the well-being of individuals and communities in Canada and around the world. You likely have a knowledge base that includes one or more of the areas of community-based conservation and management, resource-based livelihoods, and/or environmental governance.

The ideal candidate will possess:

A graduate degree in a relevant discipline, likely in an interdisciplinary or social science field.
An excellent knowledge of research management in a University setting.
A good knowledge of project finance, financial procedures and reporting processes.
A proven track record of grant procurement and program development.
An intimate familiarity with web based technologies and social media.
At least three years’ experience coordinating international research projects.
Experience in organizing international meetings will be considered an asset.
Evidence of success in the publishing of research will be considered an asset.

Interested individuals are invited to submit a cover letter and a resume, and/or send enquiries, by e-mail to Dr. Tony Charles at Saint Mary’s University (ccrn@smu.ca). Please use the subject heading ‘Research Project Manager’ in all messages. Review of applications will take place as they are received, to the deadline of April 24, 2015. Enquiries are welcome following that date, in case the position remains open.