51³Ô¹Ï

Accelerating Community Energy Transformation (ACET) is a multi-partner initiative accelerating the global push for resilient and equitable clean energy solutions through local, community-based collaborations. You can learn more about us here or through our stories.

We're looking for talented, motivated and value-driven professionals to help advance our mission. See below for our current employment opportunities!

Strategic Research Area Manager: Indigenous Community Energy Systems

Number of positions: 1
Location: 51³Ô¹Ï
Reports to: ACET Partnerships Manager
Salary: $89,541 - $111,800
Deadline for application: open until filled

Position Summary

The Strategic Research Area (SRA) Manager: Indigenous Community Energy Systems position is a hybrid research and project/people management role responsible for leading coordination of activities for ACET Strategic Research Area 5: Integrated Energy Systems - Indigenous community energy systems.

A primary component of the SRA Manager’s role is to support the delivery of ACET research projects within their SRA. This includes ideating and co-designing transdisciplinary research projects, establishing project work plans, preparing budgets, developing communications plans, pursuing potential funding and developing research partnership opportunities.

Within the ACET project lifecycle, there will be close collaboration with the ACET core team to translate engagement with partners into research projects. The SRA Manager will also regularly coordinate with other SRA Managers, including those based at other institutions (e.g. Yukon University, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, and Cascade Institute/Royal Roads University) and SRA Leads in the ACET SRA Council, to identify synergies that will help develop innovative, impact-oriented research. They will then help to coordinate and carry out the research activities during the course of project execution and close-out.

The SRA Manager will have an understanding of both scientific and technical stages of their  SRA and be able to support the mobilization of key partners from government, industry, First Nations, public organizations and NGOs, both nationally and internationally. They will provide some research oversight and mentoring to research associates, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students, and will build research partnerships within and beyond the 51³Ô¹Ï and collaborating academic institutions.

This role requires demonstration of leadership, prioritization and collaboration, and fluidity of internal and external communications. 

General responsibilities

• Road-mapping activities within this SRA and coordinating activities together with the SRA Council, ACET Executive Director and broader ACET core team
• Leading ACET project co-design with members of the ACET core team, researchers, SRA Leads, and project partners with a focus on interdisciplinarity, EDI, knowledge mobilization and other project criteria for eventual funding approval by SRA Council
• Managing multiple research projects including budgets, timelines, and KPIs
• Collaborating across the SRA Manager and core teams to support strategic project development and interdisciplinarity
• Working with SRA Leads, ACET core team and institutional partners to recruit researchers as necessary
• Initiating and maintaining relationships with partners in communities
• Supporting ACET project publicity and storytelling in collaboration with ACET’s Communications Strategist
• Participating in ACET engagement events (e.g. conferences, seminars, etc.) to support knowledge mobilization
• Upholding ACET values related to EDI and safe and healthy workplaces

Key responsibilities & expectations

Strategic planning

• Work with ACET Executive Director, SRA Leads, Partnerships Manager and other ACET leaders to carry out strategic planning within and across ACET SRAs
• Work within the ACET core team to ensure activities align with ACET’s overall strategic priorities
• Develop new strategic partnership opportunities for ACET

Project co-design and curation

• Lead ACET project development through co-design, wherein multiple perspectives are present and community-goals and aspirations are centered. This requires nuanced communications skills and subject-matter expertise
• Help manage ongoing research projects, including the management of project timelines, deliverables, budgets, funder relationships, collaborator relationships and project evaluation
• Evaluate the impact of changes to project scope, schedule and budget.
• Taking direction from the ACET Strategic Lead People & Culture, ensure that projects apply an equity lens and follow best practices in project team management throughout their lifecycles
• Taking direction from the ACET Strategic Advisor Indigenous, ensure that researchers are properly trained and screened prior to working with Indigenous communities
• Help to maintain a CRM, tracking instruments and partnership opportunities to curate and prioritize project development and ongoing execution

Communications, knowledge mobilization and reporting

• Ensure that communications and knowledge mobilization is embedded in project design and tracking
• Contribute to the tracking of project evaluation metrics and help to fulfill project reporting requirements
• Ensure formal on-boarding of personnel and researchers onto ACET projects is completed in a timely fashion
• Contribute to ACET reporting to CFREF
• Help to plan for and facilitate communications, publicity and storytelling opportunities as they arise within projects in close collaboration with the Communications Strategist

Preferred qualifications

The SRA Manager position requires education (Bachelors degree or above) and experience working with Indigenous communities, including a minimum of 3 years of relevant work experience in project management and development. The SRA Manager will have knowledge and experience in energy systems and/or climate change area, from any perspective (technical, social sciences, policy, business, governance, etc.).

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Demonstrated expertise within the relevant Strategic Research Area (e.g. work experience, writing, publications and/or other research/analysis outputs)
• Demonstrated experience working collaboratively while managing a wide range of relationships
• Experience in project management, including project timelines, deliverables, and budgets
• Experience managing funder relationships and relationships with project collaborators
• Experience tracking project evaluation metrics and meeting project reporting requirements
• Demonstrated ability to write with exceptional analytical clarity
• Demonstrated ability to effectively tailor outputs for different types of knowledge users
• Experience communicating research/analysis findings beyond journal articles and academic conferences
• Demonstrated ability to present research/analysis findings orally in a clear and compelling manner— and to engage critically and constructively with other experts in a meeting/workshop/webinar setting
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain broad networks of other experts and practitioners
• Demonstrated ability to leverage networks to improve the quality of research/analysis outputs and maximize the impact of knowledge mobilization
• Agility to move between disciplinary boundaries in service of comprehensive solutions and to work in an integrated manner
• Demonstrated commitment to impact-oriented research bridging between academia and organization and individuals outside academic to create real-world impact
• Understanding and commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, in particular implementing equitable processes and developing effective working relationships with anyone regardless of background or discipline

Assets or preferences

• Experience working at a university, research institute, think tank, or research-focused NGO
• Background in research skills, methodologies, program evaluation and academic disciplines
• Specific training and/or experience in energy systems
• Understanding and experience working with rural, remote, and Indigenous communities and leadership

Accessibility and Equity Statements

Information about our and policies can be found below and/or accessed using the navigation menu on the left.

How to 51³Ô¹Ï*

Please submit your application, including a cover letter and CV to contactacet@uvic.ca with subject line "ACET SRA 5 Manager: Indigenous." This position will remain open until filled.

 * Note:

In accordance with the university’s equity plan and pursuant to Section 42 of the BC Human Rights code, preference for the SRA 5 Manager: Indigenous Community Energy Systems position will be given to Indigenous Peoples. Candidates from this group who wish to qualify for preferential consideration must self-identify in their cover letter.

The Office of the Vice-President Indigenous (OVPI) at the 51³Ô¹Ï is in the early phases of drafting a policy and developing a process to affirm declarations of Indigenous identity, citizenship and membership at UVic where these claims result in material advantages, such as employment in an Indigenous-specific position. While the forthcoming policy cannot be retroactively applied to this opportunity, the successful candidate(s) will be required to complete the Indigenous Citizenship Declaration (ICD) process should they apply for, or access, future opportunities resulting in material gain. 

Equity Statement

ACET and the 51³Ô¹Ï are committed to upholding the values of equity, diversity, inclusion and  in our living, learning and work environments. In pursuit of our values, we seek members who are eager to actively participate in that shared responsibility. We actively encourage applications from members of historically and systemically marginalized groups.

Read UVic's full equity statement at www.uvic.ca/equitystatement.

Accessibility Statement

 If you anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application and hiring process contact uviccareers@uvic.ca. Any personal information provided will be maintained in confidence.

Territory Acknowledgement

We acknowledge and respect the Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees and Xʷsepsəm/Esquimalt) Peoples on whose territory the university stands, the Lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples, the Musqueam people, the fourteen Yukon First Nations, Atikamekw and other Indigenous People on which ACET partner institutions stand, whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.