Manager, Major Initiatives

Job TitleManager, Major Initiatives
Job CategoryM&P - AAPS
Job ProfileAAPS Salaried - Research and Facilitation, Level B
Job Family GroupStaff - Non Union
DepartmentAdministrative Management | School of Biomedical Engineering | Faculty of Medicine
Compensation Range$7,158.42 - $10,292.25 CAD Monthly
The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.
Job End Date
Ongoing
Posting End DateOctober 22, 2026
Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.
This position will be filled internally. It is posted for informational purposes only.
At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.
Job Summary
The School of Biomedical Engineering (SBME) at the University of British Columbia (UBC) is a partnership between the Faculties of Applied Science and Medicine, established in 2017. The School is a nucleus for education and training, research, and innovation in biomedical engineering, creating new knowledge, new academic and training programs, and fostering translation and innovation. Its vision is to transform health and healthcare for all, achieved through innovative research and education at the convergence of engineering, medicine and biology. Through collaborative, innovative, and interdisciplinary approaches and building on UBC’s academic and research excellence, the School of Biomedical Engineering aspires to be a global leader in biomedical engineering research, education and translation. The SBME has two locations on Vancouver’s campus, the Gordon B Shrum building and the Biomedical Research Centre (BRC). For more information about the School of Biomedical Engineering, please visit https://www.bme.ubc.ca/.
The Manager, Major Initiatives advances SBME's strategic priorities by coordinating the development, implementation and delivery of major initiatives, collaborative programs and strategic projects identified by School leadership and faculty leaders. Working across research, education, innovation, partnerships and community engagement portfolios, the position translates priority opportunities into funded programs, structured collaborations and measurable outcomes.
The position serves as SBME's lead operational resource for major proposal development, initiative coordination and project delivery. While the Research Manager leads School-wide funding intelligence, opportunity assessment, faculty support, team formation and research-capacity development, the Manager, Major Initiatives assumes primary responsibility for proposal development, implementation planning and project delivery once major opportunities have been prioritized for advancement.
The Manager works closely with faculty leaders, staff, external partners, funding agencies and UBC administrative units to coordinate complex multi-stakeholder initiatives, develop competitive funding proposals, establish project-management and implementation frameworks, and support the successful execution of strategic projects.
Initial responsibilities include supporting the development and execution of initiatives such as SBME's collaboration with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), the Cancer Engineering Innovation Hub and the Global Health Technologies Hub.
Organizational Status
The Manager, Major Initiatives reports administratively to the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations and receives strategic direction from faculty and School leaders as appropriate to the initiatives and programs under their responsibility. The position works closely with the School Director, Director of Research Program, Director of Partnerships and Community Engagement, Director of Graduate Program, Director of Interdisciplinary Programs in Engineering and Health, Undergraduate Director, Partnerships Manager, Research Manager, faculty members and other School leaders to support the advancement of SBME's strategic priorities and major initiatives.
The Manager, Major Initiatives and the Research Manager work closely together to support research portfolio and maintain continuity between research strategy, proposal development and implementation. While each position maintains primary responsibility for its respective portfolio, the Managers collaborate across different stages of the initiative lifecycle to maintain strategic alignment, facilitate effective transitions and support successful outcomes.
The Manager, Major Initiatives serves as a key resource for the coordination, proposal development, implementation and delivery of major collaborative initiatives and projects. The position works directly with principal investigators, research teams, external partners, funding agencies, UBC Research Services, Finance, Legal Counsel, Research Contracts, Innovation UBC, Communications and other administrative units to coordinate major funding proposals, collaborative programs and strategic projects. The Manager works closely with the Research Manager and Partnerships Manager to advance opportunities from concept and planning through funding, implementation and reporting. For assigned initiatives, the position may receive project-specific direction from designated faculty leaders, principal investigators or executive sponsors while remaining accountable to the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations for overall performance and project-delivery responsibilities.
Work Performed
Proposal Development and Funding Coordination
Leads the end-to-end development of complex grant, partnership and strategic funding proposals, including multi-investigator, multi-institutional, government, industry, infrastructure and translational funding applications.
Serves as the primary hands-on writer and editor for assigned proposals, translating scientific, technical and partnership concepts into compelling, integrated and competitive submissions aligned with program objectives and evaluation criteria.
Develops and manages proposal work plans, schedules, responsibility matrices and internal timelines; coordinates and integrates contributions from investigators, partners and UBC administrative units; manages iterative review and approval processes; and maintains version control through final submission.
Researches and synthesizes scientific, technical, economic, societal and policy information required to strengthen cases for support, partnership rationales, implementation strategies and impact pathways.
Develops and coordinates complex proposal budgets and budget justifications, in collaboration with finance and research administration personnel, and develops work plans, performance measures, knowledge-mobilization plans, partner commitments and supporting documentation.
Coordinates institutional approvals and works with Research Services, Finance, Research Contracts, Innovation UBC and other administrative units to address submission requirements, risks and compliance considerations.
Supports faculty leaders and School leadership in converting strategic opportunities into competitive funding applications, collaborative programs and funded initiat
Initiative Coordination and Implementation
Coordinates the planning, development, implementation and evaluation of major initiatives that support SBME priorities in research, education, innovation, translation and societal impact.
Supports School leadership and faculty leaders in implementing initiatives that advance strategic priorities through funded programs, collaborative projects, institutional partnerships and special initiatives.
Leads the operational design and implementation of assigned major initiatives, translating approved concepts and funding commitments into executable programs, governance structures, work plans and deliverables.
Develops project charters, implementation plans, milestones, risk-management frameworks, communication plans and performance metrics for assigned initiatives.
Supports the development and implementation of governance and reporting frameworks required for effective project execution and accountability.
Coordinates activities associated with major initiatives and collaborative programs, including research and innovation hu