Funding and Awards Coordinator

Funding and Awards Coordinator (Job ID: 9115)

The Office of the Vice President, Research and Innovation (VPRI) at Unity Health Toronto is recruiting a Funding & Awards Coordinator (Permanent, Full Time). This role is within the Grants & Awards portfolio, and reports to the Director of Funding Strategy and Stewardship. The Funding and Awards Coordinator is responsible for overseeing pre-award activities related to the submission of research funding application; award finalization and research approval processes and databases; developing policies and procedures to improve grant administration; reviewing grants and budgets to ensure compliance with Unity Health policies and funder requirements, and submitting funding proposals on behalf of Unity Health Toronto. In addition, they will be the main liaison to external funding bodies, certify reporting needs are met, and provide general grant support to the research community. Position has the option of being in-person or hybrid-remote.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Grants and Awards

• Responsible for the oversight and submission of grants applications for Unity Health.
• Review all grant submissions to ensure compliance with funding agency guidelines and policies, and that the study is aligned with the mission and values of Unity Health Toronto.
• Provide stakeholders information required for grant submission (financial reports, number of employees, institution identification numbers, incorporation papers etc.)
• Assess and approve budgets of grants to ensure that all costs in the protocol are budgeted, that (if applicable) the core and overhead charges are included, that human resource salary ranges and benefits are followed in budgeting for salaries and wages, and that budgets are compliant with funder guidelines, expense eligibility, and cost recovery mechanisms. Provide recommendations to researchers on how to maximize the funding they can receive from the agencies.
• Assist investigators with budget development.
• Determine institutional and investigator eligibility and if required, ensure any required documentation is executed before beginning the award application process.
• Coordination and oversight of CFI and ORF applications - including finalization, annual progress reporting and management of procurement
• Responsible for the submission of grant amendments to funding agencies on behalf of the institution.
• Maintain expert knowledge of funder policies, program updates and funding guidelines, particularly for Canadian and U.S. funders.
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders at local and international levels, navigate stakeholder relationships, and respond proactively to anticipate challenges.
• Produce grant data and briefing material for key internal and external stakeholders: may include reports, proposals, publications, presentations, manuscripts, abstracts, newsletters, posters etc.
• Troubleshoots/solves logistical and technical obstacles.
• Prepare and/or review letters of support on behalf of the VPRI office.
• Work closely with the Funding & Award Specialists, Finance Team, and Contracts Team to ensure compliance and improved competitiveness of funding proposals
• Develop and/or update institutional policies regarding grant budgets, the institutional peer review process and grant submissions

Administrative Tasks

• Create trainings, manuals, e-learning content as needed to support the research community.
• Organize, facilitate, and lead meetings with internal teams, and external stakeholders.
• Facilitate the communication plan for internal and external stakeholders. Disseminates information as needed.
• Ensure maintenance, collection, and accurate analysis of all grant related data for Unity Health to support annual reporting and decisions making activities.
• General office duties e.g., filing, mailings, courier services, ensuring stocked and maintained inventory /supplies/equipment/software.
• Designs all source documents (templates, tracking files, forms, guidance documents) for the collection, and management of information/data.
• Obtain signatures on grants and award letters from the institutional signing authority.
• Oversee and enforce the institutional mandatory peer review process of grant applications.
• Create investigator accounts, approve and ensure compliance of all Unity Health clinical trials through ClinicalTrials.gov.
• Setup, upgrade and maintain institutional access to all grant funding systems.

Training and Mentorship

• Train, coordinate, and/or delegate tasks (including overseeing quality control of submitted assignments) to coop students, casual staff, and internal/external collaborators.
• Assist in the recruitment and onboarding of personnel (e.g., students) and oversee development and maintenance of staff competence in required areas.

Qualifications:

• Undergraduate Degree and 1 years of relevant experience, OR demonstrable equivalent combination of specialized education and experience.
• Basic understanding of research administration, including grant applications, budgets, letters of support.
• Project coordination skills.
• Experience with plain language writing is an asset.
• Experience working with a diversity of stakeholders is an asset.
• Knowledge of applied research.
• Basic computer skills with Microsoft Office experience, and database software.
• Experience with video conferencing software. (Zoom, Microsoft Teams etc.)
• Familiarity with database management.
• Experience with a web-based software (i.e. website management, CANVA, scheduling software, electronic research administration/workflow software/databases) is an asset.
• Training and experience in research finance or accounting is preferred
• Experience in research administration is an asset

Please Note: Registering and making an account with Unity Health does not mean you have submitted an application for the position you would like to apply for. Please ensure you register and make an account with Unity Health AND apply to the position. Both need to be completed to consider your application.

Thank you for applying.