Senior Operating Officer - Research, Evaluation & Policy

Job No: 154766
Location: Edmonton or Calgary, Alberta

  • Great opportunity to apply your proven leadership experience in a social and health research environment!
  • Don’t miss this exciting role that inspires change and action for improving the lives of people!
  • Enjoy a competitive remuneration package, PLUS a great host of benefits!

About Us

PolicyWise is a charitable, non-profit corporation established in 2003 to support the development of effective policies, programs, and services to benefit the well-being of children, families, and communities. We have a reputation for collaboration, inclusion, and broad stakeholder engagement approaches and strategies.

Our research and policy team has an in-depth understanding of the domains of well-being, the child and youth serving sector, provincial and local service delivery contexts, and the application of knowledge across these sectors and systems.

Our Vision 
Children, youth, and families thrive in respectful, safe, and supportive environments shaped by wise decisions.

Our Mission 
To inform, identify, and promote effective social policy and practice to improve the well-being of children & youth, families, and communities.

For more information about our work, please visit our website:  www.policywise.com

About the Opportunity

PolicyWise currently has an exciting opportunity for a Senior Operating Officer - Research, Evaluation & Policy to join our team on a full-time basis in either Edmonton or Calgary, Alberta.

Reporting to the President and CEO, in this senior role you will lead and manage all research, evaluation and knowledge mobilization projects conducted by PolicyWise, while coaching and mentoring your team to support the mission of the organization. You will also be responsible for quality assurance of the services offered, and communicate with the CEO and Board of Directors regarding any issues and accomplishments. 

As a Senior Operating Officer, you will collaborate with the CFO and CEO in the preparation and management of the annual budget, and participate in the development of the operational and strategic plan. Lastly, you will create and maintain effective business relationships with key stakeholders inside and outside the organization.

PolicyWise is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and recognizes that those ideals are embedded in governance and organizational performance. As an essential element of their culture, PolicyWise welcomes the unique contributions that candidates can bring in terms of diverse backgrounds and lived experiences, and encourages applications that represent the diversity of the community they serve.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Developing innovative strategic initiatives for achieving long-term objectives, and contributing to the creation of a vision for the future of PolicyWise
  • Providing effective and inspiring leadership by developing a broad knowledge of services offered
  • Leading, coaching, developing, recruiting, and retaining a highly competitive team by creating a Continuous Improvement culture
  • Preparing an annual operational budget, and reporting on progress and challenges
  • Collaborating with the CFO in ensuring the continued financial viability of research and evaluation service delivery
  • Creating and cultivating relationships with key stakeholders, including government officials, academics, and community leaders
  • Nurturing relationships with existing funders and discovering opportunities for new funders, to secure and expand recurring revenue streams
  • Participating in the development of the operational and strategic plan, including KPI measuring and monitoring
  • Demonstrating professional ethics, and operating with honesty and integrity, as an ambassador for PolicyWise

More About You

In order to qualify for this role, you will have a Master’s degree or PhD in social science, business, or other related disciplines (e.g., social work or public health) with at least 10 years of progressive work experience in a related role, including extensive leadership experience.

You must also have a good understanding of research and evaluation processes and methodsYou will be an innovative thinker that will bring in new ideas, and an inspirational leader that will help the team achieve their operational objectives.

Furthermore, you will also possess:

  • Excellent organizational management with high attention to detail
  • Ability to be an inspirational, dynamic leader, confident in your own knowledge but always open to learning
  • The ability to coach senior-level staff to manage and develop high-performance teams
  • Demonstrated experience in program and project management, budgeting, and resource management
  • Analytic and decisive decision maker, with the ability to prioritize and adapt to changing tasks 
  • Ability to communicate to staff key objectives and tactics necessary to achieve organizational goals
  • Experience managing human resources in research, evaluation, and/or data analytics functions
  • Nonprofit, public sector, and/or for-profit experience, with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders and cultures
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive communicator with excellent public speaking skills
  • Ability to manage a full calendar of meetings, while finding time for continuous improvement and coaching staff
  • A strong work ethic and sense of accountability; passion, humility, integrity, positive attitude, mission-driven, and self-directed
  • Demonstrated general computer skills (e.g., Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)

For the safety and well-being of our clients and employees, we require proof of COVID-19 vaccination before commencing employment. Accommodations will be made for those exempt from the COVID-19 vaccination, based on grounds protected by relevant human rights law.

About the Benefits 

In exchange for your hard work and dedication, you will receive a highly competitive annual salary plus a great host of benefits, including:

  • 50% employer-paid extended medical, dental, and vision benefits
  • $200 reimbursement for parking or transit
  • Work from home / remote work hybrid until further notice
  • $500 allowance to set up home office at the start of hire
  • 4 weeks vacation to start with
  • Holiday break during Christmas and New Year on top of vacation time
  • Group RRSP after 6 months in the role
  • 5 professional development day + learning and development assistance
  • 10 special leave days

And that's not all! Upon joining PolicyWise, you will be welcomed into a supportive and highly collaborative environment. If you think you've got the skills to take on this rewarding and challenging role, apply today! 

Please note that the closing of this role will be the 24th of June, 2022.

Apply Now

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