Position: Manager, Applied Research
Location: London, Ontario
Position Type: Full-time, temporary 24, months Business School Foundation contract with an anticipated start date of July 2026.
Status: This posting is for an existing vacancy.
Hiring Range: $74,800 - $93,551
Application Deadline: The role will be posted until filled.
About Ivey Business School:
Ivey Business School acknowledges and respects the traditional lands of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lūnaapéewak, and Attawandaron peoples, where Western University and Ivey Business School are located. This land continues to be home to diverse Indigenous peoples, whom we recognize as contemporary stewards of the land and vital contributors of the community.
Ivey Business School (www.ivey.ca) at Western University (www.uwo.ca) is Canada’s leading provider of real-world, case-based business education. Drawing on extensive research and business experience, Ivey’s faculty provides the best classroom experience, equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and capabilities they need to confidently take on today’s leadership challenges and opportunities through Case-Method Learning. Ivey offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs, as well as Executive Education at campuses in London, Toronto, and Hong Kong.
The John F. Wood Centre for Innovation in Business Education and the EdTech team at the Ivey Business School Foundation play complementary roles in advancing innovation in business learning at Ivey. The John F. Wood Centre for Innovation in Business Education advances innovation in business learning, with a focus on social learning, technology, and their intersection. The Centre supports experimentation, knowledge translation, and community building to strengthen teaching and learning at Ivey Business School and contribute to the School’s broader mission in business education.
Position Overview:
This is a two year contract position with Ivey Business School Foundation.
The Manager, Applied Research will work closely with the John F. Wood Centre Director on strategic priorities for the Centre as informed by the highest quality research through applied scholarship, interdisciplinary collaboration, and project execution. The role’s primary initial responsibility is leading the development of an AI-enabled dashboard to support student learning of essential robust human skills, while also contributing to internal pilot projects, developing materials for teaching and learning in diverse contexts, knowledge translation for educators and business leaders, and related Centre initiatives. The Manager, Applied Research has deep academic knowledge that informs all projects and activities, along with relevant project management experience. They are very well organized and manage time effectively, adapt well to change, thrive in a position where new paths must be created toward multiple objectives, and builds strong relationships. The role requires individual accountability combined with teamwork, collaboration, entrepreneurial spirit, and flawless execution.
Responsibilities:
1. AI Dashboard for Degree Programs
-
Serve as the academic content lead and project manager for the development and piloting of an AI-enabled dashboard that supports student learning of essential robust human skills in business education contexts. The dashboard will initially be developed for the school’s MBA program and may be adapted for other degree programs over time.
-
Partner closely with the IT (Ivey) and EdTech (Ivey Foundation) teams to collaborate on solutioning the learning design.
-
Translate social learning research and educational objectives around robust Essential Skills into practical tool features, learning development priorities in collaboration with Centre leadership and partners.
-
Coordinate project activities relating to piloting, stakeholder engagement and readiness for adoption by Degree Programs, ensuring alignment with program learning goals and the social learning literature, as well as program timelines.
-
Support testing, refinement, and knowledge transfer by synthesizing feedback from pilots, identifying implications for learning design and program use, and contributing to documentation and handover materials for Degree Programs.
-
Communicate effectively about the dashboard’s purpose, development and educational value in one-on-one and small group conversations, presentations and announcements with Centre leadership, academic partners and other stakeholders.
2. Interdisciplinary collaboration and Centre initiatives
-
Work collaboratively with the Centre’s (Academic) Director, as well as School leaders and faculty, staff, alumni, and advisors where relevant, to advance Centre priorities and innovation projects as determined by the Director.
-
Organize timelines and manage delivery for projects within their area of responsibility in line with evolving Centre priorities as determined with the Director.
-
Contribute to plan, coordinate, and deliver other Centre activities that connect applied research, practice, and innovation in business education.
-
Build productive relationships with faculty, staff, and collaborators to support implementation and continuous learning.
3. Scholarly research and knowledge dissemination
-
Contribute to research projects aligned with the Centre’s focus on adult learning, social learning, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion learning, and technology-enabled business learning. These contributions include managing research ethics approvals and renewals, as well as funding grant submissions.
-
Produce scholarly outputs including journal manuscripts, conference papers, research summaries, and related knowledge mobilization materials.
-
Support the Centre’s academic profile through active participation in relevant scholarly and professional communities at the School, the University, in Canada, and internationally.
-
Prepare, share, and amplify communications about the Centre’s and the School’s social learning innovations in collaboration with relevant internal individuals and teams.
4. Equity, diversity, inclusion, and community engagement
-
Leverage expertise on the highest quality social science research into equity, diversity and inclusion practices into all Centre activities within and beyond the School.
-
Actively engage in activities to work against racist, sexist, and other dehumanizing systems.
-
Engage constructively with academic and professional communities relevant to the Centre’s mission and research agenda.
-
Foster an inclusive, curious, and collaborative environment that supports innovation in business education.
Qualifications:
Education and Experience:
-
Master’s degree in education, psychology, sociology, organizational behaviour/management, learning sciences, or a related field is required, with strong preference for a PhD. Prior research should include a focus on adult learning.
-
Demonstrated experience in research, teaching, industry, or project-based environments showing strong project management and implementation capability is required.
-
Evidence of depth of knowledge, scholarly productivity, and active participation with relevant social science or business education communities is required.
-
Evidence of successfully navigating bureaucracy in research ethics approvals is required. Quality Assurance / Quality Improvement project experience is a plus.
-
Experience supporting or academic knowledge and interest in application to support equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives is required.
-
Familiarity with business education and case learning contexts specifically is preferred.
Skills and Abilities:
-
Excellent communication skills including listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills are required (presentation and/or facilitation skills are a plus), with the ability to engage academic and non-academic audiences effectively.
-
Strong project management, collaboration, and organizational skills, with the ability to lead complex initiatives involving abstract concepts and coordinate across stakeholders are required.
-
Ability to review and elucidate essential insights from relevant research literatures is required. This means also being able to iterate productively between high quality research evidence and strategic needs of projects, with developing discernment.
-
Working knowledge of code writing (which could be from syntax-based statistical analysis to more advanced programming) is required, with interest in AI, especially as it relates to learning.
-
Entrepreneurial spirit to engage proactively and collaboratively problem-solve to achieve Centre goals.
-
Strong management skills and the ability to successfully organize timelines, deliverables, communications, and follow-up across multiple concurrent activities.
-
Skills and motivation to monitor progress, identify risks or bottlenecks, and recommend practical solutions to maintain momentum and quality.
-
Skills and actions to support efficient execution of Centre priorities in a collaborative and evolving environment.
-
Familiarity with business education, adult learning, and interdisciplinary research environments, along with discernment, adaptability, and intellectual curiosity as aligned with the Centre’s philosophy.
-
Must be available to travel no more than once per month
What We Offer:
-
A collaborative and engaging work culture
-
Opportunity to join a community of people-focused professionals
-
Market competitive compensation
-
Generous benefits package with employer-paid premiums, including a comprehensive Health and Dental Plan, no waiting period required.
-
Enhanced mental health benefits coverage and resources.
-
Out-of-country travel insurance.
-
Employee and Family Assistance Program.
-
Vacation starting at 15 days per year plus 2 paid Ivey Personal Days.
-
Paid time off during the School’s December holiday closure.
-
Numerous campus-wide arts, culture, and sport events.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Ivey
Ivey Business School is committed to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Please explore Ivey’s EDI homepage for more information on Ivey's commitment to EDI, to read about Ivey’s progress in the EDI Update, and to meet Ivey’s EDI Advisory Council members.
Ivey Business School invites applications from all qualified individuals. Ivey is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace, and welcomes applications from women, members of racialized groups/visible minorities, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation, and persons of any gender identity or gender expression.
Accommodation
Prior to the next step in the recruiting process, we welcome you to inform us confidentially if you may require any accommodations in order to participate fully in our recruitment experience. Please contact us at [email protected] to notify us of any needs related to completing the job application, and/or throughout the recruitment process.
Artificial Intelligence
AI-supported tools may be used in parts of the selection process to help evaluate applications; however, our HR system itself does not include any AI functionality. All hiring decisions are made by people.
Application:
If you're excited about joining Canada's leading business school and meet the qualifications, please submit your resume and cover letter via the Ivey Careers page by the application deadline.
Ivey Business School Foundation:
Ivey Business School Foundation employees receive benefits exclusive to The Foundation, separate from Western University.
Please note only selected candidates will be contacted.
