Office of Research Services
Vice-President(Research & International)
Position number: 37846
Date posted: June 1, 2026
Research Contracts Officer - AA4 (AESES)
New Regular Continuing Full-Time (Budget Funded)
Work schedule:
35 Hours/week (Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm)
Salary:
$32.25 to $45.94 per hour ($58,695.00 to $83,610.80 per annum)
Expected Start Date
August 31, 2026
For more information please contact: Allison Stephen, Director, Office of the Vice-President (Research and International) - [email protected]
MINIMUM FORMAL EDUCATION/TRAINING:
- An undergraduate degree in health sciences, human biology, biomedical sciences, life sciences, public health, nutritional sciences, medical laboratory science, epidemiology, health policy or health administration or similar is required.
- Knowledge of university regulations, programs and procedures as they relate to the function/program is required.
- Masters’ degree would be strongly preferred.
EXPERIENCE:
- Experience in a health-related field, with a focus on human health research, clinical trials, or data-intensive studies, gained within a university, private industry, non-profit organization, or hospital environment is required.
- A minimum of four years of directly related contract experience in a university, government department, private agency or foundation is required.
- Experience in reviewing and editing contracts is required.
- Experience in interpreting and implementing funding agency policies as they relate to contracts is considered an asset (e.g. U.S. National Institutes of Health and other U.S. federal).
- An acceptable combination of post-secondary education and experience may be considered.
SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
- Strong writing skills for agreement review are required.
- Understanding and working knowledge of Canadian, U.S., and international guidelines as they apply to Clinical Trial Agreements and management (FDA, Health Canada, Good Clinical Practice, etc.) is required.
- Demonstrated ability to interpret policies, guidelines, legislation, and budgets is required.
- Understanding of privacy legislation is required.
- Highly analytical skills with a fine attention to detail are required.
- Proven ability to work independently and effectively under pressure, managing high volume workloads (300+ contracts), competing priorities, and tight timelines with the ability to adjust to and accommodate constantly shifting work priorities is required.
- Demonstrating a high level of initiative, involving the independence of exercise of good judgement within guidelines set by policies is required.
- Knowledge of the Canadian and international research funding landscape is required.
- Ability to exercise tact and diplomacy and maintain a high level of confidentiality is required.
- Strong interpersonal and oral communication skills are required.
- Demonstrated advanced proficient computer skills in Microsoft Office are required.
- Ability to adapt to changing office technology and newly implemented University procedures is required.
- Understanding of university and hospital research environments is preferred.
- Knowledge of University policies and procedures is an asset.
- Proficient understanding of medical terminology is a strong asset.
- Understanding relevant legislation and guidelines of international, national and provincial regulatory bodies is a strong asset.
- Satisfactory work record, including satisfactory attendance and punctuality, is required.
Research Agreement/Contracts Development and Review Services
- Reviews a high volume of wide-ranging sponsored research agreements from Canada and internationally, covering partnerships with industry, the public sector, and private foundations, as well as agreements with other universities. Agreement types include inter-institutional agreements, international agreements, consortium agreements, such as multiparty and partnership contribution agreements and clinical trial agreements.
- Reviews a high volume of wide ranging non-sponsored research agreements from Canada and internationally covering partnerships with industry, the public sector, and private foundations, as well as agreements with other universities. Agreement types include collaboration agreements, material transfer agreements, data sharing agreement and biobanking agreements.
- Works closely with the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences Principal Investigators (PIs) to determine and develop the agreements needed for complex clinical trials involving human participants. Specifically, what agreements are needed depending on the trial design.
- Meets with PIs to discuss procedures, research requirements and budgets, recommends suitable agreement types with faculty and external entities and revises agreements to include project specific information and/or incorporating clauses to meet objectives of the collaboration.
- Comprehends standard agreement language and structure.
- Recognizes organizational limitations, concerns regarding language, and understands proper escalation points when language modifications are proposed by external parties.
- Works closely with the Legal Office in the structuring, review, and negotiation of research agreements.
- Works closely with Financial Services/Research Accounting to structure complex financial arrangements, budgets and financial reporting requirements.
- Ensures agreements are completed in a timely manner in order for PIs to meet the requirements of their projects.
- Conducts compliance checks which involves the review of the research contract questionnaire, supporting documents submitted by the researcher, and using experience and judgement to identify circumstances that seem at risk of non-compliance. Collects additional data and determines whether matter requires escalation for expert review for a full assessment of the project. Works with external units (i.e. Ethics, Animal Care, Biosafety, Health and Safety Offices, and the Partnerships and Innovation Office) to provide relevant information they require to conduct their expert assessment, and in some cases, to develop understanding of the research project/file.
- Highlights business terms revisions and institutional risks that need to be reviewed and communicated to the PI, the Director, and Legal Counsel, for example: a) problematic or inconsistent information that would pose a risk for the University; (b) inconsistencies with University policy; and (c) discrepancies with external agency policies.
- Does upfront negotiation of agreements prior to sending to the Legal Office.
- Undertakes preliminary review to ensure all internal documentation are properly submitted (fully signed FAAF, proposal, budget, protocol, REB application and approval, Informed Consent Forms (ICFs) Protocol, and appropriate contract related questionnaire).
- Reviews ICFs and Ethics Submission Packages to assist the PI in determining what agreements are needed for their study and who these agreements might need to be with.
- Reviews previous files that could be used as a precedent for review through comparison, providing file number, fully executed copy and negotiation history to Legal Counsel in order to further expedite the review process.
- Reviews and edits budgets.
- Provides PIs with processing information/feedback, intake confirmation and regular status updates.
- Contacts third parties as required for information/clarification purposes, and to provide or request administrative revisions to the agreement and provide status updates.
- Actively shares details and acquired knowledge with other team members to strengthen the team and advance the progression of legal files.
- Maintains record of proposed and awarded research agreements.
- Reviews and uses prepared statistical summary reports of agreements to communicate research performance in relation to strategic measurements.
- Trains new staff on procedures and policies related to research agreements.
Policy and Program Interpretation and Implementation
- Responsible for keeping up-to-date and retaining extensive working knowledge of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Grant Policy Statement (USA), U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, and the U.S. Office of Management and Budget circular updates as they relate to NIH (and other U.S. federal government agencies including NIAID and USDA) agreements and alerts Director of any necessary changes to the contractual terms based on policy and regulation updates.
- Ensures that the University is in compliance with NIH Financial Conflict of Interest Policy requirements on active sub-agreements.
- Liaises with Canadian and U.S. institutions to compile information on the implementation of U.S. legislation and policy changes as they relate to U.S federal contracts in order to recommend and implement the best course of action for the University of Manitoba to comply.
- Disseminates information about changes to NIH requirements, policy, and post-award management as applicable to the Director of Research and International Agreements, Research and Special Fund Accounting, Ethics, Legal Counsel, and IST Security as applicable.
- Utilizes knowledge of University policies and collective agreements governing research and commercialization when reviewing and flagging contracts.
- Maintains up-to-date knowledge of Canadian, U.S., and international guidelines as they apply to Clinical Trial Agreements and the management of policies such as FDA, Health Canada, Good Clinical Practice, and other policies for incorporation into clinical trial agreements.
- Acts as a resource person and subject matter expert to the University research community on sponsors’ policies, procedures, and guidelines for funding proposal applications.
- Understands, interprets, and implements Canadian federal government operating procedures and policies for Tri-Council grants into agreement reviews.
- Understands regulatory requirements including the Personal Health Information Act (PHIA), the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA).
- Understands and interprets applicable privacy legislation while reviewing Research Agreements.
- Provides input into developing internal forms and processes to streamline the research agreements review process and to improve agreement management.
Proposal Development, Outreach, Records Management and Other Support
- Reviews research proposals and interprets complicated budgets prepared by researchers to ensure they comply with agency guidelines and adhere to University policy prior to submission and edits proposals to strengthen the researchers’ application.
- Writes Letters of Support or other applicable letters for review by Director, to potential funding agencies or other third parties for the researcher.
- Facilitates the post-award management process with external sponsors and internally at the University and communicates with partners to ensure the proper management of awarded and committed funds.
- Advises researchers on Calls for Proposals that are appropriate to their research expertise.
- Monitors the expiry of biosafety, human and animal ethics approvals on active research contracts and ensures that project activities are not performed until such approvals are in place.
- Meets with external agencies or PIs upon request in order to foster a collaborative research relationship or to discuss University policies and procedures as well as concerns about contract negotiations.
- Attends local, national and international meetings related to research contracts in order to keep up to date on new policies, policy changes, to establish relationships, and to learn emerging efficiencies in research contract management.
- Maintains the agreements database and reviews agreements that are in the review process with the Director of Research and International Agreements to identify the status of files and expected timelines; and updates researchers and external agencies as needed.
- Prepares research agreement statistical reports for the Vice-President (Research & International).
- Interprets the financial section of agreements for Research and Special Fund Accounting by producing a summary of pertinent information in order to have a fund account established.
- Takes an active role in the improvement of workflow, internal procedures and forms to expedite agreement review and execution.
- Edits, updates and maintains unit intranet webpages.
- Other duties as assigned
This is an in-person position (non-remote) based out of either the Fort Garry or Bannatyne campus, depending on the candidate's preference.
The University of Manitoba is committed to the principles of equity, diversity & inclusion and to promoting opportunities in hiring, promotion and tenure (where applicable) for systemically marginalized groups who have been excluded from full participation at the University and the larger community including Indigenous Peoples, women, racialized persons, persons with disabilities and those who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, questioning, intersex, asexual and other diverse sexual identities).
If you require accommodation supports during the recruitment process, please contact [email protected] or 204-474-7195. Please note this contact information is for accommodation reasons only.
Application materials, including letters of reference, will be handled in accordance with the protection of privacy provisions of "The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act" (Manitoba). Please note that curriculum vitae will be provided to participating members of the search process.
