Discover
The Opportunity
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Time Period: ASAP to December 23, 2020 (with possibility of extension pending funding availability) Status: Full-time (30 hrs a week), Temporary Salary: $41,371 per annum (including vacation pay)
Program Overview:
Saint Mary's University is the lead institution on two interrelated, multi-disciplinary, large applied research projects financially supported by federal and provincial government sources, academic, NGO and private sector partners. The overall goal of these projects is to build resilience to climate change impacts along Canada's Atlantic coastal zone, by developing a framework for implementing nature-based adaptation strategies and demonstrating the success of these strategies. The Making Room for Wetlands: Implementation of Managed Realignment for Salt Marsh Restoration and Climate Change Adaptation in Nova Scotia project (2017-2022) seeks to restore coastal wetland habitat at multiple sites, in close collaboration with CB Wetlands and Environmental Specialists and NS Department of Agriculture, while providing climate change adaptation benefits while building scientific and technical capacity in the region. A companion project, the Making Room for Movement: A Framework for Implementing Nature-Based Adaptation Strategies for Nova Scotia's Coastal Zone project (2018-2020) brings together academic researchers in estuarine and restoration science, geomatics, social science and land use planning, private sector practitioners, government departments and NGOs to build a framework that will guide coastal adaptation practitioners in working with community residents, land owners, coastal resource users, and governments to implement innovative, nature-based alternatives to hard infrastructure. This includes the establishment of a Center of Expertise and Community of Practice in nature-based climate change adaptation and coastal habitat restoration. Project collaborators include the Dalhousie School of Planning, School of Resource and Environmental Studies, CB Wetlands and Environmental Specialists (CBWES), CBCL Engineers Ltd., Queens' University Engineering, Ecology Action Centre (EAC) and Corporate Research Associates (CRA).
Position Overview:
The Project Coordinator will be based at Saint Mary's University, reporting to Dr. Danika van Proosdij, Project Lead, Chair of the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies and Director of Maritime Provinces Spatial Analysis Research Center (MP_SpARC) and the In_CoaST (Intertidal Coastal Sediment Transport) Research units. The Coordinator will work alongside the CRF Research Project Manager and NRCAN Post-Doc as well as co-PIs from Dalhousie University: Dr. Patricia Manuel and Dr. Eric Rapaport (School of Planning) and Dr. Kate Sherren (School for Resource and Environmental Studies). Time will be divided between the two projects however the relative proportion of hours will vary depending project requirements, timelines and urgency for action. The primary responsibilities of the project coordinator will include communication between project partners, financial management and reporting, coordination of project deliverables, website design and maintenance, social media activities as well as stakeholder engagement/communication.
What you'll do
Responsibilities
Key Areas of Responsibility:
- Ensure regular communication with partners, collaborators, advisory committee, funders and other stakeholders to ensure smooth project delivery, including recording of minutes;
- Oversee collaboration between Saint Mary's University and external partners and collaborators to ensure project milestones, deliverables and contractual requirements are met and proactively identify challenges and implement strategies to mitigate risks;
- Monitor, track finances to ensure that all elements of the project are operating within assigned budgets (adjust as needed in consultation with the Project PI) and satisfy financial reporting requirements from government funders;
- Oversee financial management of projects (with support from SMU financial officer) and reporting of in-kind and cash contributions from project partners and collaborators as outlined in contribution agreements;
- Track project milestones and coordinate all project deliverables, for submission to project funders as outlined in the contribution agreement;'
- Assist the research project manager, postdoc and PIs in completing final technical reports as required;
- Coordinate the development of signs/communication materials including website and social media for the projects;
- Coordinate logistics for community/stakeholder meetings including notification, venue, facilitation and follow-up.
- Initiate and assist in the establishment of a center of expertise in coastal habitat restoration and climate change adaptation and community of practice;
What you'll need
Qualifications
Position Requirements/Qualifications:
- Completion of post-graduate education in a related field such as geography, environmental science, land use planning, marine management, climate change;
- Minimum 2 years of related experience in project delivery, coordination of a multi-disciplinary research team, budget tracking and financial management and reporting;
- Must have strong organizational, time management skills;
- Must be highly motivated, independent and hard-working;
- Demonstrated ability to work/coordinate a multi-disciplinary research team;
- Experience with Research Ethics Board procedures and/or working with First Nations Communities is considered an asset;
- In-depth understanding climate change impacts and adaptation in coastal regions is an asset;
- Demonstrated ability to communicate and engage diverse stakeholder groups including NGOs, rural landowners, planners, scientists, First Nations communities and decision makers;
- Must be a Canadian citizen or legally entitled to work in Canada
A little bit about us
Saint Mary’s University
Saint Mary's University is one of Canada's top primary undergraduate universities--known for its international collaborations, leadership in entrepreneurship, and research that benefits local and global communities. Our programs in Arts, Science, Graduate Studies and the Sobey School of Business are among Canada's best and feature professors who are committed to the success of their students. Saint Mary's provides our 7,000 students with a place that fosters possibility, excellent research opportunities, and distinguished graduate and professional programs combined with a caring community. Nestled in the heart of Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Canada's east coast, Saint Mary's University is marked by iconic buildings, green spaces and fresh ocean air. The Saint Mary's University community is committed to a prosperous future for the world-a world without limits.
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Are you interested?
Work With Us
If you are interested in this position please submit your cover letter and resume, merged into one document, via email to Danika van Proosdij, [email protected] by 3pm (AST) on June 25th, 2018. We thank all applicants, however, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
All interviews are tentatively scheduled for June 26th, 2018.
Saint Mary's University is committed to the principles of Employment Equity. We encourage applications from qualified women, visible minorities, Aboriginal people, and people with disabilities. Preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.