Project Manager, Alberta Climate Dialogue, Edmonton, AB

www.albertaclimatedialogue.ca (original job description text here)

Send application to abcd@ualberta.ca. Please include the following:

1. Cover letter describing why you are interested in this work, summarizing why you should be considered for this job and giving your salary expectations;
2. Resume;
3. Two writing samples; and,
4. Telephone and e-mail contact information for three employment references.

All attachments should be in PDF or Microsoft Word format and titled as follows "Lastname_Firstname_documentkind".

We will begin considering applications on August 27, 2010 and continue until the position is filled.

1. Position Summary

The Project Manager will support the activities of a new and innovative project-the Alberta Climate Dialogue (ABCD) -in the areas of financial and budget management, organizational and event planning, research coordination, fund development, and communication and outreach.

ABCD is working with municipalities across Alberta and partners at the provincial level to engage citizens in climate change policy and planning, using tools of deliberative democracy. The ABCD project is premised on the conviction that well-designed citizen deliberations can play a pivotal role in transforming the politics of climate change in Alberta. Citizens taking part in ABCD-partnered deliberations will become informed, hear each other's perspectives, work through tough decisions with each other and their elected officials, and to use democratic processes to figure out how to solve the problems that face us. Provincial and municipal elected officials and municipal administrators will learn which tough choices and policy directions the public is willing to support, build public ownership for action, and uncover new solutions for complex problems.

The Project Manager will work closely with interdisciplinary researchers and practitioners to support this community-university research initiative (with current funding of $990K from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, with over $3 million in matching cash and in-kind funding from partners). The project team includes leaders from Alberta cities, industries, and environmental NGOs and provincial ministries; Canadian and international organizations expert in convening citizens to solve tough problems; and researchers from twenty universities in Canada, the US, and Australia. Generally, this person will be responsible for the smooth operation of ABCD.

ABCD is based at the University of Alberta, to be developed and implemented with community, researcher, practitioner, and municipal partners. See www.albertaclimatedialogue.ca for more information on the project.

The Project Manager position is based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

We envision hiring full time, but could consider proposals to hold the post at .75 time or above.

The position will begin as soon as possible, and will last for ten months, with renewal (for as many as four further years) contingent on performance and on the success of project fundraising in which the Project Manager will be involved.

2. Responsibilities / Activities

Reporting to the Project Lead, the Project Manager will have principal responsibility in the areas of financial and budget management, organizational and event planning, and internal/external communication activities.

FINANCIAL AND BUDGET MANAGEMENT: The project manager will be responsible for processing and documenting day-to-day financial transactions for the project, tracking and reporting on project spending, and assisting in budget development. Experience in financial management in a university setting would be an asset. Core activities include:

• Assist Project Lead and Principal Investigator in developing (and adhering to) the overall project budget as well as research/conference sub-project budgets
• Oversee daily financial transactions of project, ensuring expenses are within SSHRC guidelines
• Process invoices and coordinate payment of project contractors, researchers, and student research assistants
• Generate monthly and annual financial statements as required by the University and SSHRC

ORGANIZATIONAL AND EVENT PLANNING: The project manager will play a key role in organizing key project planning activities, including regular meetings/teleconferences with the project Steering Committee and other project sub-committees, as well as larger, face-to-face team workshops and conferences. Key activities include:

• Schedule, support, and participate in regular meetings with the Project Lead and Principal Investigator, Steering Committee, and other project sub-committees
• Document, monitor and contribute to development of work plans for all of the project's main research, communications and training activities and sub-projects, ensuring that all project commitments are fulfilled
• Manage administrative aspects of the project, including: maintain a paper and electronic filing system and database of project contacts; and coordinate and maintain the project's office space and supplies
• Manage and oversee the planning, development and implementation of learning workshops, visiting speakers, and multi-day team meetings, including travel, room booking, catering and other logistical needs

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS: The project manager will have strong communication skills (both written and oral), and will be responsible for supporting the Project Lead and Principal Investigator in both internal and external communications. Experience developing traditional media outreach plans as well as web-based resources and communication strategies is not required, but would be an asset. The main activities in this area are:

• Lead or support effective internal communication activities:
  • Ensure effective and timely communication across a large and geographically-distributed project team, including the production of regular newsletters, handling correspondence, forwarding or responding to emailed queries and requests, etc.
  • Support research and practice subgroups of ABCD by maintaining a sense of sub-group activities and timelines and how they are connected
• Lead or support external communication activities:
  • Coordinate and contribute to the preparation of reports, conference presentations, orientation materials, promotional materials and other public documents
  • Disseminate information on the project's activities and research findings to various audiences (including academia, government, general public)
  • Depending on experience and abilities, either lead or support outreach activities, including media relations; website and other online resources (i.e. social media); and, ongoing communication with ABCD's network of community and government partners and contacts
  • Support the Project Lead and Principal Investigator in ongoing partner development, especially with Alberta municipalities

OTHER ACTIVITIES: Other activities that are not required for the position, but could be fulfilled by a very strong candidate for Project Manager, include:

• Identify potential funding sources, build the funding case for various audiences, and complete funding applications
• Assist in developing partnerships with community organizations and municipalities
• Assist in research data collection and analysis

3. Knowledge, skills, and abilities

Education

• A recognized undergraduate degree is required. A BA or higher in a field related to project activities and/or job responsibilities would be a strong asset (e.g. administration, political science, environmental studies, communication, political science).

Experience

• The successful candidate will be a self-directed professional with at least two years of experience closely related to the organizational, managerial, and communications duties described above, preferably in a public policy or community organization setting.
• The candidate's educational and/or work history should show passion for themes and goals of the ABCD project
• Budget management experience is preferred, as is superior skill in oral and written communications.
• It will be a very strong asset if the candidate has demonstrated experience and competence that will allow her/him to take principal responsibility for some dimension of our outreach and communication work-for example, developing and deploying a media strategy, and/or building and maintaining web-based resources, and/or developing and enacting a social media strategy for the project
• It will be a strong asset if the candidate has knowledge of and experience with the specifically Albertan context for our work, including provincial and municipal politics; practices of citizen engagement; and environmental organizations, debates, challenges, and opportunities

Competencies

• An understanding of and ability to explain ABCD's purpose and values, and to understand and articulate its research and practice work
• Strong, demonstrated skills in project administration
• Diplomacy, fostering strong collaborative relationships in a research/practice team, and communicating clearly across administrative hierarchies
• Ability to work independently and to take direction from others, as well as an appreciation of when to seek direction.
• Financial and accounting skills relating to budget planning, budget management, and securing funding
• Comfortably works in an ambiguous, rapidly evolving environment, while maintaining a strong focus on desired outcomes or goals and effectively setting and following through on priorities. Ability to work effectively to deadlines
• Strong skills in identifying, prioritizing, and solving problems. Capacity for multi-tasking.
• Exhibits personal characteristics of integrity, leadership, enthusiasm, and self-confidence.
• Manoeuvres through complex political situations effectively
• Possesses excellent written and oral communication skills
• Actively pursues opportunities for continuous learning and professional development
• Comfortably establishes and maintains a strong network of contacts that bridge university and community
• Comfortable with computer-based and online work and software, including word processing, spreadsheets, online collaboration tools, social networking, and blogging. Ability to learn new computer programs and skills quickly. An ability to design and maintain a project website with interactive elements would be a strong asset

4. Independence of Action / Initiative

A. Decisions/recommendations independently made and the results achieved

The Project Manager is accountable for making day to day operational decisions that include managing program activities, supervision of students and contract workers (as necessary), and communication activities. The Project Manager facilitates regular meetings of the project team, partners and subcommittees.

B. For what actions is it necessary to consult someone and are approvals or instructions verbal or in writing?

The Project Manager is directed and advised by the Project Lead, with input from the Principal Investigator. Co-investigators and the Advisory Committee (and sub-committees) inform development, implementation and evaluation of project activities. Approvals may be verbal or in writing dependent on the nature of the task and the method of communication.

5. Consequence of Errors

The manager interacts with officials at the municipal, provincial and federal level, as well as with academics, NGO leaders, and citizens. As such, she/he needs to be politically astute, understand the various protocols in play at these positions, be comfortable meeting and communicating in context-appropriate ways.

The manager must deal with competing agendas on the part of researchers, community members, funders, elected officials and others. As such, the manager needs to have the ability to understand complex and complicated structures of relations and have an ability to navigate these situations with ethics and professionalism.

The manager must be very comfortable with ambiguity and have the ability to interact with staff, volunteers, contractors and others through periods of change and ambiguity.

Errors made by the manager could lead to an inability to meet critical deadlines, compromise the results of research projects, affect funding applications and ultimately affect the credibility and reputation of ABCD.

Describe the common/typical errors that could be made, not the rare or extreme ones

Facts, data and information provided in written materials must be accurate and valid. The delivery of support,  resources and programs to stakeholders, organizations and individuals must be professional.

The most common errors that could be made in this position are:

-      Overexpenditures

-      improper accounting

-      ineligible use of SSHRC funds

-      mistakes in following administrative procedures in regards to the community and university partners

-      misinforming the Project Lead, Principal Investigator, advisory committees, SSHRC and project partners regarding the project's capacities, activities and/or plans

-      over-communicating or under communicating with project members regarding their responsibilities and work, which can lead to reduced participation and/or productivity

-      poor planning and coordination of project-related events, which has significant consequences for research context, project budget and partner relations

-      poor time management, delays in coordination of tasks and/or work meetings

-      poor prioritization of the project's limited administrative resources

-      missed funding opportunities could lead to reduced opportunities for project development and dissemination

6. Contacts

A. Inside the University

Contact is made in person, on the phone, over email and Internet postings.

Communication and relationship building are essential to this community-university collaborative project. Many diverse parties inside and outside the project must remain informed about the work of individuals and sub-groups within the project.

The Project Manager communicates internally with:

-      project lead

-      principal investigator

-      co-investigators and project team

-      University Research Services Office (RSO) and Human Research Ethics Board (HREB)

-      University administrative support units such as Human Resources, Financial Services, and Supply Management Services, Payroll, Computer and Networking Services, Telecommunications, and, Graduate Studies

B. Outside the University

Communications with non-university partners is essential to this project's success. Such contacts include:

-      SSHRC representatives

-      Elected officials and staff from Alberta municipalities

-      Community, environment, first nations, business and other organizations

-      Researchers from Canadian and international universities

-      Dialogue and deliberation practitioners

-      Granting agencies and community foundations

C. Information Provided to Others

The Project Manager plays a leadership role in keeping a diverse range of people and parties informed and aware of the project's activities.  The Project Director prepares annual reports, project progress reports and reports required for various funding agreements. S/he also contributes to disseminating project findings through presentations, conferences, community meetings and written materials.

D. Information Sources

The Project Manager must remain informed through a range of methods, including:

-      SSHRC and university contacts and publications

-      Project partner publications

-      Stakeholder interviews

-      Internet sources

7. Supervision

A. Describe all aspects of supervision. These may include training, recruiting, monitoring, disciplinary action, etc. Please be sure to complete Part B.

The Project Manager will supervise support staff as designated by the Project Lead (e.g. casual undergraduate employees, graduate students, research trainees, etc.). The Project Manager must brief support staff on the overall structure of the project and administrative information such as office space, time lines, payroll and reporting.

The Project Manager will manage some contract work for the project, and assist with coordinating the recruitment and supervision of graduate research assistants.

B. Please indicate how many staff are supervised by the position.

Full time employees: 0

Part time employees: 0-6

8. Physical Demands

A. Activities

Primarily sedentary in nature at workstation with daily use of a computer and telephone. Occasional travel in Alberta to maintain partnerships and implement program activities.

B. What type of equipment or tools are used in the job?

Usual office equipment (computer, telephone, scanner/copier, etc).

9. Working Conditions

Normal office work conditions. The Project Director must be able to operate independently.

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Unknown

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