Program Coordinator/Manager, AI + Society Initiative

Job classification: NR4–Research Coordinator
Duration: One-year contract, renewable
Hours: Full-time (part-time possible)
Start date: Flexible, as soon as possible
Annual base salary range: $51,950–66,139, plus benefits (commensurate with qualifications and experience)
Unit: University of Ottawa Centre for Law Technology and Society
Reports to: Director, AI + Society Initiative

Important Note
This posting is part of a group of job postings to create a support team under the leadership of Prof. Florian Martin-Bariteau. Advertised positions may be joined, and job descriptions and levels might be varied based on candidate profiles, qualifications, and experience. Candidates are welcome to apply to different positions at the same time,and to specify their interest in their cover letter(s).

Position Description

The University of Ottawa AI + Society Initiative is seeking an enthusiastic and driven Program Coordinator/Manager to support its development and operations.

The Program Coordinator/Manager will primarily be responsible for supporting the Director in the ongoing management, progress evaluation, and knowledge dissemination relating to the research projects. The Coordinator/Program Manager will also coordinate research projects and teams.

The Program Coordinator/Manager will monitor budgets and cash flow in order to assist in strategic financial planning and accurate reporting. They will also track the Initiative’s progress in meeting objectives and milestones, and lead the drafting of strategic communications, narratives and reports to our funders and stakeholders. Ensuring effective communication among collaborators within the Initiative, and with general and specialized external audiences, are essential aspects of the position. They will help and support the network’s student training and mentoring activities. There are also opportunities to engage in substantive research activities.

Reporting to the Director, the Program Coordinator/Manager will work both in French and English and be a key player in the administration of the Initiative. From administration of research projects to reporting and grant writing, they will act as a liaison between the leadership team and internal stakeholders, as well as between the Initiative and external stakeholders. They might be called to travel within Canada and abroad.

Performing all duties autonomously and proactively, the Coordinator/Program Manager will join the dynamic communities of the AI + Society Initiative, and of the University of Ottawa’s Centre for Law, Technology and Society, Canada’s leading research group in technology law, ethics and policy, where the Initiative is incubated.

Place of work and COVID-19: Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we transitioned to a work-from-home model, and this role is expected to begin as a remote position. We understand each person’s circumstances are unique and will work with the selected candidate to explore possible options. At the campus’ reopening, the position will be located within our new workspaces at 100 Thomas Moore, Ottawa, ON. After a reasonable notice, it will be expected that the hired candidate will work in person in our office spaces.

About the AI + Society Initiative

The University of Ottawa has positioned itself as a leader in transdisciplinary research and training for responsible AI for the benefit of Canada and the world. The Program Coordinator/Manager will help further this vision by supporting the development of the AI + Society Initiative, leading to a better understanding and framing of the ethical, legal and societal implications of AI research and its uses, as well as leveraging a transdisciplinary approach to advancing AI methods and tools, with a focus on their responsible applications.

The AI + Society Initiative includes many important communities within our landscape. Our AI and inclusion work serves women, youth, seniors, Black, Indigenous and People of Colour, the LGBTQ2S+ community, people with disabilities, and linguistic minorities. We promote a research agenda around developing effective inclusive and participatory ethical design/engineering frameworks for AI systems, with a specific focus on avoiding the amplification of global digital injustices through AI for those communities and those at the intersection of these identities.

While being grounded in rigorous evidence-based academic research, most outreach (public lectures, training, tools, white papers, reports, etc.) are developed with the general public in mind, and in plain language for them to be able to take ownership of the tools and implement them to have a transformative impact within their communities.

More details about the Initiative can be found at http://aisociety.ca

Tasks and Duties

Project management and administration (40%)

• Assists with welcoming, training, guiding, and supervising students and research staff.
• Develops, implements and maintains physical and electronic filing systems, especially for data management.
• Carries out general project administration and communication duties as required by the project.
• Plans and arranges meetings, teleconferences and other research activities with stakeholders; takes and prepares minutes.
• Prepares financial claims, human resources requests, tracks expenses, maintains financial records, and provides accounting updates.
• Tracks operational supplies, requesting or acquiring necessary equipment or supplies.
• Assists in the procurement of goods and services for the Initiative’s activities, including preparing purchase orders for approval, and entering information into purchasing databases.
• Assists with any other duties required by the research projects or for the management of the Initiative.

Knowledge mobilization, communications and events (40%)

• Leads strategic communications with identified partner organizations and individuals.
• Conducts research to identify relevant stakeholders and individuals in the fields identified.
• Assists in organization and implementation of research dissemination events (conferences, seminars, workshops, etc.) including: contacting relevant and interested stakeholders; drafting strategic event communications; conducting research on the topic of the event; developing materials.
• Collects and organizes material for research papers, manuscripts, interim progress or final reports, articles or other documents for publication, presentations or submissions to funding agencies, steering groups.
• Assists investigators and project staff with authoring relevant sections of manuscripts, and facilitates the submission of study results, conference abstracts and preparation of posters, oral presentations, and journal articles for publications.
• Attends and contributes to relevant research and research dissemination meetings.
• Prepares tables, graphs, fact sheets, and written reports summarizing research results.
• Assists with the preparation, writing, translation (English and French), of key documents including grant applications, ethics applications, project reports, manuscripts for publication, abstracts, scientific posters and presentations by providing technical content in support of such documents.

Conduct and Coordination of Research (20%)

• Performs research at local, regional and international levels.
• Undertakes day-to-day research activity within the overall agreed research program by preparing, setting up, conducting and recording the outcomes of data and information gathering activities, experiments and fieldwork.
• Conducts information and data retrieval searches using electronic databases, and conducts case-based analysis research, including working with detailed primary documents; conducts internet-based and library research; and extracts and links data from different databases for analysis.
• Conducts document analysis research (e.g. searching, reading and analyzing reports and financial statements).
• Assists with reviewing, assembling, and synthesizing existing research literature within the field.
• Develops online digital resources, including databases and corpuses.
• Ensures compliance with University and sponsor regulations.
• Ensures compliance with ethics approvals.
• Processes, organizes and summarizes data, and reports experiment results using a variety of scientific, word processing, spreadsheet or statistical software applications or program platforms.
• Prepares detailed documentation files.

Knowledge, skills, education and experience

• Undergraduate degree in a related discipline; a graduate degree (notably in a field related to the research program) is an asset.
• One to two years’ experience in coordination or research positions (or related involvement in advocacy or research activities).
• Strong computer proficiency using Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive), Google Apps, Slack, and electronic scheduling software.
• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks, work under pressure, effectively manage overlapping duties, and meet deadlines.
• Ability to pay attention to detail and display resourcefulness.
• Strong organizational, time management, coordination and facilitation skills.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills as well as the ability to work in a team environment.
• Advanced written and verbal skills in English and French. Bilingualism, spoken and written, is preferred.

Additionally, our ideal candidate will have:

• Demonstrated commitment to and belief in equity, inclusion, diversity, and decolonization.
• A global perspective, with experience living or working internationally, or experience with a multidisciplinary, multicultural or international team.
• Cross-cultural communication skills, sensitivity and awareness, excellent interpersonal and networking skills among diverse stakeholder groups.

How to apply

Please submit a cover letter and a résumé on our application portal before August 30.

Questions about the process can be sent to aisociety@uottawa.ca, and questions about the position to fmb@uottawa.ca.

The cover letter must indicate the level of proficiency in both English and French.

We thank all applicants for their interest. While we are committed to ensuring the best possible experience for all applicants, only those under consideration for the role will be contacted. Please be advised that, due to changes in our funding, management, or organizational needs, we reserve the right to pause or stop a job competition at any stage in the process. Applicants will be notified in a timely manner.

The University of Ottawa is an equal opportunity employer. The University of Ottawa Centre for Law, Technology and Society is strongly committed to fostering diversity within our community. We strongly encourage applications from women, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities, as well as members of the LGBTQ2S+ community.

In keeping with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada requirements, all qualified persons are invited to apply but priority will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents. The cover letter should confirm the immigration status of the candidate.

In keeping with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, the University of Ottawa will provide accommodations upon request during the recruitment, selection and assessment process for candidates with a disability.