Research Manager Ontario CRISM Node - Institute for Mental Health Policy Research

Job Description

The Ontario Node of the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Matters (CRISM) is a provincially and nationally integrated research network focused on substance use, mental health, harm reduction, treatment, health systems, and policy research. The Ontario Node, based out of the Institute for Mental Health Policy Research (IMHPR) at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) supports interdisciplinary and multi‑sectoral research initiatives that aim to improve evidence generation, knowledge mobilization, service delivery, and policy responses related to substance use and mental health across Ontario and Canada.

The full‑time, contract (12 months) Research Manager will provide scientific, operational, administrative, and strategic leadership for complex multi‑site and multi‑study research initiatives conducted through the Ontario CRISM Node. The position is responsible for overseeing research operations, grant administration, project implementation, stakeholder engagement, regulatory compliance, personnel management, and knowledge translation activities, while supporting investigators, collaborators, and interdisciplinary research teams in the execution of high‑quality, policy‑relevant research.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing strategic and operational leadership for the coordination and management of multi‑study research initiatives within the Ontario CRISM Node
• Overseeing day‑to‑day research operations across multiple concurrent projects, including project planning, workflow management, and cross‑team coordination
• Leading research project implementation activities, including study design support, ethics submissions, data governance processes, and multi‑site coordination
• Supporting and overseeing qualitative, quantitative, and mixed‑methods research activities, including study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and synthesis across complex datasets
• Managing research personnel and supporting team coordination, including supervision, mentorship, workload allocation, and performance oversight
• Managing multiple PI portfolios under CRISM
• Leading grant administration activities, including budget development, financial monitoring, forecasting, reconciliation, and funder reporting across multiple funding sources
• Contributing to grant development and strategic funding activities, including identifying funding opportunities and supporting collaborative applications
• Leading preparation of research outputs, including peer‑reviewed manuscripts, technical reports, policy briefs, briefing notes, and other dissemination products
• Supporting and leading knowledge translation and mobilisation activities, including synthesis and presentation of findings and translation for policy, healthcare, community, and academic audiences
• Engaging and maintaining relationships with diverse stakeholders, including policymakers, healthcare and community partners, academic collaborators, and people with lived and living experience
• Coordinating and participating in internal and external meetings, advisory committees, and working groups to support research implementation and knowledge exchange
• Ensuring compliance with institutional, ethical, regulatory, and funder requirements across all research activities
• Contributing to strategic planning, operational development, and continuous improvement of research processes within the Ontario CRISM Node

This position will be located at 250 College Street.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will hold a Master’s degree in a health‑, social science‑, or sociology‑related field, with a minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible coordination and/or managerial experience in health, mental health, substance use, or health systems research. Experience working within multi‑site and/or multi‑study research environments is strongly preferred. Experience related to addictions, substance use, harm reduction, or drug policy research is considered a strong asset, particularly within applied, policy‑relevant, or implementation‑focused research settings.

• Demonstrated experience contributing to and overseeing applied health and social science research, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed‑methods study designs and analyses within complex multi‑site or multi‑project research environments
• Demonstrated experience managing complex research projects or programs, including multi‑site and/or multi‑study initiatives, with responsibility for coordinating timelines, deliverables, workflows, and interdisciplinary research teams
• Demonstrated experience contributing to and leading scientific outputs, including peer‑reviewed manuscripts, technical reports, briefing notes, and policy‑relevant knowledge products
• Experience preparing, submitting, and managing research ethics applications, including amendments, renewals, and multi‑site ethics coordination where applicable
• Experience designing, implementing, and managing research data systems and data collection infrastructure, including electronic data capture platforms (e.g., REDCap, Qualtrics) and associated data governance processes
• Demonstrated experience ensuring data quality, integrity, and methodological rigour across research activities, with strong attention to detail and adherence to research standards
• Experience in research grant and budget management, including oversight of multi‑source funding, financial forecasting, reconciliation, and funder reporting in academic or applied research settings
• Demonstrated experience contributing to grant development processes, including identifying funding opportunities and supporting collaborative or multi‑investigator applications
• Demonstrated experience supervising, mentoring, and/or coordinating research staff, trainees, and interdisciplinary teams in a collaborative research environment
• Demonstrated experience supporting research strategy, project planning, and operational decision‑making within complex, multi‑stakeholder research environments
• Excellent communication skills, including experience engaging directly with diverse stakeholders, including healthcare providers, policymakers, community partners, and people with lived and living experience
• Strong ability to work independently with minimal supervision while also providing scientific, operational, and coordination support within interdisciplinary and collaborative research teams
• Experience contributing to equity‑oriented, community‑engaged, and/or applied public health research, particularly in relation to substance use, mental health, harm reduction, or health systems research contexts, is considered an asset

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary is competitive and based on experience, with a hiring range of $110,020.48 – $137,525.60 per year.
• Employees in this role may progress within the full pay range of $110,020.48– $165,030.72 per year
• CAMH’s Total Rewards: Includes participation in HOOPP defined benefit pension plan, extended health and dental benefits, paid vacation starting at 4 weeks, flexible work arrangements, and ongoing professional development support.

This role allows professionals to apply their expertise in a mission‑driven environment dedicated to public health outcomes.

CAMH is dedicated to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Our commitment is to foster a workplace, teaching, and learning environment that is inclusive, respectful, and free from discrimination or harassment. CAMH strongly encourages applications from candidates who reflect the diversity of the communities we serve, including First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples; Black and other racialized communities; LGBTQ2S+ communities; women; and people with disabilities, including those with lived experience of mental health and substance use challenges. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds. If you require accommodations during the application or recruitment process, please let us know.