Senior Research Officer

Date Posted: 08/20/2025
Req ID: 44903
Faculty/Division: VP - International
Department: Office of the Vice President International
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)
Position Number: 00058638

Description:

About us:

Internationalization is a significant priority for the University of Toronto as part of our overall academic mission. The Office of the Vice-President, International (OVPI) engages with institutions in regions, countries and cities of strategic priority and leverages international opportunities for research, scholarship, learning and mobility. By providing leadership on international initiatives, the Office develops and maintains key international partnerships.

In working towards the priority of internationalization, the Office engages in the following activities:

1. Leads and coordinates a range of international activities to build and enhance the University’s international relationships;
2. Promotes deeper engagement with key regions, countries and institutions;
3. Facilitates international collaboration;
4. Promotes U of T’s global profile and presence in key regions;
5. Manages institutional international visits and plans outbound missions;
6. Supports the integration of mobility, recruitment, research, academic programs, government and advancement/alumni and divisional initiatives; and
7. Provides recommendations and models for international collaboration and partnerships.

Your opportunity:

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced individual to lead the strategic oversight and execution of U of T’s monitoring and evaluation (M & E) workstream and data for a multi-year initiative being implemented to transform primary healthcare systems in Africa. The University of Toronto (U of T) is an implementing partner in the Africa Health Collaborative (AHC) University of Toronto. U of T serves as the Secretariat for AHC.

The ideal candidate will bring a strong expertise and experience in monitoring, evaluation, learning and adaptation (MELA), providing expert guidance on a comprehensive MELA strategy and overseeing its execution. The incumbent will bring deep expertise in designing and managing large-scale collaborative MELA programs, ideally in Sub-Saharan Africa or in the global south.

The Senior Research Officer (aka MELA Lead) will report to the Senior Director, International Relations/Head of the Secretariat. This position will serve all divisional stakeholders across the University of Toronto (U of T).
This role is based in our Toronto office, and the incumbent will have work closely with the Director, Insights & Impact; the AHC Secretariat team, within a complex and distributed work environment. This role will work closely with a multi-stakeholder working group and a defined governance system representing all 10 AHC partner institutions, including program leaders among other health ecosystem stakeholders.

The individual will be the primary point of contact for MELA activities at U of T and an aggregator firm (vendor), overseeing their work and ensuring ongoing alignment and timely project deliverables.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Implementing and executing qualitative and/or quantitative research with a focus on project Monitoring & Evaluation (M & E) at U of T.
• Collecting, analyzing, and synthesizing technical, qualitative and contextual M & E data.
• Preparing draft reports and summaries from data collected.
• Verifying the accuracy and completeness of information.
• Fostering stakeholder engagement and maintaining relationships with project partners.
• Assessing needs and contributing to the planning of research goals.
• Assessing and selecting methods of data collection and analysis for research projects.
• Developing project schedules including milestones, critical path, timelines, deliverables and reporting. Scheduling day-to-day project activities.
• Drafting summaries of research project results.
• Overseeing tasks related to the production and dissemination of communications/marketing materials.
• Developing and implementing components of learning and knowledge dissemination.
• Developing content for instructional workshops.

Qualifications:

Essential Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Public Health, Evaluation Sciences, Social Science, Education, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years of applied experience in MELA or related research, learning, or evaluation roles.
• Proficiency in mixed-methods analysis, M&E framework design, and institutional learning facilitation.
• Strong interpersonal and writing skills with experience producing high-quality reports and synthesis documents.
• Familiarity with donor reporting standards and experience working with academic or multi-stakeholder environments.
• Demonstrated experience with data analysis, dashboard creation, and reporting tools.
• Experience working with or contributing to Theory of Change and Learning Agenda development.
• Collaborative mindset and ability to coordinate across teams, programs, and institutions.

To be successful in this role you will be:

• Accountable
• Collaborative
• Organized
• Resourceful
• Self-directed

NOTE: The funding for this position is tied to a 10-year Mastercard Foundation grant.

Closing Date: 09/03/2025, 11:59PM ET
Employee Group: USW
Appointment Type: Grant - Continuing
Schedule: Full-Time
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone:
USW Pay Band 13 -- $86,340. with an annual step progression to a maximum of $110,415. Pay scale and job class assignment is subject to determination pursuant to the Job Evaluation/Pay Equity Maintenance Protocol.
Job Category: Research Administration & Teaching
Recruiter: Blythe Campbell

Lived Experience Statement
Candidates who are members of Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, persons with disabilities, and other equity deserving groups are encouraged to apply, and their lived experience shall be taken into consideration as applicable to the posted position.