Regional Lead, International Strategic Partnerships

Date Posted: 04/05/2024
Req ID: 36833
Faculty/Division: VP - International
Department: Ofc. of the Vice President International
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)
Position Number: #
Description:
About us:
Strengthening and deepening key international partnerships 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, OVPI develops and maintains key international partnerships. 
Your opportunity:
Under the general direction of the Director, International Relations, the Regional Lead, International Strategic Partnerships acts as the key point of contact for regional partnerships, focusing on the University of Toronto’s international profile and international linkages, providing strategic research, analysis and advice on possible or existing country and institutional-specific partnerships in support of the University’s decision making and strategic approach to regional engagement.  The incumbent is responsible for providing logistical support for planning and execution of incoming and outgoing delegations, with an understanding of protocols, and greets and accompanies members of incoming delegations. The incumbent also provides support including but not limited to drafting of briefing materials, correspondence, presentations, setting up and organizing the agenda for meetings, supporting institutional travel for activities with U of T leadership and principal investigators with regards to implementation of the International Strategic Plan. The Regional Lead conducts thorough reviews and analyses of international partnerships as they relate to the University’s priorities, with reference to Federal and country specific international government priorities in support of the development and implementation of the University of Toronto’s international strategy and partnerships.  
 
The incumbent is expected to develop and maintain a written record of a specialized and detailed understanding in regional higher education trends, funding opportunities for international collaboration and mobility schemes, in order to support the University of Toronto’s international profile.  The incumbent independently liaises with counterparts and divisional representatives/faculty across three campuses, as well as all relevant international offices, to understand and consolidate international activities related to the University. The Regional Lead must exercise considerable interpersonal sensitivity and diplomacy in building and maintaining relationships across the institution and beyond. The incumbent will assist with projects on a wide variety of issues and topics related to the international priorities and needs to have excellent written skills and be able to successfully multitask and time manage competing priorities in a busy environment. 
 
The incumbent is responsible for five main areas:
1.    Compiling and assessing for relevance information on University of Toronto’s links with key countries and regions in order to assess requests, provide advice, make judgments, write and put together content and recommendations regarding potential and existing engagement and for material for outreach, briefing materials, presentations, identify funding opportunities, develop country profiles, communications and news items for internal and external audiences, including senior leadership;
2.    Monitor, research, provide analysis and make recommendations on developments in the international arena related to higher education, strategic partners and countries and research support of international dignitaries and delegations;
3.    Support the development of region-specific strategies in collaboration with the Office of the Vice President International’s executive team, university faculty, colleagues, regional advisory councils within the university;
4.    Contributing to strong partnership development in region, collaboration with academic partners including through development and management of joint-funding competitions, joint workshops and joint programs; support for corporate, NGO and government partnerships;
5.    Assisting with special projects on a wide range of topics. In addition, the incumbent will assist in the development of international institutional agreements and divisional agreements as needed.
Your responsibilities will include:
 
•    Providing support for activities with partners in the Americas and other geographies as needed, including drafting of briefing materials, correspondence for Executive team or to send directly, presentations, setting up and proposing the agenda for meetings.
•    Providing support for activities with U of T principal investigators and Senior leaders with regards to implementation of the International Strategic Plan.
•    Maintaining relationships with contacts whose cooperation is important to the University.
•    Providing logistical support for meetings and inbound and outbound delegations, working closely with colleagues across the university as appropriate.
•    Organizing, and executing event activities.
•    Coordinating research grants processes including drafting Calls for Proposals, responding to researchers’ questions, compiling applications, identifying reviewers, and issuing award letters following peer review.
•    Conducting data analysis to inform management decision making regarding the Americas, and other regions as needed.
•    Synthesizing information and developing summary reports to inform and advise management decision making.
•    Developing and maintaining relationships with contacts within and external to the university whose collaboration supports regional goals.
•    Developing project schedules including milestones, critical path, timelines, deliverables, and reporting.
•    Serving as a resource to others by providing (non-supervisory) job-related guidance.
•    Handling sensitive and/or confidential information. 
•    Other duties as assigned
 
Essential Qualifications:
 
•    Regional knowledge and experience in the Americas 
•    Master's Degree or an acceptable combination of equivalent experience.
•    Minimum five years of related, relevant experience in a similar role within an academic environment and/or government; communications, event and project coordination experience required; demonstrated success in providing high level support to senior administrators;
•    Experience in supporting high level delegations and knowledge of protocol required.
•    Strong analytical skills: the ability to do independent research, conduct quantitative and qualitative analysis, and formulate recommendations and advice; 
•    Excellent communication skills including writing skills in English and ability to concisely summarize qualitative and quantitative information; 
•    High degree of accuracy required; detailed orientated individual; 
•    Excellent skills in office IT systems, especially Word, Excel, and power point; 
•    Experience with bibliometric tools such as web of science and scopus; 
•    Knowledge and interest in higher education, U of T’ s mission, and international affairs;
•    The flexibility and judgment to handle fluid situations and shifting priorities and tight deadlines;
•    Strong ability to successfully multi-task and prioritize multiple projects with competing priorities;
•    Strong self-motivation, with the demonstrated ability to work effectively independently and as part of a team;
•    A general understanding of the organizational structure and governance of the University and the division of responsibilities between the various bodies by which the University is governed;
•    A general understanding of the external context in which the University operates;
•    Must demonstrate strong service orientation in dealing with a wide range of people along with knowledge of and sensitivity to various customs and protocols. 
•    Considerable interpersonal skills, sensitivity and diplomacy required; must be flexible and willing to respond to the given priorities of the day and be willing to work collaboratively and cooperatively in a challenging and dynamic environment;
•    Must have sound judgement, tact, problem-solving skills, and an ability to handle confidential information and maintain confidentiality.
 
Assets (Nonessential):
 
•    Experience with SharePoint an asset;
•    Experience of living in a foreign country and facility in one or more languages, particularly in Spanish or Portuguese, is an asset.
To be successful in this role you will be:
 
•    Accountable
•    Organized
•    Problem solver
•    Self-motivated
•    Multi-tasker
•    Detail oriented
•    Able to prioritise
•    Able to exercise good judgement, make assessments
•    Able to write well in English and concisely summarize information
•    Interculturally sensitive
 
 
Closing Date: 04/19/2024, 11:59PM ET
Employee Group: USW 
Appointment Type: Budget - Continuing 
Schedule: Full-Time
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone:  
USW Pay Band 13 -- $83,150 with an annual step progression to a maximum of $106,336. 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 , and their lived experience shall be taken into consideration as applicable to the posted position.