Join our team

Nine members of the ACET team stand smiling in a semi-circle facing the photographer

Accelerating Community Energy Transformation (ACET) is a multi-partner initiative accelerating the global push for resilient and equitable clean energy solutions through local, community-based collaborations. You can learn more about us here or through our stories.

We're looking for talented, motivated and value-driven professionals to help advance our mission. See below for our current employment opportunities!

Strategic Research Area Managers

Number of positions: 4 positions
Location: University of Victoria
Reports to: ACET Partnerships Manager
Salary: $89,541 - $111,800 (UVic ME 8 equivalent)
Deadline for application: May 21, 2025

Position Summary

The Strategic Research Area (SRA) Manager position is a hybrid research and project/people management role reporting to the ACET Partnerships Manager.

Each SRA Manager will be responsible for leading coordination of activities for one of the following ACET SRAs:

SRA1: Low-Carbon and Offshore Renewable Technologies (1 Position)
SRA5: Integrated Energy Systems
- Technical systems (1 position)
- Policy/place-based/economic development (1 position)
- Indigenous community energy systems (1 position)

A primary component of the SRA Manager’s role is to support the delivery of ACET research projects within the SRA. This includes ideating and co-designing transdisciplinary research projects, establishing project work plans, preparing budgets, developing communications plans, pursuing potential funding and developing research partnership opportunities.

Within the ACET project lifecycle, there will be close collaboration with the ACET core team to translate engagement with partners into research projects. The SRA Managers will also regularly coordinate with other SRA Managers, including those based at other institutions (e.g. Yukon University, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, and Cascade Institute/Royal Roads University) and SRA Leads in the ACET SRA Council, to identify synergies that will help develop innovative, impact-oriented research. They will then help to coordinate and carry out the research activities during the course of project execution and close-out.

Each SRA Manager will have an understanding of both scientific and technical stages of their respective SRA and be able to support the mobilization of key partners from government, industry, First Nations, public organizations and NGOs, both nationally and internationally. They will provide some research oversight and mentoring to research associates, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students, and will build research partnerships within and beyond the University of Victoria and collaborating academic institutions.

These roles require demonstration of leadership, prioritization and collaboration, and fluidity of internal and external communications.

General responsibilities

Road-mapping activities within role-specific SRA and coordinating activities together with the SRA Council, ACET Executive Director and broader ACET core team
Leading ACET project co-design with members of the ACET core team, researchers, SRA Leads, and project partners with a focus on interdisciplinarity, EDI, knowledge mobilization and other project criteria for eventual funding approval by SRA Council
Managing multiple research projects including budgets, timelines, and KPIs
Collaborating across the SRA Manager and core teams to support strategic project development and interdisciplinarity
Working with SRA Leads, ACET core team and institutional partners to recruit researchers as necessary
Initiating and maintaining relationships with partners in communities
Supporting ACET project publicity and storytelling in collaboration with ACET’s Communications Strategist
Participating in ACET engagement events (e.g. conferences, seminars, etc.) to support knowledge mobilization
Upholding ACET values related to EDI and safe and healthy workplaces

Key responsibilities & expectations

Strategic planning

Work with ACET Executive Director, SRA Leads, Partnerships Manager and other ACET leaders to carry out strategic planning within and across ACET SRAs
Work within the ACET core team to ensure activities align with ACET’s overall strategic priorities
Develop new strategic partnership opportunities for ACET

Project co-design and curation

Lead ACET project development through co-design, wherein multiple perspectives are present and community-goals and aspirations are centered. This requires nuanced communications skills and subject-matter expertise
Help manage ongoing research projects, including the management of project timelines, deliverables, budgets, funder relationships, collaborator relationships and project evaluation
Evaluate the impact of changes to project scope, schedule and budget.
Taking direction from the ACET Strategic Lead People & Culture, ensure that Projects apply an equity lens and follow best-practices in project team management throughout their lifecycles
Taking direction from the ACET Strategic Advisor Indigenous, ensure that researchers are properly trained and screened prior to working with Indigenous communities
Help to maintain a CRM, tracking instruments and partnership opportunities to curate and prioritize project development and ongoing execution

Communications, knowledge mobilization and reporting

Ensure that communications and knowledge mobilization is embedded in project design and tracking
Contribute to the tracking of project evaluation metrics and help to fulfill project reporting requirements
Ensure formal on-boarding of personnel and researchers onto ACET Projects is completed in a timely fashion
Contribute to ACET reporting to CFREF
Help to plan for and facilitate communications, publicity and storytelling opportunities as they arise within projects in close collaboration with the Communications Strategist

Preferred qualifications

The SRA Manager position requires a graduate degree in a field related to the specific SRA, plus a minimum of 3 years of relevant work experience in research management and development.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

Demonstrated expertise within the relevant Strategic Research Area (e.g. writing, publications and/or other research/analysis outputs)
Demonstrated experience working collaboratively while managing a wide range of relationships
Experience in project management, including project timelines, deliverables, and budgets
Experience managing funder relationships and relationships with project collaborators
Experience tracking project evaluation metrics and meeting project reporting requirements
Demonstrated ability to write with exceptional analytical clarity
Demonstrated ability to effectively tailor outputs for different types of knowledge users
Experience communicating research/analysis findings beyond journal articles and academic conferences
Demonstrated ability to present research/analysis findings orally in a clear and compelling manner—and to engage critically and constructively with other experts in a meeting/workshop/webinar setting
Demonstrated ability to build and maintain broad networks of other experts and practitioners
Demonstrated ability to leverage networks to improve the quality of research/analysis outputs and maximize the impact of knowledge mobilization
Agility to move between disciplinary boundaries in service of comprehensive solutions and to work in an integrated manner
Demonstrated commitment to impact-oriented research bridging between academia and organization and individuals outside academic to create real-world impact
Understanding and commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, in particular implementing equitable processes and developing effective working relationships with anyone regardless of background or discipline

Assets or preferences

Experience working at a university, research institute, think tank, or research-focused NGO
Background in research skills, methodologies, program evaluation and academic disciplines
Understanding and experience working with rural, remote, and Indigenous communities and leadership

How to Apply

Please submit your application, including a cover letter and CV to contactacet@uvic.ca with subject line "ACET SRA Manager [X]" (where X is the specific SRA for which you would like to apply) by May 21, 2025 at 11:59 AM.

Note: The SRA Manager: Indigenous Community Energy Systems position is being conducted as a preferential hire to select an Indigenous candidate. If you are applying for this position, please self-identify your Indigenous identity/citizenship/membership in your application. The Office of the Vice-President Indigenous (OVPI) is in the early phases of drafting a policy and developing a process to affirm declarations of Indigenous identity, citizenship and membership at UVic where these claims result in material advantages, such as employment in an Indigenous-specific position. While the forthcoming policy cannot be retroactively applied to this opportunity, the successful candidate(s) will be required to complete the Indigenous Citizenship Declaration (ICD) process should they apply for, or access, future opportunities resulting in material gain.

Partnerships Manager

Location: University of Victoria
Reports to: ACET Corporate Operations Officer
Direct reports: 5
Indirect reports: 4
Salary: $98,387 - $122,854 (UVic ME 9 equivalent)
Deadline for application: May 21, 2025

Position Summary

The ACET Partnerships Manager will be responsible for leading the Strategic Research Area (SRA) Managers and coordinating activities across all ACET SRAs, which are as follows:

SRA 1: Low-carbon and offshore renewable technologies
SRA 2: Microgrids
SRA 3: Hydrogen and e-fuels
SRA 4: Business & finance innovation
SRA 5: Integrated Energy Systems
- 5a Complex systems
- 5b Place-based transitions
- 5c Worldviews
- 5d Policy interactions
- SRA 6: Scale-up and acceleration.

The SRA Managers, who are based in partnering institutions across Canada, are responsible for leading the coordination of activities for their respective SRA.

The ACET Partnerships Manager will directly supervise the UVic-based SRA Managers and ensure integration and coordination with SRA Managers based at, and formally reporting through, partnering institutions.

The ACET Partnerships Manager will have an understanding of both scientific and technical stages of ACET SRAs and be able to support the mobilization of essential partners from government, industry, First Nations, public organizations and NGOs, both nationally and internationally.

This role requires demonstration of leadership, prioritization, collaboration and fluidity of internal and external communications.

A primary component of the ACET Partnerships Manager role is to support the SRA Managers and delivery of ACET research Projects across the different SRAs. Within the ACET Project Lifecycle, there will be close collaboration with the ACET core team to translate engagement with partners into research projects.

The ACET Partnerships Manager will identify synergies that will help develop innovative, impact-oriented research, including development of new strategic partnerships for future projects towards ACET continuation funding.

Key responsibilities

Leading the team of SRA Managers, providing support and guidance within each area of research, and fostering collaboration
Identifying and road-mapping activities across the SRAs and coordinating activities together with the SRA Managers, ACET Executive Director, SRA academic leads and the ACET core team
Leading ACET project co-design with members of the ACET core team, SRA Managers, SRA leads and project partners, with a focus on interdisciplinarity, EDI, knowledge mobilization and other project criteria to approval by SRA Council
Managing and curating new strategic partnership opportunities
Managing multiple research projects including budgets, timelines, and KPIs
Collaborating with broad ACET Research Manager team to support strategic project development and interdisciplinarity
Working with SRA Leads, ACET core team, and institutional partners to recruit student researchers as necessary
Initiating and maintaining relationships with partners in communities
Supporting ACET project publicity and storytelling in collaboration with ACET’s Communications Strategist
Participating in ACET engagement events (e.g. conferences, seminars, etc.) to support knowledge mobilization
Upholding ACET values related to EDI and safe and healthy workplaces

Additional responsibilities and expectations

The position involves ideating and co-designing transdisciplinary research projects, establishing project work plans, preparing budgets, developing communications plans, pursuing potential funding, and developing research partnership opportunities.

Strategic planning

Work with ACET Executive Director, SRA Leads, and other ACET leaders to carry out strategic planning within and across ACET SRAs by coordinating inputs from SRA Managers
Work within the ACET core team to ensure activities align with ACET’s overall strategic priorities
Develop and help prioritize new strategic partnership opportunities for ACET

Project co-design and curation

Coordinate the activities of the SRA Managers, including identifying and fostering interdisciplinary and cross-project opportunities to maximize research potential and impact
Lead ACET project development through co-design where multiple perspectives are present, and community-goals and aspirations are centered. This requires nuanced communications skills and subject-matter expertise
Help to manage ongoing research projects, including the management of project timelines, deliverables, budgets, funder relationships, collaborator relationships and project evaluation
Evaluate the impact of changes to project scope, schedule and budget
Taking direction from the ACET Strategic Lead People & Culture, ensure that projects apply an equity lens and follow best-practices in project team management throughout their lifecycles
Taking direction from the ACET Strategic Advisor Indigenous, ensure that researchers are properly trained and screened prior to working with Indigenous communities
Help to maintain a CRM, project tracking instruments and partnership opportunities to curate and prioritize project development and ongoing execution

Communications, knowledge mobilization and reporting

Ensure that communications and knowledge mobilization is embedded in project design and tracking and in particular coordination across projects
Contribute to the tracking of project evaluation metrics and help to fulfill project reporting requirements
Ensure formal on-boarding of personnel and researchers onto ACET Projects is completed in a timely fashion
Contribute to ACET reporting to CFREF
Help to plan for and facilitate communications, publicity and storytelling opportunities as they arise within projects in close collaboration with the Communications Strategist

Qualifications

This position requires a graduate degree in a field related to at least one SRA, plus a minimum of 3 years of relevant work experience in research management and development.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities include:

Demonstrated expertise within a Strategic Research Area (e.g., writing, publications, other research/analysis outputs)
Experience managing a direct- and in-direct reporting team to ensure coordinated activities within an organization
Demonstrated experience in working collaboratively while managing a wide range of relationships
Experience in project management across multiple projects
Experience managing project timelines, deliverables, and budgets
Experience managing funder relationships and relationships with project collaborators
Experience tracking project evaluation metrics and meeting project reporting requirements
Demonstrated ability to write with exceptional analytical clarity
Demonstrated ability to effectively tailor outputs for different types of knowledge users
Experience communicating research/analysis findings beyond journal articles and academic conferences
Demonstrated ability to present research/analysis findings orally in a clear and compelling manner—and to engage critically and constructively with other experts in a meeting/workshop/webinar setting
Demonstrated ability to build and maintain broad networks of other experts and practitioners
Demonstrated ability to leverage networks to improve the quality of research/analysis outputs and maximize the impact of knowledge mobilization
Agility to move between disciplinary boundaries in service of comprehensive solutions, and an ability to work in an integrated manner
Demonstrated commitment to impact-oriented research bridging between academia and organization and individuals outside academic to create real-world impact
Understanding and commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, in particular implementing equitable processes and developing effective working relationships with anyone regardless of background or discipline.

Assets or preferences

Experience working at a university, research institute, think tank, or research-focused NGO
Background in research skills, methodologies, program evaluation and academic disciplines.
Understanding and experience working with rural, remote, and Indigenous communities and leadership

How to Apply

Please submit your application, including a cover letter and CV, with subject line “ACET Partnerships Manager” to contactacet@uvic.ca by May 21, 2025 at 11:59 PM.

Equity statement

ACET and the University of Victoria are committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion. We encourage applications from Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities, women and members of LGBTQIA2+ communities.