Job Description
The Network
The Canadian Research Data Centre Network (CRDCN) is Canada’s premier research platform for the quantitative social sciences. It is a national research resource and Major Science Initiative headquartered at McMaster University. CRDCN facilitates unique access to Statistics Canada microdata for more than 2200 Canadian researchers in a wide array of social and health science disciplines, thereby enabling forefront university research and training and informing key areas of public policy. Primary funders of the Network include the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and 33 partner universities.
Created in 2000, CRDCN is committed to research excellence, training of the next generation of highly qualified personnel, public policy innovation, and benefits to Canada through strategic partnerships. We value integrity, quality, diversity, inclusiveness and collaboration in everything we do. We leverage the assets entrusted to us for the economic, social, cultural and environmental well-being of communities and the country.
The Role
CRDCN is seeking a new Executive Director, as of April 1, 2023, to write the next chapter of the Network’s distinguished history. This opportunity comes at a transformational time, as the Network is launching a new dual access model of in-person and remote access to an expanding collection of survey, administrative and linked data. Over the coming years, the Network is projected to grow significantly in terms of research users, data offerings, access sites, policy partners, and collaborative opportunities. As the chief executive officer and champion of the Network, you will be responsible for the overall strategic and programmatic direction of the Network as it pursues this transformational growth and heightens its profile and impact. Reporting to a multi-sector Board of Directors you will play a leadership role in fulfilling the Network’s goals.
As a consummate relationship-builder with a proven track record of executive leadership, you will foster strategic internal and external partnerships and drive successful and inclusive change management by nurturing strong relationships of trust. Critical to your success will be your ability to sustain effective communication and collaboration with the CRDCN Board, its committees and Academic Council, McMaster as the host institution, and Statistics Canada as the Network’s premier partner. You will also engage with the CRDCN research community, senior university leaders, and a wide array of senior government, non-profit and private sector leaders and policy partners.
As an entrepreneur and innovator, you will optimize the reach and effectiveness of the Network through strategic partnerships that include funding, research, data and policy partners, from various levels of government as well as the private and non-profit sectors. Your entrepreneurial leadership will guide the Network to new models of collaboration and business development. Your communication acumen and networking skills will heighten the Network’s visibility and impact in the domestic and international research and data ecosystems.
The Desired Attributes
• A track record of translating vision into action and inspiring commitment
• Demonstrated leadership of transformational change in a complex environment
• Experience leading a multi-institutional or multi-faceted organization
• A sound understanding of the research-policy interface
• A service-oriented leadership style
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Experience in or with the university sector
• A graduate level degree
• A record of achievement in research and/or research administration
• Understanding of non-profit governance and administration
As the successful candidate, you will articulate an inspirational, inclusive and people-centred vision to diverse stakeholders. As a strategic thinker and bridge builder, you will translate this organizational vision into tangible results by being forward-looking, agile, and innovative. These skills will enable you to deal effectively with ambiguity, navigate complexities, pursue novel approaches, and facilitate organizational improvements. In so doing, you will provide effective oversight of the governance and management of this major national research resource and deliver operational excellence as the Network charts its future course.