Community Partnerships Specialist, O'Brien Institute Public Health

Description

The O'Brien Institute for Public Health in the Cumming School of Medicine invites applications for a Community Partnerships Specialist. This Full‑time Fixed Term position is for approximately 12 months (based on length of grant funding), with the possibility of extension.

While this position serves the broader OIPH community engagement mandate, it is housed within and managed by the Health Equity Hub. The Specialist is responsible for building and sustaining community partnerships and will focus on facilitating and maintaining high‑quality community‑academic research partnerships, serving as the primary liaison between community organizations and academic researchers.

Reporting to the Manager, Health Equity Hub.

• Identify, cultivate, and maintain meaningful relationships with community organizations, Indigenous communities, and equity‑deserving populations interested in health equity research.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for community partners, ensuring timely, respectful, and transparent communication.
• Conduct culturally sensitive outreach using approaches informed by equity, inclusion, and anti‑oppression principles.
• Represent the OIPH and HUB at community meetings, public events, and partnership forums.

• Act as a liaison between academic researchers and community partners, facilitating mutual understanding and shared research priorities.
• Support the development of community‑based participatory research (CBPR) partnerships, including co‑developing research questions, participation agreements, and dissemination plans with community collaborators.
• Support equitable partnership practices, including shared decision‑making, recognition of community expertise, and appropriate compensation approaches where feasible.
• Advise researchers on community engagement best practices, ethical considerations, and culturally appropriate approaches, particularly in relation to equity‑deserving and Indigenous communities.
• Assist in developing grant applications and research proposals for community‑based or community‑led health equity research.
• Contribute to knowledge mobilization by supporting the translation and dissemination of research findings in formats accessible and relevant to community partners.

• Contribute to the development and implementation of the OIPHs overarching community engagement strategy, aligned with health equity principles.
• Design, plan, and coordinate community‑based activities including workshops, consultations, focus groups, and other events.
• Develop tools, resources, and communications materials to support engagement activities (e.g., plain‑language summaries, translated materials, promotional content).
• Monitor and evaluate engagement activities, tracking outcomes and preparing summary reports for internal and external audiences.
• Support the identification and application for funding opportunities related to community engagement and partnership development.
• Identify and advance shared goals between community orgs and academics.
• Identify needs and opportunities among community organizations and academic researchers for collaboration.

• Collaborate closely with OIPH and HUB researchers, trainees, and staff to facilitate community‑academic partnerships in health equity research, grounded in community priorities.
• Maintain organized records of engagement activities, partner contacts, and outcomes using appropriate tracking tools.
• Prepare regular reports and briefing notes for the Manager summarizing engagement activities, relationship status, and emerging issues.
• Contribute to team meetings and planning processes, sharing community perspectives and engagement insights.

• A university degree in a relevant field such as Public Health, Community Development, Social Work, Health Sciences, Sociology, or Indigenous Studies; an equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
• A minimum of three (3) to five (5) years of progressively responsible…