Senior Manager, Research Programs & Operations

Senior Manager of Research Operations

The Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) is a unique not-for-profit farm organization whose diverse membership has a significant presence in all agricultural areas of the province and across all major sectors. The mission of OSCIA is to facilitate responsible economic management of soil, water, air and crops through development and communication of innovative farming practices. OSCIA is a leader in agricultural program delivery, including cost-share funding distribution, educational workshop offerings for farmers, and administration of on-farm applied research and knowledge transfer opportunities.

The Senior Manager, Research Programs & Operations is a people, program and operations leader responsible for ensuring OSCIA’s portfolio of research programs is effectively planned, resourced, executed and delivered.

This role provides day-to-day leadership to the Research team and operational oversight across multiple concurrent, externally funded research programs. The Senior Manager establishes the systems, processes and accountability needed to ensure projects remain on track, staff have clear direction, budgets are effectively managed, risks are identified and addressed, and contractual and reporting commitments are met.

The incumbent will oversee research planning, project management, data integrity, stakeholder coordination, and reporting functions. They will also ensure compliance with funding agreements, scientific standards, and ethical research practices while supporting partnerships with academic institutions, government agencies, and industry collaborators.

Working closely with the Director of Research and Knowledge Transfer and OSCIA’s technical staff and partners, the Senior Manager translates organizational and funding commitments into clear operational plans and ensures the team has the structure, resources and support required to deliver high-quality results.

• Provide direct leadership, coaching, mentorship and performance management to Research department staff.
• Establish clear roles, responsibilities, priorities and performance expectations and hold team members accountable for results.
• Conduct regular one-on-one and team meetings to monitor workload, priorities, challenges and progress.
• Build a collaborative, accountable and solutions-oriented team culture.
• Identify capacity, resource and skill gaps and work with the Director to address them.
• Lead or support recruitment, onboarding and training of new team members.
• Develop staff capabilities and succession plans to strengthen the department’s long-term capacity.
• Lead the team effectively through periods of change, competing priorities and evolving program requirements.

• Provide operational oversight for OSCIA’s portfolio of research programs and projects.
• Maintain a comprehensive understanding of each program’s objectives, contractual commitments, deliverables, activities, timelines, reporting requirements and budget.
• Establish appropriate project plans, workplans, dashboards and other management tools to provide visibility into program performance.
• Regularly review program status with staff, identify barriers or emerging issues, assign actions and ensure follow-through.
• Coordinate priorities and resources across programs to ensure organizational commitments can be achieved.
• Ensure staff understand their responsibilities, deadlines and expected outcomes.
• Escalate significant issues, risks and decisions to the Director in a timely manner.
• Adapt the level of direct involvement based on program complexity, risk and the capabilities of the staff leading individual projects.

• Lead the design, coordination, and delivery of applied research projects that address sustainability priorities such as soil health, water quality, biodiversity, and climate adaptation.
• Assist the Director of Research and Knowledge Transfer with the development of annual and multi-year plans to identify research opportunities that align with organizational strategies and…