About Innovate BC
A Crown Agency of British Columbia, Innovate BC works to foster innovation across the province and bolster the growth of the local economy through delivering a wide range of programs that help companies start and scale, de-risk tech adoption, grow innovation capacity within businesses and encourage technology development, commercialization, and adoption to support productivity and competitiveness. Innovate BC also harnesses crucial data collection and research and works to forge strategic industry and community partnerships that create more opportunities for B.C. innovators.
About the Role
The Senior Program Manager, IP Programs will oversee the Intellectual Property programs, supporting strategic direction, and driving program management, stakeholder engagement, and process standardization. The Sr Program Manager, IP Programs is a key member of the Programs group reporting to the Managing Director, Commercialization & IP Programs, and works closely with other members of the programs, marketing and finance departments and may be responsible for managing direct reports including support staff. This role combines program administration, program design, evaluation, program strategy and partnership development.
Compensation: $85,000 - $110,000
Reporting to: Managing Director, Commercialization & IP Programs
Location: Vancouver, BC
Work Arrangement: Hybrid - Requirement to work in-office at least 2 days per week
Limited travel may be required.
Employment Type: Permanent, Full Time
Responsibilities and Accountabilities:
Business Execution:
Program & Portfolio Management
- Lead and manage the Intellectual Property (IP) program portfolio, ensuring all projects align with sustainability, productivity, and efficiency goals.
- Oversee day-to-day program administration, including data collection, milestone tracking, and comprehensive reporting to measure and communicate program impact.
- Manage program budgets, ensuring accurate forecasting, tracking, and reporting, and liaise with Finance to reconcile expenses and prepare financial reports.
- Establish and implement best practices for program governance, creating effective systems for stakeholder engagement and transparent communication.
- Continuously refine program tools and metrics, update processes to ensure streamlined portfolio management and scalability.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with solution providers, BC technology innovators, government entities, and other key stakeholders.
- Provide program and business oversight while collaborating with delivery partners and solution providers.
Program Design & Evaluation
- Lead the design and development of new programs, including development of metrics to track success and impact of the programs.
- Evaluate and refine existing programs to enhance their effectiveness and relevance, including embedding technology to improve productivity of program delivery and monitoring.
- Identify opportunities for updating program design and refinement to support evolution and future expansion of IP programs that meet evolving needs of innovators within the BC innovation ecosystem.
- Work collaboratively with other IP programs to align our programs and where needed, co-develop or deploy IP programs in partnership with other IP programs.
- Establish and implement an evaluation framework to measure program impact against program goals and objectives.
- Identify and secure funding and partnership opportunities to support program growth and advancement.
- Conduct analysis and develop data-based insights to refine future program designs and optimize resource allocation.
- Continuously stay informed about new programs and initiatives (provincial, federal, etc.) relevant to Intellectual Property.
- Development and deployment of SOPs for program delivery that are in compliance with IBC’s requirements.
Process Development & Standardization
- Lead development of deliverables and work packages to support collaboration with service provider and program partners.
- Facilitate cooperation and coordination across multiple vendors and industry partnerships.
Team/People Engagement:
Stakeholder Engagement
- Develop and foster relationships with key stakeholders in government, industry and academia.
- Facilitate collaboration and partnerships to support program objectives and enhance ecosystem engagement.
- Represent IBC at industry events, conferences, and meetings to promote programs and initiatives.
Team Leadership and Development
- Lead and mentor the program team, providing guidance, support, and coaching; managing direct reports, including hiring, mentoring, and coaching staff; and facilitating career conversations.
- Foster a collaborative and high-performance team culture.
The list of duties and responsibilities described above is not intended to be all-inclusive and may be expanded/modified from time to time as required by the organization’s needs.
Position Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in business administration, public policy, environmental science, engineering, or a related field. Advanced degree in a relevant field (e.g., business, technology, engineering) preferred. IP knowledge or experience is an asset.
- 5 - 8 years of progressive experience in program, project, or portfolio management or a closely related position. Sound understanding of budgets, contact development & negotiations, and effective resource and time management.
- Proven experience in designing and managing sustainability-aligned programs with measurable impact.
- Strong proficiency in data analysis, program evaluation, and process improvement tools. Ability to direct and manage multiple activities while maintaining attention to detail and make appropriate decisions.
- Ability to build and foster effective relationships with government agencies, industry stakeholders, solution providers, and internal teams. Exceptional communication and relationship-building abilities, and an ability to lead and inspire teams.
- Skilled in developing internal and external communications, along with CRM and reporting system proficiency.
- Strong understanding of the innovation ecosystem, including startups, industry partners, research institutions, and government agencies.
- Excellent strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
Competencies, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Communicates clearly and effectively in both written and verbal forms and works collaboratively with others to achieve common goals.
- Models workplace culture and values through interactions with others.
- Proactively identifies or seeks out ways to improve efficiencies in processes and resource utilization and acts on them.
- Takes initiative in setting strategic goals for self and others (where applicable) and is accountable for ensuring those goals are achieved.
- Organizes people and/or functions and delegates activities.
- Upholds ethical standards, demonstrates honesty and transparency in all actions, implements values into all we do and takes responsibility for outcomes by holding oneself accountable. Holds others on their team or project accountable for deliverables.
- Effectively analyzes complex issues and develops practical solutions by efficiently utilizing available resources. Recommends decisions based on data, fact, analysis and understanding of strategic direction in a clear, concise manner.
- Gathers and integrates information from various sources to find a solution.
- Establishes clear, well-defined processes and systems to achieve desired outcomes.
- Provides guidance and support to team members, fostering a positive work environment while modelling Innovate BC’s culture.
- Plans, allocates and manages resources appropriately within departments(s) to achieve desired results against plan.
Working Conditions
IBC is a hybrid organization and requires employees to work in-office at least 2 days per week. IBC is headquartered in Vancouver, BC
How To Apply
If this opportunity to work with an impactful, inclusive, and collaborative team feels like the right fit for you, please apply by clicking this link: https://innovatebc.applytojobs.ca/ip+programs/48041 If you encounter any issues while submitting your application, please contact [email protected] for assistance.
Application Deadline: The deadline for applications is June 12, 2026 at 11:59 PM PST. We thank all applicants in advance for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Innovate BC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and proudly maintains an organizational culture of inclusion, respect and understanding. In our work to create a thriving and more diverse innovation ecosystem within British Columbia, we know that our efforts only benefit from the vibrant diversity of backgrounds, identities, and characteristics that are reflected across our team and partners. All qualified applicants, regardless of race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity or expression, national origin, genetics, age, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law, are strongly encouraged to apply. As part of our effort to provide a barrier free recruitment process, should you require accommodations in the process, please let us know by contacting [email protected].
Collection Notice Your personal information will be collected for the purpose of managing employment-related activities, including recruitment, onboarding, payroll and benefits enrolment, and performance management. If you have any questions about the collection of this personal information, please contact: Radwa Saad, Head of Organisational Resilience, [email protected]
This information is being collected by Innovate BC under the authority of section 26(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA), which permits the collection of personal information that relates directly to and is necessary for an operating program or activity of the public body.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: $85,000.00-$110,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company events
- On-site gym
- Work from home
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Vancouver, BC V7X 1M7
