Position Overview / Lead the Future of Research Operations
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre is one of Canada’s premier academic health sciences centres, fully affiliated with the University of Toronto and internationally recognized for clinical excellence, research innovation, and compassionate care. Sunnybrook Research Institute (SRI) is the research arm of the hospital, home to more than 360 scientists conducting $160M in annual research and development. With well-established programs in basic and applied sciences spanning three scientific platforms and ten clinical programs, SRI is dedicated to advancing knowledge and transforming healthcare.
Reporting to the Vice President, Research and Innovation (VPRI), the Director, Operations provides operational leadership and oversight for all core administrative and operational functions across Sunnybrook Research Institute (SRI).
This role is accountable for ensuring standardized, high-functioning, and compliant operations across SRI, integrating services with Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre’s corporate departments (including Human Resources, Information Services, and Plant Operations), and driving execution across all operational areas. The Director serves as a key strategic partner to the VPRI, translating institutional priorities into operational execution while enabling scientists and staff to achieve excellence in research and innovation.
The Director, Operations will provide the VPRI with a holistic, integrated view of the research enterprise’s operational health, performance metrics and key risks across all service domains.
Key Responsibilities
Operational Leadership and Integration
- Provide operational oversight across SRI’s core functions, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and consistent, cost effective high-quality service delivery.
- Facilitate integration across research services, operational groups, and SHSC corporate departments to ensure coordinated, efficient, and responsive operations.
- Work in close partnership with institutional IS teams to support SRI IS operations, infrastructure, resource allocation and data sharing arrangements.
- Contribute to organizational planning by identifying operational priorities, implementing changes, and supporting the development of analytics to inform decision-making.
- Support and participate as a member on SRI’s Research Executive Committee, Research Services Committee and other SRI committees with a view towards strategic and scientific direction setting, operational efficiency and risk mitigation and compliance.
- In conjunction with SHSC’s legal team support legal risk management, compliance and partnership governance.
- Lead enterprise-wide operational performance management across SRI, including development of service metrics, operational dashboards, key performance indicators, and process improvement initiatives.
- Partner with scientific and administrative leaders to identify operational bottlenecks and implement continuous improvement initiatives that enhance researcher experience, service delivery, and institutional effectiveness.
Building Services & Facilities
- Oversee SRI building services operations and facilities, including asset management, space utilization, and service contracts, ensuring consistent and efficient delivery.
- Establish and manage service level agreements (SLAs) with Plant Operations Management, with clear accountability and performance expectations.
- Ensure effective use of shared procurement and supplier arrangements to optimize cost efficiency and service quality.
Research Services & Grants and Awards
- Oversee research services operations, including grant and awards management, ensuring efficient and effective support for research funding applications.
- Ensure reliable and efficient delivery of research administration services supporting large operating, infrastructure, and salary award grants.
- Manage program budgets in partnership with the Director, Research Finance, ensuring effective resource utilization and financial stewardship.
- Monitor and report on institutional performance indicators related to grants, awards and research operations
Human Resources
- Support the delivery of human resources services across SRI with the support of the SHSC Human Resources team, ensuring consistent practices, compliance, and effective support for all staff.
- Act as the primary liaison between SHSC and SRI in Human Resources, ensuring alignment of policies, practices, and decision-making.
- Oversee HR-related processes, including approvals for promotions and salary increases, and ensure effective onboarding, orientation, and ongoing training programs.
- Support SRI’s Occupational Health and Safety team to ensure staff safety and legislative compliance.
Qualifications & Skills
You are a senior leader who thrives in complexity and understands that operational excellence enables scientific and clinical achievement.
- A Master’s degree in Health Administration, Business, Science, or a related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
- A minimum of 5–10+ years of progressive leadership experience within a complex research institute or academic health sciences environment.
- Demonstrated experience overseeing operations across multiple functional areas
- Demonstrated experience leading organizational change, operational transformation, process improvement, and service excellence initiatives
- Strong financial, operational, and project management acumen.
- Proven ability to drive execution, optimize processes, and deliver high-quality operational outcomes.
- Demonstrated success in working collaboratively across corporate functions and leading integrated service delivery.
- Ability to operate effectively in complex, evolving environments, with a focus on reliability, efficiency, and continuous improvement.
This is a pivotal leadership role for an experienced operations leader seeking to shape and strengthen the operational foundation of a leading research institute. The Director, Operations ensures that operational excellence underpins and enables SRI’s continued scientific and clinical success. As a key strategic partner to the VPRI, the Director plays an important role in translating institutional priorities into operational execution, supporting innovation, and advancing the long-term impact of SRI.
