Sex and Gender+ Science Strategy Lead

Position Summary:

The Institute of Gender and Health (IGH) of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), located at
Simon Fraser University (SFU), is hiring a full time Sex and Gender+ Science Strategy Lead to join our
growing team.

The Institute of Gender and Health (IGH) is one of 13 institutes that comprise the Canadian Institutes of
Health Research (CIHR), the Government of Canada’s health research funding agency. IGH’s mission is to
foster research excellence regarding the influence of sex and gender on health and to apply these
findings to identify and address pressing health challenges facing men, women, girls, boys, and gender diverse people.

At CIHR, we acknowledge that both biology (sex) and society (gender) influence our health in distinct but
interrelated ways. The “+” acknowledges that both sex and gender intersect with other factors,
including income, social status and supports, Indigeneity, race and racism, sexual orientation, ability,
location, and other social identities and positions to profoundly shape our health and well-being.
IGH is seeking a Sex and Gender+ Science Strategy Lead who will provide expert support, advice, and
strategy to the Scientific Director and IGH team, and lead efforts to advance sex and gender+ science
and practice across the health research ecosystem. This position is key to the success of IGH and plays
an important role to deliver on the vision and objectives of the Institute.

Given the exciting and broad scope of activities of the IGH, the Sex and Gender+ Science Strategy Lead
will work directly with IGH team members as well as interact regularly with national and international
stakeholders in sex and gender+ and health research including CIHR staff, researchers and trainees,
community partners, the Institute’s Elder-in-Residence, and members of the IGH Advisory Board.
This position allows for a hybrid (remote and in-person) working model. IGH is located at SFU Harbour
Centre in downtown Vancouver. Some travel will be required.

This is a grant-funded position with a salary range of $80,000-$105,000 plus benefits, commensurate
with training and experience.

Main Science Strategy duties and responsibilities include:

• Keep up-to-date on the latest sex and gender+ science and practice, using an intersectional lens.
• Provide scientific advice, support, and strategy to the Scientific Director and the IGH team to
  advance the mandate of IGH and its strategic vision.
• Contribute scientific knowledge and methodological expertise to advance the integration of sex
  and gender+ considerations across the health research ecosystem and to advance knowledge
  mobilization efforts grounded in sex and gender+ considerations.
• Help develop science policy and identify accountability mechanisms to improve integration of sex
  and gender+ in health research.
• Lead efforts to modernize the IGH sex and gender+ online training modules, including the creation
  of a training module for knowledge users and community partners.
• Lead efforts to develop additional sex and gender+ training and capacity building tools and
  opportunities by, with, and for the health research community, including an IGH Summer Institute.
• Contribute to the development and evaluation of new IGH-led and IGH-partnered funding
  opportunities to advance research on sex, gender+, and health.
• Develop collaborative relationships with CIHR staff, researchers and diverse constituencies
  through meetings, presentations and interactions related to advancing sex and gender+
  science.
• Work in partnership with federal and provincial government officials, national and international
  organizations, health researchers, knowledge users, people with lived and living experience of
  health inequity, and other stakeholders in providing vision and determining future directions for
  research on sex, gender+, and health.
• Represent IGH at local, national, and international conferences and symposia that may
  include speaking engagements to promote the Institute’s efforts to advance sex and
  gender+ science and health.
• Contribute to IGH’s commitment to anti-racist and anti-oppressive practice.

Main Administrative duties and responsibilities include:

• Support and work in collaboration with IGH staff to deliver on the IGH Strategic Plan.
• Collaborate and ensure appropriate measures are in place for effective project management.
• Prepare Sex and Gender+ Science briefing documents and related information for the Scientific
  Director in response to Ministerial and other high-level requests.
• Respond to queries from CIHR branches, the research community, the media, the public, and
  other research stakeholders regarding Sex and Gender+ Science and health initiatives.
• Support analyses and reporting of the integration of Sex and Gender+ within CIHR funding.
• Ensure comprehensive management of Institute records including documents and
  communications in accordance with the federal government’s Access to Information Act.

The Sex and Gender+ Science Strategy Lead must be able to work independently and exercise sound and informed judgment, diplomacy and decision-making. Errors could seriously jeopardize the public and government credibility of IGH, CIHR and the Government of Canada.

The Sex and Gender+ Science Strategy Lead reports directly to the Scientific Director and works
collaboratively as a key member of the IGH team, which currently includes an Elder-in-Residence,
Associate Director, Administrative Coordinator, and Partnership and Communications Lead.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 5 years of related experience in a health research, practice, policy, or funding organization setting.
• A doctoral degree in a field relevant to IGH’s mandate (or equivalent in training and experience).
• A minimum of 3 years of management and leadership experience.
• Familiarity with current research and policy issues in sex and gender+ and health in Canada.
• Methodological training in health research (or a related field).
• Experience implementing strategic and/or operational plans.
• Proficiency or familiarity with anti-racism and anti-oppressive approaches, as well as equity,
  diversity, and inclusion considerations.
• Excellent communication skills (verbal, written, listening) in English; French fluency is an asset.
• Excellent interpersonal communication, conflict management, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to identify, analyze and resolve problems effectively and in a timely fashion.
• Ability to multi-task, work under pressure and work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with
  competing deadlines and priorities.
• Excellent time and project management skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work in a hybrid working team environment.
• Excellent knowledge and experience with Microsoft Office applications, online meeting platforms
  (e.g., Zoom, Teams), and other office software (e.g., Adobe, Canva, etc).
• Proficiency, familiarity, or willingness to learn about academic search engines (e.g., PubMed) and
  reference software (e.g., Zotero).
• Knowledge of the CIHR and/or Simon Fraser University policies and procedures is an asset.

Working Conditions:

This position has a preferred hybrid working model with 2-3 days per week in IGH’s offices located at the
Harbour Centre Campus of the Simon Fraser University, 515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver. The IGH
team will consider other working arrangements for the right candidate. Ability to work outside of regular
business hours will be necessary to support IGH events. Travel to Ottawa and other regions across
Canada may be necessary.

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How to Apply:

To apply for this position, please submit a cover letter and resume/CV via email to:

Anne-Cécile Desfaits, PhD Associate Director CIHR Institute of Gender and Health (CIHR-IGH)

Email: [email protected]

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply, however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority. IGH and SFU are committed to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive community where all feel welcome, safe, accepted and appreciated in learning, teaching, research, and work. CIHR is committed to the principles of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), accessibility, antiableism, and anti-racism. Additionally, CIHR embraces a distinctions-based and culturally safe approach, incorporating Indigenous Ways of Knowing, by listening attentively to and working with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples to further strengthen Indigenous health research in Canada. SFU is an institution whose strength is based on our shared commitments to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). Diversity is an underlying principle of our Strategic Vision, which pledges SFU to “foster a culture of inclusion and mutual respect, celebrating the diversity reflected among its students, faculty, staff and our community.” SFU is committed to ensuring no individual is denied access to employment opportunities for reasons unrelated to ability or qualifications.

Consistent with this principle, SFU will advance the interests of underrepresented members of the workforce, including Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, racialized persons and women; embrace gender and sexual diversity; ensure that equal opportunity is afforded to all who seek employment at the University; and treat all employees equitably. Candidates that belong to underrepresented groups are particularly encouraged to apply. IGH respectfully acknowledges the unceded traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples including, the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), səlil� w̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəyə̓ m (Musqueam) Nations, on which SFU Vancouver is located.