UM6P Canada is hiring a Head of Research & Development!
This job opportunity is open to a candidate with proven experience in Canada in addressing business challenges through research, and with confirmed capabilities to develop tailored research offers within the Canadian ecosystem, based on customer needs in Africa. Additionally, demonstrating strong business acumen and having the ability to define and propose strategic policies for the research division, leverage existing funds to attract additional funding, and develop a real value proposal based on “research as a service” is required.
🟠 UM6P Canada at a glance
The recently established UM6P Canada aims to become a key player in Research and Executive Education in Canada, leveraging its strong and distinctive expertise in strategic fields. Its primary mission is to promote UM6P's excellence in research, education, and innovation while fostering lasting links between Africa and Canada. Through this initiative, UM6P Canada connects top talent from Canada and Africa, serving as a catalyst for impactful projects in key sectors such as agriculture, mining, artificial intelligence, energy, sustainable development, and entrepreneurship.
🟠 Position Dimension :
UM6P Canada is committed to advancing projects and initiatives that align with UM6P’s strategic priorities, leveraging its expertise to support Africa’s economic and social development. Its focus spans key sectors, including agriculture, mining, artificial intelligence, energy, renewable energy, and sustainable development.
The implementation strategy of UM6P Canada is built around four core pillars:
- Doctoral Research Development – Establishing research programs in Canada on topics where UM6P has strong expertise, fostering collaboration and innovation.
- Executive Education – Offering specialized training programs tailored to professionals in key industries.
- Innovation & Startup Acceleration – Supporting entrepreneurship and technology-driven ventures in Canada that align with UM6P’s strategic focus areas.
- Consulting & Services – Providing expert consultancy and high-value services in UM6P’s core domains of intervention.
The incumbent's mission is to organize and manage all aspects of research activity, including academic, financial, administrative and other aspects, define the cluster's development policy and strategy, and build and coordinate UM6P Canada's research offering in line with the ambitions, strategic priorities and operating methods of UM6P, in particular its Research, Scientific and Technical departments
📍 Location: in-site, evolving to Hybrid according to UM6P Canada's strategic needs
🟠 Key Responsibilities:
In line with UM6P Canada's orientations and priorities:
- Monitor research areas and their evolution across all UM6P branches.
- Gather and identify needs, define, and propose policies and strategic orientations related to the Research Department.
- Develop tailored offerings by conducting research needs analyses among UM6P Canada clients and responding to calls for proposals if necessary.
- Seek and establish partnerships with universities or Grandes Écoles to initiate co-supervision of theses.
- Activate various mechanisms to enable UM6P Canada to benefit from all available grants and funding in Canada.
- Participate in drafting project proposals within UM6P that have themes of interest to UM6P Canada.
- Recruit and support African or Canadian students in completing doctorates with UM6P and Canadian higher education partners.
- Collaborate with UM6P's research departments to ensure alignment of research programs with assigned institutional objectives.
- Ensure the protection of UM6P and UM6P Canada's intellectual property.
- Manage and design research projects and identify necessary partners in collaboration with the company's Research, Scientific, and technical departments, particularly UM6P schools, master's programs, and research laboratories.
- Oversee the complete management of the Research Department's program portfolio: planning, implementation, supervision of all training management stages, monitoring, and evaluation.
- Serve as the interface with clients.
- Develop, plan, and manage the Research Department's budget and report to general management.
- Contribute to communication and relations with institutions and businesses to enhance UM6P Canada's visibility and reputation in research.
- Represent UM6P Canada with various private or public research partners.
- Develop and propose a medium-term development plan and priorities for UM6P Canada's research activities.
- Maintain active monitoring of the research world related to the mission: regulatory, technological, and competitive intelligence.
🟠 Context and Environment:
UM6P plays a central role in advancing scientific and technological solutions to address Africa’s most pressing challenges, including natural resource management, industrialization, human capital development, and climate change. Through UM6P Canada, the university aims to accelerate progress in these areas by leveraging Canada’s research ecosystem and fostering strategic partnerships.
🟠 Objectives:
UM6P Canada develops high-impact research offering in collaboration with Canadian partners, aimed at accelerating research within the UM6P ecosystem. This initiative will address real-world challenges in Africa while contributing to advancements in priority areas such as resource management, industrialization, and climate change. The research offering will benefit both Africa, by addressing critical issues, and Canada, by advancing UM6P’s areas of expertise, particularly in the African context. Additionally, it will serve to promote UM6P’s unique strengths and knowledge within Canada, fostering deeper collaboration and knowledge exchange.
🟠 Profile Required:
- A Ph.D. in a relevant field (e.g., engineering, computer science, physical sciences, chemistry, energy, or related disciplines).
- 10+ years of experience with a solid track record in managing research projects.
- Excellent mastery of Canada's research funding mechanisms and a proven track record in securing funding for projects.
- In-depth knowledge of the higher education and academic and industrial research landscape in Canada.
- Established network of contacts within the research community, particularly in Canada.
- Experience in a research leadership role within an academic or research institution is a plus.
- Experience in strategic planning and implementing research programs is a plus.
- Ability to represent, communicate, and promote ideas and projects.
- Autonomy, rigor, organization, anticipation skills, and result orientation.
- Strong interpersonal skills, cross-functional project management, and the ability to understand economic and strategic issues.
- Strong service orientation and team spirit required.
- Fluency in English and French.
🟠 What we offer:
- A unique opportunity to play a central role in the development of a high-impact organization.
- A most attractive and stimulating work environment, research, innovation and entrepreneurship.
- An entrepreneurial culture, with rapid decision-making and extended responsibilities.
- A “Safe Space” to implement your own ideas.
- A highly competitive benefits package
- A competitive salary: between $115,000 and $140,000, depending on experience and achievements.
🟠 How to apply?
If you are based in Canada and meet the job criteria, we invite you to submit your complete application including:
✅ A detailed CV highlighting your background, skills and potential.
✅ A cover letter with a summary of your career path and key achievements in relation to the assignment. Entrepreneurial ideas and concepts, if applicable.
📢 Apply now and join the UM6P Canada adventure!
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