Partnerships Officer

About the Organization

Talent Innovation Canada (TICAN) supports Canada’s innovation economy by connecting outstanding graduate talent with the country’s most advanced companies. Its work helps speed up the creation of new technologies and strengthens Canadian intellectual property. The organization concentrates on biomanufacturing and bioscience, microelectronics and ICT, clean growth, and mobility, helping Canadian firms build leadership in these strategic sectors while maintaining access to the talent they need for long-term technology plans.

Role Overview

Reporting to the Director, Stakeholders, the Partnerships Officer will help build and manage strategic relationships with academic and research partners across Canada. The role focuses on working with organizations that can collaborate with TICAN on industry-led advanced technology development research projects.

This position covers the full partnership journey, from first contact through ongoing relationship stewardship. The successful candidate will work with a wide range of stakeholders in Canada’s research and innovation ecosystem and will need to be organized, collaborative, detail-focused, and comfortable handling multiple priorities.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain and strengthen relationships with universities, research and innovation organizations, industry associations, and other ecosystem partners across Canada.
• Support day-to-day engagement with research institutes, innovation networks, industry bodies, and sector-specific organizations.
• Create briefing notes, meeting summaries, stakeholder updates, and follow-up correspondence.
• Keep stakeholder records current, including engagement tracking and partnership documentation.
• Track partnership pipeline activity and help assess its overall health.
• Support institutions and ecosystem partners in preparing applications and submitting Letters of Intent and proposals for TICAN funding.
• Help draft and review partnership documents and related supporting materials.
• Coordinate schedules, deliverables, and communications tied to proposal submissions and funding opportunities.
• Assist with calls for proposals by supporting partner onboarding, information sessions, and application coordination.
• Carry out research and environmental scans related to Canada’s research, innovation, and talent landscape, especially around priority sector themes.
• Watch for new partnership opportunities with academic, public-sector, and not-for-profit organizations.
• Support outreach efforts aimed at building new relationships across the innovation ecosystem.
• Work with internal teams to ensure stakeholder engagement activities align with program goals.
• Help prepare materials and engage with partners at conferences, roundtables, webinars, and other ecosystem events.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in public policy, innovation, business, communications, higher education administration, social sciences, or a similar field.
• 3 to 5 years of experience in stakeholder engagement, partnerships, program coordination, research administration, or ecosystem development.
• Strong verbal and written communication abilities.
• Excellent organizational skills and solid project coordination capability.
• Proven ability to juggle several projects and meet deadlines in a busy environment.
• Comfort in building and maintaining professional relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders.
• Interest in research commercialization, innovation policy, talent development, and Canada’s R&D environment.

Preferred Experience

• Knowledge of Canada’s research and innovation ecosystem, including universities, research institutes, and organizations that fund innovation.
• Experience helping stakeholders prepare funding applications, Letters of Intent, or proposals.
• Background in a not-for-profit, post-secondary, research, or innovation-focused setting.
• Bilingual ability in English and French is considered an asset.

What the Organization Offers

• The chance to contribute to a growing national organization with a focus on innovation and economic impact.
• Exposure to some of Canada’s leading research and innovation organizations.
• A collaborative workplace centered on mission-driven goals.
• Flexible, remote-friendly working arrangements.
• Opportunities to grow professionally within Canada’s innovation ecosystem.

Location

This role is remote within Canada, with occasional travel for partner meetings and events.

Application Instructions

Applicants should email their most recent CV to hr@ticanada.ca. The email subject should be: “TICAN Partnerships Officer application.” Include a short note explaining why you are interested in the role and how your background fits the position.