Program Coordinator, Opus, Office of the Vice-President Research
The University of Saskatchewan's (USask) main campus is located in the vibrant city of Saskatoon on Treaty 6 territory and the traditional homeland of the Métis. USask is one of the top research-intensive, medical doctoral universities in Canada, and is home to world-leading research in areas of global importance, such as water and food security and infectious diseases.
The Office of the Vice-President Research (OVPR) provides visionary leadership and strategic direction to the university’s research, scholarly, and artistic works. This is achieved by creating strategic partnerships, plans, and policies that together create a supportive research environment indicative of a world-class research-intensive university.
Primary Purpose: Opus is a newly developed incubator operating within OVPR, responsible for growing entrepreneurial thinking and culture at USask, and incubating startup companies built by USask community members. The position of Program Coordinator will provide coordination and support to the establishment of the program and future program offerings. The incumbent will work with the Opus Manager and unit leadership within Innovation Mobilization and Partnerships to develop, promote, and deliver entrepreneurship programming focused on providing value for campus startup founders working on turning ideas and inventions into solutions the world needs.
Nature of Work: Reporting to the Manager of the Opus incubator, this position is responsible for assisting in developing strategies, implementing plans, and coordinating activities related to entrepreneurial activities across the institution.
The volume of work is high, and the nature of work is self-directed, unstructured, and deadline driven. The incumbent will be responsible for managing their own workload by setting priorities, meeting targets and deadlines, and reporting on successful outcomes. Knowledge of the campus administration environment is required for success in this position, along with experience building and maintaining relationships with stakeholders.
Flexibility in working hours is necessary, as there will be some evening commitments and occasional travel. Reliable transportation is a requirement.
Typical Duties or Accountabilities:
- Administering and coordinating delivery of programming offered through the incubator
- Planning and conducting outreach activities within the campus community with the goal of attracting participants to the incubator programs and events
- Being actively involved in opportunities to help develop productive relationships with community leaders, entrepreneurs, and external stakeholders
- Aiding unit leadership in recruiting mentors and coaches, and coordinating the involvement of mentors and coaches
- Recruiting presenters and speakers to deliver programming
- Managing the collection and reporting of program key metrics and performance indicators
- Assist in the execution of strategic marketing initiatives to promote and foster campus community engagement
- Create promotional materials such as presentations, videos, and signage to promote Opus to stakeholder audiences
- Other relevant duties as assigned
Education: Undergraduate degree in a related field.
Experience: 3-5 years’ direct experience as an entrepreneur or within entrepreneurial environments, or an equal combination of work and educational experience. Previous program management and social media coordination would be an asset.
Skills: Superior written and oral communication; well-developed leadership and interpersonal skills; demonstrated decision-making skills; effective writing and editing skills; proficient working knowledge of design and web-based applications such as Adobe Creative Suite, Canva; highly organized and able to work independently on multiple projects with competing demands. The incumbent must possess an understanding of the nature and challenges inherent to starting and growing a business, and also hold a high level of knowledge and expertise in the strategy and process of technological innovation.
Inquiries regarding this position can be directed to Jenelyn Santos Ong at jsantos.ong@usask.ca.
Department: Innovation Mobilization & Partnership
Status: Term 1 year with the possibility of extension or becoming permanent
Employment Group: ASPA
Shift: Mon-Fri, 8:00-4:30
Full Time Equivalent (FTE): 1.0
Salary: The salary range, based on 1.0 FTE, is $69,035.00 - 107,868.00 per annum. The starting salary will be commensurate with education and experience.
Salary Family (if applicable): Specialist Professional
Salary Phase/Band: Phase 2
Posted Date: 7/10/2025
Closing Date: 7/23/2025 at 6:00 pm CST
Number of Openings: 1
Work Location: On Campus
The University is committed to employment equity, diversity, and inclusion, and are proud to support career opportunities for Indigenous peoples to reflect the community we serve. We are dedicated to recruiting individuals who will enrich our work and learning environments. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, in accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority. We are committed to providing accommodations to those with a disability or medical necessity. If you require an accommodation to participate in the recruitment process, please notify us and we will work together on the accommodation request. We continue to grow our partnerships with Indigenous communities across the province, nationally, and internationally and value the unique perspective that Indigenous employees provide to strengthen these relationships. Verification of Indigenous Membership/Citizenship at the University of Saskatchewan is led and determined by the deybwewin | taapwaywin | tapwewin: Indigenous Truth policy and Standing Committee in accordance with the processes developed to enact the policy. Successful candidates that assert Indigenous membership/citizenship will be asked to complete the verification process of Indigenous membership/citizenship with documentation. The University of Saskatchewan’s main campus is situated on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis. We pay our respects to the First Nations and Métis ancestors of this place and reaffirm our relationship with one another. Together, we are uplifting Indigenization to a place of prominence at the University of Saskatchewan.