About OSCIA

The Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) is a unique not-for-profit farm organization whose diverse membership has a significant presence in all agricultural areas of the province and across all major sectors. The mission of OSCIA is to facilitate responsible economic management of soil, water, air and crops through development and communication of innovative farming practices. OSCIA is a leader in agricultural program delivery, including cost-share funding distribution, educational workshop offerings for farmers, and administration of on-farm applied research and knowledge transfer opportunities.

Job Summary

The Director of Research and Knowledge Transfer provides leadership and strategic oversight to OSCIA’s research programs and knowledge mobilization efforts. This role is responsible for the design, delivery, evaluation, and continuous improvement of research and KTT initiatives, ensuring alignment with organizational strategy, stakeholder priorities, and performance measures. The Director fosters collaboration with industry and government partners, manages departmental staff, and ensures that research outcomes are accessible, relevant, and impactful to the Ontario agricultural sector.

Key Responsibilities

Research Program Oversight

• Lead and manage on-farm applied research initiatives, facilitating knowledge translation and transfer and communicating research findings to members and the agricultural industry.
• Identify research priorities, fostering collaborations, and ensuring alignment with OSCIA’s strategic goals.
• Manage programs operating across the broader farm community, in partnership with other stakeholders, and those dedicated to local and regional OSCIA associations.
• Develop program budgets; oversee expenditures to ensure alignment with funding agreements and organizational priorities.
• Establish evaluation frameworks that support continuous improvement in research design and delivery; analyze findings and prepare reports. Participate in the design and negotiation of new program constructs and delivery agreements.

Knowledge Transfer & Stakeholder Engagement

• Ensure timely and effective implementation of knowledge translation and transfer (KTT) strategies.
• Support KTT and communication needs of other OSCIA programs where required and defined.
• Represent OSCIA on committees, working groups, and advisory panels to advance research objectives and knowledge mobilization strategies.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with funding partners, government representatives, researchers, and agricultural stakeholders.
• Identify and pursue new research and KTT opportunities in response to funding partner needs, sector priorities, and OSCIA’s strategic direction.

Team Leadership & Internal Collaboration

• Drive a culture of responsibility, holding self and colleagues to high benchmarks of quality and conduct
• Lead by example in delivering reliable, principled work and encouraging the same from the team
• Supervise departmental staff including recruitment, coaching, mentoring, and performance evaluation.
• Foster cross-departmental collaboration with other senior staff to ensure research initiatives align with broader Association activities.
• Support the communication of departmental progress and needs to OSCIA’s elected leadership and staff.

Program Development & Administration

• Lead the development and negotiation of new program constructs and delivery agreements with government and industry partners.
• Evaluate existing program policies to ensure they meet stakeholder needs, are administered effectively, and applied fairly.
• Oversee data management, record keeping, and access to statistical information to support transparency and reporting.
• Contribute to the implementation of communication strategies to increase research visibility and impact across all media platforms.

Performance Metrics:

• Program Delivery: Timeliness, accuracy, and budget adherence of research projects and KTT initiatives.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Strength and value of partnerships with funding and industry collaborators.
• Research Impact: Measurable outcomes from KTT activities and research translation to the farm level.
• Staff Development: Growth, satisfaction, and productivity of team members.
• Policy & Program Innovation: Improvements and innovations introduced based on program evaluations and research findings.
   

Qualifications & Experience:

Education:

• Post-secondary degree in a related field (e.g. natural resource management, agriculture, environmental sciences, agronomy, soil science, biology, agricultural biosecurity).
• A graduate degree is considered an asset.

Specific Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years of related experience involving staff leadership, research program development, and performance evaluation.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex projects with evolving timelines and diverse stakeholders.
• Strong relationship-building and organizational skills, with experience supporting employee development and team facilitation.
• Technical knowledge of sustainable agricultural practices in Ontario including Best Management Practices (BMPs) .
• Proficiency in experimental design, research methods, data analysis, and statistical interpretation.
• Knowledge of Ontario’s agricultural sector is required.
• Experience in the not-for-profit space is an asset.
• Experience developing communication strategies across digital and traditional media is an asset.
• French language proficiency is considered an asset.
   

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs):

Knowledge:

• Familiarity with agricultural research, funding frameworks, and knowledge mobilization practices.
• Understanding of rural dynamics, environmental policy, and farm-level implementation challenges.

Skills:

• Strategic thinking, project planning, and results-oriented leadership.
• Strong written and verbal communication tailored to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Excellent facilitation, report writing, and presentation skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office Suite and research-related digital tools.

 Abilities:

• Lead a cross-functional team and manage multi-stakeholder collaborations.
• Navigate complex projects while balancing internal and external expectations.
• Adapt quickly in a fast-paced environment with shifting priorities.
   

Behavioural Competencies:

• Adaptability: Demonstrate a willingness to be flexible, versatile, and dynamic in a changing work environment while maintaining effectiveness and efficiency.
• Ethical behaviour: Ensure personal behaviours align with the Association's core values.
• Relationship development: Establish and maintain positive working relationships with others, internally and externally.
• Effective communication: Speak, listen, and write in a precise, clear, and timely manner using appropriate and effective communication tools.
• Client focus: Anticipate clients' needs and respond in an appropriate and timely manner, seeking to provide the highest quality service.
• Teamwork development: Work cooperatively and effectively with others to set goals, resolve challenges, and make decisions that enhance cross-functional cooperation.
• Initiative: Ability to assess and initiate tasks independently.
• Decision-making: Assess role-based situations to determine the importance, risks, and make clear decisions in a timely manner.
• Time management and organization: Set priorities, develop a task schedule, monitor progress towards deadlines.
• Problem-solving: View problems as learning opportunities, focus on improving future results.
• Cultural Competence: Value diversity and inclusivity, demonstrating an ability to work effectively with trust across various departments.
• Foster Sustainability: Ensuring the work we do improves the viability and sustainability of rural Ontario and Ontario agriculture.
• Continuous Learning: Participate in an environment of professional development and personal growth.

Interested canadidates should click the 'APPLY TO THIS POSITION' icon to submit your resume and cover letter. 

OSCIA offers a competitive compensation package and is an equal opportunity employer. 

We thank all applicants for their interest, but only those candidates under consideration will be contacted.

Thank you for your interest in this position!

ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT (AODA IN ONTARIO)

OSCIA is committed to providing a barrier-free work environment in concert with the provincial guidelines for accessibility (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and the Ontario Human Rights Code, Ontario Only). As such, OSCIA will make accommodations available to applicants with disabilities upon request during the recruitment process.

HUMAN RIGHTS STATEMENT

OSCIA strives to ensure that its employment practices are free from direct and indirect discrimination and is committed to upholding the human rights of those participating in the hiring process. In pursuit of this commitment, OSCIA will not condone or tolerate any acts of discrimination or harassment under any of the grounds protected under human rights legislation. This commitment extends to the hiring process and throughout the course of employment.