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Social Innovation Navigator, Innovate Calgary

Job ID: 30965
Location: Main Campus
Updated March 13, 2024

This job posting is no longer active.

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We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the traditional territories of the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta.
The City of Calgary is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Districts 5 and 6.

Position Description

Social Innovation Navigator 
(Full-time, 2-year contract)

Innovate Calgary 
CALGARY, ALBERTA 

About Innovate Calgary
Innovate Calgary is the technology transfer and business incubator centre for the University of Calgary. As part of the Office of the Vice-President (Research) portfolio, we work with University of Calgary researchers, students, and other members to bridge the gap between discovery and create economic and societal impact.

We provide a unique environment for employees, combining a flexible working environment with significant exposure to the breadth of the University of Calgary’s growing innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

About Social Innovation Hub (SIH)
The Social Innovation Hub connects social entrepreneurs and changemakers with community-led programming, cross-sectoral networks, coaching, and mentorship. The SIH provides access to capital and space to help launch and grow successful social ventures. We are a passionate and creative team committed to building an inclusive innovation ecosystem. 

About Social Innovation Initiative (SII):
The Social Innovation Initiative supports academics in mobilizing their research and transdisciplinary expertise to solve complex societal challenges. In particular, the SII serves faculty-based researchers working on solutions for positive social change in the community, community agencies developing solutions to society challenges, and UCalgary’s social innovation ecosystem to develop the infrastructure to advance social innovation.

The Role
The navigator supports the broader vision of universities, with UCalgary as a prototype, serving as effective research and development engines helping solve complex social problems. Centered by this vision, the navigator supports existing SIH and SII efforts to facilitate access and full engagement of the University’s social innovation ecosystem by community innovators and impact-oriented researchers. 

The navigator will help improve existing systems by observing best practices and gaps in current services and offerings, sharing these findings, and supporting related research and knowledge-sharing efforts to scale best practices. The successful candidate thrives in navigating systems, strengthening relationships across sectors, sharing knowledge through various platforms and mediums, and has a learning and solutions-oriented mindset. They also have an interest in supporting student learning and skills-building. A lens for continuous quality improvement, the navigator will be observing and understanding the social innovation ecosystem and how it operates (e.g., its systems, resources, stakeholders, dynamics, where it is working to support innovators and recommend improvements along the way). 

Key Duties: 

In collaboration with the SII and SIH teams, the navigator supports social innovation projects in better leveraging the assets of the University by: 

  • Helping innovators understand, identify, and – where appropriate – apply for relevant services and program offerings at UCalgary and the broader social innovation ecosystem, drawing on coaching best practices.
  • Observing, documenting, and collecting information about the experiences of innovators trying to navigate the University’s social innovation ecosystem to identify relevant patterns and gaps.
  • Leading the recruitment and matching of students with social innovation projects to support moving their work forward.
  • Liaising with key social innovation ecosystem stakeholders (both on and off campus) to document, support and amplify existing initiatives focused on social innovation and related efforts.
  • Coordinates additional relevant programming, convening, and related events that build social innovation capacity.
  • Leading the write-up of results from observations and learning and drafts a blueprint for how universities can better support social innovation, with guidance from key stakeholders.
  • Leading knowledge mobilization efforts that translate this research into digestible assets and materials for broader audiences and managing efforts to promote them across various channels and stakeholders.
  • Serving as the key contact and liaising regularly with key stakeholders engaged in related research efforts to increase coordination, maximize resource efficiencies, and strengthen knowledge sharing.
  • Providing general and logistical support to SIH and SII teams as needed.

Relevant Experience/Skills:

  • 5+ years’ experience working in, or building relationships with, social purpose organizations (of varying sizes and structures)
  • 2+ years’ experience in project or program coordination involving multiple stakeholders
  • Experience working with post-secondary students
  • Experience with qualitative methodologies 
  • Thrives in a flat organizational structure and strong team collaboration
  • Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills
  • Familiarity with how IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility) and reconciliation apply within the context of collaborative and community-oriented work

Assets:

  • Experience and/or familiarity with design thinking and skills
  • Experience working in or engaging Calgary’s innovation ecosystem
  • Experience working in or engaging a post-secondary institution 
  • Post-secondary degree in a related field, preference for a graduate degree
  • Skills in translating complex concepts into accessible visual designs and formats, e.g., leveraging Canva, Adobe Illustrator


How to Apply

Your resume and cover letter should be submitted to [email protected]. Please be sure to address the role of Social Innovation Navigator.
We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. 

Application Closing Date:      Open until filled.

Innovate Calgary is an equal opportunity organization committed to building and fostering a fair and inclusive community that values diversity and encourages respect for all. We welcome applicants across any race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, Indigenous status, or any other legally protected factors. We recognize the value of identifying and removing barriers for any applicants interested in participating in our programs. 

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