Knowledge Broker
- Job Type
- Full Time
- Job Level
- Experienced (non manager)
- Location
- Ontario, ON
- Impact Area
- Other
- Impact Category
- Nonprofit
- Company Type
- Other
About this position
Reports to: Associate Director, Strategic Partnerships and Knowledge Mobilization
The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA) changes lives by bringing people and knowledge together to reduce the harms of alcohol and other drugs on society. We partner with public, private and non-governmental organizations to improve the health and safety of Canadians. A non-governmental organization (NGO) with a national focus, CCSA's vision is that "all people in Canada live in a healthy society free of alcohol- and other drug-related harm."
It is the mandate of the Strategic Partnerships and Knowledge Mobilization (SPKM) division to facilitate, lead and participate in gathering, connecting and mobilizing people, knowledge and other resources for collective action and change toward shared goals. The Knowledge Broker reports to and works under the direction of the Associate Director, Knowledge Mobilization, within the SPKM division. The Knowledge Broker is responsible for developing relationships with partners to get the right information into the right hands at the right time, and for supporting the delivery, uptake, use and impact of evidence-informed practices, tools, programs and products for those working in the field of substance abuse.
The Knowledge Broker, working with research and policy analysts, national priority advisors, and communications advisors, draws on the existing body of knowledge or evidence from research and other sources, and works with key stakeholders to provide tailored, evidence-informed guidance and practical tools to facilitate desired changes in practice, programs or policies. Through facilitating collaborative efforts of stakeholders and partners, the Knowledge Broker encourages the application of this evidence in practice, program and policy development and implementation, using effective knowledge mobilization approaches.
Responsibilities
- Lead the development and implementation of knowledge mobilization plans on assigned national priorities.
- Work with colleagues in research and partnerships to interpret and summarize research findings to form the basis of knowledge mobilization plans, products, tools or activities to inform practice, policy and program development in the field of substance abuse.
- Identify and bring together key partners, subject-matter experts, influential knowledge users and other key stakeholders to share evidence or knowledge to build the foundation for solutions in the substance abuse field.
- Lead consultations with stakeholders to identify their needs in accessing, interpreting and using evidence from research and other sources, and help build their capacity through the provision of resources, training and mentoring.
- Lead collaboration efforts with a variety of stakeholders to negotiate creative, practical and relevant approaches to knowledge mobilization for sustainable solutions and change.
- Work closely with national priority advisors and communications advisors to identify partners and stakeholders across Canada, and ensure they have access to the CCSA products and services to address their needs and issues.
- Continuously establish and maintain networks of stakeholders and partners that can both benefit from and contribute to the collective efforts to reduce the harms and improve the care for those affected by substance abuse.
Qualifications
- Masters or doctoral degree in a relevant discipline (e.g., science, arts and humanities, health administration, adult education).
- 3 to 5 years of related experience.
- Experience negotiating with and facilitating multi-stakeholder groups (e.g., health professionals, the public, healthcare managers and other decision makers, private industry).
- Understanding of all aspects of knowledge mobilization (e.g., generation, synthesis, product development, knowledge translation and exchange, dissemination, management, evaluation).
- Experience in developing and implementing knowledge mobilization plans, activities and products.
- Experience building relationships with partners at regional, provincial and federal levels to inform or implement effective practices, programs or policies.
- Ability to interpret and identify key results from health and other research, and to summarize research findings in plain language.
- Experience in stakeholder engagement, consultation and related data collection through a variety of mechanisms, including surveys, focus groups and social media.
- Ability to develop or inform the development of knowledge mobilization products, such as toolkits, learning modules, lay and research publications, and policy briefs, using feedback from knowledge users.
- Demonstrated experience in identifying and applying effective practices in knowledge mobilization (e.g., communications, education, training, resource development, stakeholder engagement) and evaluating the uptake, use and impact of this knowledge.
- Ability to engage diverse audiences and build partnerships and collaborations between diverse groups from a variety of sectors.
- Ability to develop understanding of system-wide issues (i.e., a "systems thinker").
- Strong analytical skills; process and results-oriented.
- Enthusiastic and high-energy team player with a passion for engaging partners.
- Strong focus on critical thinking and strategic problem resolution.
- Excellent communication skills.
Assets
- Experience or expertise in the field of workplace health and safety or alcohol and substance abuse.
- Bilingual English–French
Consideration of candidates will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Interested candidates should submit a résumé and covering letter by email to hr@ccsa.ca. We thank all respondents; however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.