Join us in building a world of possibility! Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is Canada’s largest pediatric rehabilitation hospital. We are a top 40 Canadian research hospital that is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto, and we serve over 9,000 families annually.
Our vision is to support the most meaningful and healthy futures for all children, youth and families. Providing both inpatient and outpatient programs and services, Holland Bloorview is renowned for its expertise in partnering with clients and families to provide exceptional care and is the only organization to ever achieve 100 per cent in three successive quality surveys by Accreditation Canada.
Holland Bloorview has won numerous awards including Greater Toronto's Top Employers, Canada's Top Employers for Young People and Canada's Most Admired Corporate Cultures. We offer an inspiring, inclusive, innovative, and collaborative work environment with competitive compensation and benefit packages and programs that support ongoing learning and professional growth.
Job Description:
Family Engagement in Research (FER) is a cornerstone of the Bloorview Research Institute's (BRI's) mission to advance pediatric disability research that is inclusive, impactful, and community-driven. Through the Research Family Engagement Committee (RFEC), the BRI fosters authentic partnerships with families, ensuring their voices shape every stage of the research process-from idea generation to dissemination and advocacy. This collaborative model enhances the relevance and accessibility of research, and empowers families through recognition, training, and leadership opportunities. Reporting to the Director of Research Partnerships & Impact, the Project Manager will play a key role in advancing this vision by supporting the planning and implementation of strategic initiatives that deepen and expand family involvement across the BRI and beyond.
Key Responsibilities:
Project Leadership & Coordination
- Lead the planning, execution, and monitoring of projects that align with the RFEC's four priority themes: (1) Real World Impacts, (2) Community & Reciprocity, (3) Education & Training, and (4) Structure & Scope.
- Develop and manage detailed project plans, timelines, and deliverables.
- Manage project scope, risks, timelines, and resources, including identifying potential issues, developing mitigation strategies, supporting resource planning and allocation, and escalating major risks or barriers as appropriate.
- Coordinate with internal teams (Operations, Communications, Commercialization, Family Leadership Program (FLP) team), Family Leaders, and external partners to ensure alignment and progress.
- Collaborate with external organizations to share best practices and promote FER skills development
- Work with the RFEC Executive members to organize and support the facilitation of RFEC and RFEC meetings, including preparing meeting materials, minutes, presentations, summaries, and progress reports.
Support Family Partnerships
- Support the design and delivery of training about family engagement in research for audiences such as Family Leaders, researchers, trainees, and other partners, in collaboration with RFEC Executive members and relevant internal teams.
- Interview, match, and place Family Leaders in meaningful research projects aligned with their lived experience and interests.
- Consult with staff, families, students, and volunteers to understand partnership needs and provide strategic guidance on effective engagement methods based on HB' Family Engagement in Research framework.
- Build collaborative relationships across hospital programs, services, and research initiatives to ensure alignment and integration of family engagement.
- Respond to the unique support needs of families, staff, students, and volunteers with empathy and flexibility.
- Collaborate with the FLP team on design and implementation of a targeted Family Leader recruitment strategy that enhances diversity and representation needs of Bloorview Research Institute.
Evaluation & Administration
- Support the evaluation and continuous improvement of Family Leader recruitment, onboarding, and matching processes.
- Ensure FER best practices and innovative initiatives as defined by internal and external stakeholders are being implemented
- Document, track, and report core metrics related to family engagement.
- Perform other administrative and coordination duties as assigned.
Facilitation & Education Support
- Identify and respond to staff, trainee, and family education needs related to family engagement in research, supporting materials and sessions that build FER capacity.
- Facilitate group discussions, workshops, and committees with support from RFEC Executives.
Communications & Knowledge Mobilization
- Partner with Communications to highlight contributions and impact of family engagement in research in media and outreach.
- Ongoing promotion of benefits of and options for partnering and engaging with families to BRI staff
- Develop templates and tools for routine participant updates and knowledge sharing.
- Promote recognition of FER contributions in internal and external communications.
Minimum Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
Education
- Bachelor's degree.
- A Master's degree in a relevant discipline is considered an asset.
- Additional training or certification in project management (e.g., PMP), volunteer management, facilitation, or community engagement is preferred.
Experience
- Minimum 3 years of experience in project management, preferably in a healthcare, academic, or research setting.
- Proven experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder projects from planning through execution and evaluation.
- Experience working with patient, family, or community engagement initiatives is highly desirable.
- Familiarity with hospital-based or academic research environments, including research ethics processes and knowledge mobilization, is considered an asset.
- Experience in stakeholder consultation, facilitation, and collaborative program development.
- Experience with data tracking, reporting
- Experience as a family member or client of Holland Bloorview or experience as a patient partner at any organization is preferred.
Skills
- Strong project management skills, including planning, scheduling, budgeting, and risk management.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage and build trust with diverse stakeholders including families, researchers, and healthcare professionals.
- Skilled in facilitation, public speaking, and leading collaborative meetings or workshops.
- Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment and work independently within agreed goals and project plans, escalating major or non-routine issues to the Director as appropriate.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and comfortable learning new digital tools.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; ability to interpret data and identify trends.
- Culturally competent and sensitive to diverse family systems, lived experiences, and socio-economic backgrounds.
- Self-motivated, adaptable, and committed to continuous learning and improvement.
