Project Manager – Community-Based Research & Engagement

Job Title: Project Manager – Community-Based Research & Engagement

Status: Temporary, Full-time (Exempt)

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Schedule: Monday to Friday

Location: Surrey, BC

Salary: This position starts at $65,000 per year and increases to $93,469 per year, over a 10- year period. This salary range incorporates experience, yearly salary increments to reward years of service, employee growth and development within the organization.

Date Posted: October 8, 2026

Closing Date: Open until filled

Start Date: ASAP

End Date: March 31, 2027 (with a possibility of renewal)

The Opportunity:

The Project Manager, Community-Based Research & Engagement provides strategic leadership across a portfolio of community-driven and research-informed initiatives, including the Community Connector Project, the Trust Pathways Project (Canadian Heritage), and the NAARS Community of Practice (CoP) and DNS Working Group.

This role operates at the intersection of community, research, and systems change, leading initiatives that influence how services are designed, accessed, and coordinated across the region. The position is accountable for driving system-level alignment, advancing evidence-informed decision-making, and convening multi-sector partners including executive-level stakeholders toward shared outcomes.

The Project Manager holds full accountability for portfolio performance, strategic direction, budget oversight, and the management of external research partners and contractors, ensuring initiatives are delivered with impact, rigor, and alignment to funder and organizational priorities. In addition, the position regularly handles confidential organizational information and provides advisory input to senior leadership on matters impacting workforce planning and operational delivery.

Key Responsibilities:

Portfolio Leadership & Resource Management

• Provide strategic direction , governance, and oversight across a portfolio of initiatives, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities, funding agreements, and system-level objectives

• Drive the integration of community-based engagement, research, and cross sector collaboration into scalable, system-informed models of service delivery;

• Identify and advance opportunities to influence policy, service design, and system responsiveness through evidence, data, and community insight;

Maintain accountability for portfolio performance, including outcomes, strategic alignment, financial stewardship, and risk management;
Holds accountability for portfolio budget development, planning, and forecasting, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and funding agreements, and providing regular reporting to the Senior Manager;

• Exercises decision-making authority over allocation and reallocation of financial resources across multiple initiatives to optimize impact and delivery;

• Approves expenditures within delegated authority limits, ensuring compliance with organizational policies and funder requirements;

• Provides oversight of financial reporting to funders, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and alignment with program outcomes;

• Lead proactive identification, assessment, and mitigation of risks impacting portfolio delivery, partnerships, and system outcomes.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Systems Integration

•Convene and lead multi-sector and multi-stakeholder community tables, engaging funders, senior leaders, and partner organizations to advance shared system goals including the NAARS Community of Practice (CoP);

• Facilitates strategic dialogue and provides strategic direction on decision making processes that influence regional coordination, integration, and service alignment to the DNS Working Group;

• Drives decision-making processes across partner organizations, ensuring alignment on priorities, roles, and system-level objectives;

• Guide structured discussions that inform system-level planning, design, and continuous improvement;

• Positions the organization as a systems leader that influences and advances operational direction, collaboration and accountability across sectors.

Research, Partnerships & Contractor Stewardship

• Provide strategic oversight of research partnerships, ensuring alignment between research design, community priorities, and system-level application;
• Direct and manage relationships with external partners, including consultants, contractors, and research collaborators, ensuring accountability for deliverables and outcomes;

• Translates research and data into strategic recommendations that directly inform organizational and system-level decision-making;

• Ensure all research and engagement approaches are ethical, community informed, and grounded in participatory methodologies;

• Lead the evolution and implementation of the Community Connector model as a key strategy for trust-based, community-rooted engagement;
• Drive approaches that strengthen service navigation, access, and community connection, particularly for equity-deserving populations;
• Advance and evolve models that strengthen equitable access, service navigation, and community capacity-building.

Strategic Partnerships & Sector Representation

• Build and steward high-impact partnerships across community organizations, health systems, research institutions, and government stakeholders;

• Represent the organization at regional, cross-sector, and leadership tables, contributing to system-wide initiatives and collective impact efforts;

• Promote alignment across partners to ensure coordinated, non-duplicative, and responsive service delivery systems;

• Acts as a key advisor to external partners and stakeholders, shaping collaborative initiatives and shared system priorities.

Organizational Leadership & Influence

• Provide strategic leadership and direction to project teams and initiatives, ensuring clarity of objectives, deliverables, and performance expectations;

• Provides strategic advice and recommendations to senior leadership on program direction, operational risks, and emerging opportunities;

• Establish and monitor across multiple initiatives, including timelines, milestones, and outcome measurement;

• Advises on resource planning, workforce implications, and service delivery models;

• Mentor and develop staff by promoting best practices learned through engagement with advisory groups, and strengthening internal capacity in research, community engagement, and systems leadership;

• Supports leadership in decision-making requiring discretion, judgment, and sensitivity to confidential information;

• Contributes to the development, review, and enhancement of organizational policies and procedures, ensuring they reflect operational realities, organizational priorities, and workforce needs.

Qualified candidates will possess the following:

Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, Public Health, Community Development, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience;

• Minimum 3–5 years of progressive experience in community-based programs, outreach, research, or systems-level initiatives;

• Minimum 2 years of leadership experience, including oversight of staff, projects, or multi-partner initiatives;

• Demonstrated experience managing complex, funded projects, including budget oversight and reporting;

• Experience managing or coordinating external contractors, consultants, or research partners;

• Experience working with newcomer, immigrant, refugee, and equity-deserving communities;

• Strong understanding of community engagement, participatory research, and co-design methodologies;

• Ability to lead complex initiatives and deliver results aligned with funding and organizational priorities;

• Experience with program evaluation, reporting, and performance measurement;

• Experience facilitating or leading multi-stakeholder tables or working groups is a strong asset;

• Strong oversight of timelines, deliverables, and accountability frameworks;

• Ability to manage multiple programs, priorities, and sites simultaneously;

• Communication & Facilitation, Excellent ability to engage and influence diverse audiences;

• Have excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. Fluency in other languages would be an asset;

• Ability to work flexible hours and travel as required;

• Effective communication and public speaking skills;

• Strong computer literacy skills, such as using Funder Client Management,

Systems, ZOOM, MS 365, MS Teams, and MS Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint);

• Valid BC Driver's License and access to personal vehicles an asset;

• Flexibility to work occasional evenings or weekends.

A Criminal Record Check is a requirement of employment.

Application Requirements:

To apply, please upload your resume and cover letter as separate attachments. Please note that only Word or PDF formats can be accepted. As part of the application process, you will be prompted to complete a short questionnaire. Please ensure all questions are answered.

To view all opportunities at DIVERSEcity visit www.dcrs.ca/work-with-us/.

Additional Information:

This position is based in our Surrey office and offers a blend of in-office and remote work. DIVERSEcity has implemented new safety procedures for in-office and in-person work, to view our safety plan, please visit www.dcrs.ca/news/diversecity-covid-19-safety-plan/. As an organization we continue to monitor public health and safety guidelines in order to maintain a safe working environment for DIVERSEcity' s staff, clients, and community. This position is not available for sponsorship, only candidates legally entitled to work in Canada can be considered.

A comprehensive job description will be provided to all candidates shortlisted for interviews.

DIVERSEcity is committed to employment equity and encourages applications from people of all gender identities and expressions, persons with disabilities, Indigenous peoples and visible minorities. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application and hiring process may contact our HR department at [email protected]. Any personal information provided will be maintained in confidence.

About DIVERSEcity:

DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society is a registered charity devoted to helping newcomers. For 45+ years we have focused on providing specialized services newcomers to find employment, learn English, find housing, deal with family challenges, work through mental health issues and access medical care. DIVERSEcity is a client-centred organization committed to quality and accountability. We value growth, respect, integrity and compassion. To learn more about DIVERSEcity visit us at www.dcrs.ca/.

We thank all applicants for their interest in this opportunity; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.