Closing Date: August 6, 2025 at 4:00 PM

POND-DESHPANDE CENTRE

The Pond-Deshpande Centre (PDC) at UNB supports social entrepreneurship and innovation in New Brunswick and beyond. We believe that by combining innovative ideas with deep, relevant, contextual knowledge, citizens will be able to develop sustainable solutions to complex social, environmental, and economic challenges while creating high-impact ventures that "do well & do good" in our region and the world. PDC has two key programs: NouVentures which focuses on growing social entrepreneurship in New Brunswick and beyond; and NouLab which houses PDC's social innovation lab and manages our social and public innovation work generally.

WHAT WE OFFER

Full-time | 1-Year Term | Fredericton | Hybrid or On-Campus

UNB is committed to ensuring employees can maintain a healthy work-life balance. As such, we are proud to support a hybrid work approach, which includes flexible hours and work-from-home options.

Standard Work Hours: Mon - Fri | 7:45 am - 4:00 pm | 36.25 hours per week (Summer Hours)

Salary Range: $86,606 - $118,035 per annum

YOUR FOCUS

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Strategic Director of Stakeholder Engagement plays a lead role in the development and mobilization phases-transforming insights from discovery into collaborative, actionable solutions. This role drives cross-sector engagement and ensures that stakeholder partnerships fuel meaningful, scalable impact.

• Contribute to PDC's overall organizational strategy and portfolio design as a member of the leadership team.
• Work closely with the Strategic Director of Research & Knowledge Mobilization to ensure a seamless flow between discovery and implementation phases.
• Act as a lead relationship manager for multi-partner projects and long-term collaborations.
• Translate research insights into collaborative project concepts that reflect shared priorities and lived experience.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with government, community, academic, and private sector stakeholders.
• Develop strategies for piloting, scaling, or embedding solutions co-designed through PDC projects.
• Facilitate cross-sectoral collaboration during the development phase of projects, using approaches such as design thinking, systems mapping, and co-creation workshops.
• Identify and activate diverse stakeholders who should be at the table to design and test innovative solutions.
• Ensure stakeholders have a clear path to action and accountability in the implementation of solutions.
• Collaborate with project coordinators and community partners to move from prototype to practice.
• Identify shared opportunities for future innovation projects based on ongoing engagement and listening.
• Support a culture of human-centered, equity-driven innovation across the organization and its partners.
• Represent PDC at public engagements, conferences, and high-level meetings.
• Work with the Communications & Events Officer to share insights, project outcomes, and stakeholder learnings with broader audiences.
• Contribute to knowledge mobilization and narrative building that strengthens PDC's role in the innovation ecosystem.

WHAT YOU BRING

• A Master's degree in public policy, leadership, social innovation, or a related field is preferred.
• 7-10 years of experience in stakeholder engagement, project delivery, community innovation, or strategic partnership roles.
• Proven experience designing and delivering high-trust collaborations.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

Additional Strengths:

• Demonstrated ability to lead complex initiatives from insight to impact, ideally in multi-stakeholder environments.
• Advanced facilitation and relationship-building skills.
• Deep understanding of systems thinking, co-creation, and public interest design.
• Excellent communication, both written and verbal, with an emphasis on clarity and narrative.
• Strong strategic acumen, with the ability to navigate uncertainty and make values-aligned decisions.

WHY CHOOSE UNB?

UNB offers a large variety of benefits for employees, including a full pension, a minimum of three weeks of vacation annually, the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP), and dental, life, and health insurance.

ADMINISTRATIVE, PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL GROUP (APT)

This position is part of the non-union Administrative, Professional and Technical (APT) group.

COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

The University of New Brunswick is committed to employment equity and fostering diversity within our community and developing an inclusive workplace that reflects the richness of the broader community that we serve. The University welcomes and encourages applications from all qualified individuals who will help us achieve our goals, including women, visible minorities, Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.

We thank all who apply; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.