Senior Researcher - CERA

CERA is a small but growing collaborative and cross-functional team of motivated professionals  committed to advancing the right to housing. We are entering the second year of our strategic  plan, which prioritizes organizational growth, working nationally, developing innovative ways to  engage communities and individuals to support their right to housing and building new,  dedicated teams in the areas of policy advocacy, research and strategic litigation. CERA’s four  functional teams (Services and Education; Policy, Communications & Engagement; Research;  and, Strategic Litigation) work collaboratively together to support each other’s work in  identifying and executing innovative ways to advance the right to housing. 

CERA’s office is located at the Centre for Social Innovation (Spadina location), an exciting, shared workspace that houses 250 non-profits and social innovators across multiple locations in  downtown Toronto. It is accessible by transit and offers substantial opportunities to network  with like-minded people and participate in a mission-driven, innovative community through  various events. CERA’s office has several workstations which are available to staff who would  like to work from the office on a part-time or occasional basis. 

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Contract Type: Full-time (position funded through September 2023. Work is ongoing to secure funding beyond that period)

Start Date: April 2022

Location: Remote within Canada

Closing Date: March 4, 2022 at 5:00 pm EST

Hours of work: Flexible

Salary: $70,000 - $85,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications

Benefits: A generous benefits package will be made available following the end of the three-month probationary period, which includes health and dental benefits, AD&D, Long-term disability and life insurance. Group and individual professional development opportunities are also provided to staff.

Paid time off: Four weeks (20 days) of paid vacation are provided and CERA typically closes between Christmas and New Year’s Day, providing a handful of additional paid days off for staff to rest and recharge. 10 paid days are also provided to use for personal and family illness, injury or medical emergency.

Application Method: Cover letter + resume. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to complete an assignment and to participate in an interview. Please see instructions below. We welcome all applications by email only.

About the Role  

We are seeking a motivated and committed senior research professional with strong research,  organizational, project management and strategic thinking skills to join our team and help us in  our ambitious goal of advancing the right to housing for all. In this role, your ability to juggle  multiple responsibilities under tight timelines is essential.

Reporting to the Manager of Research, the successful candidate will lead complex, multi stakeholder research initiatives in support of CERA’s comprehensive approach to advancing the  right to housing through policy-relevant research, advocacy, community engagement and  government relations. If you are a skilled researcher with expertise in housing policy, an  understanding of the right to adequate housing, demonstrated experience leading research  projects on housing and employing a variety of research methods, this may be the role for you.

Your responsibilities will include: 

• Initiating and carrying out applied, policy-relevant research projects in support of CERA’s  mandate to advance the right to housing for all, including conducting secondary  research, coordinating and managing research projects, leading primary data collection  and analysis, writing reports and articles, and leading knowledge mobilization activities. 

• Leading and supporting the development and design of various applied research proposals to secure funding to support the expansion of CERA’s research program. 

• Contributing to the development and refinement of CERA’s research agenda.

• Creating and co-creating knowledge products including reports, factsheets, briefing  notes and communications content (articles, op-eds, website, newsletters and social  media content, newsletters and other promotional materials and speaking notes).

• Cultivating respectful and collaborative relationships and partnerships with individuals,  communities, networks, organizations and other stakeholders who have an interest in  CERA’s research agenda.  

• Representing CERA in relevant sector conversations, networks, and working with  stakeholders including funders and government to support the advancement of CERA’s  research work. 

• Supervising, coaching, and providing direction to students, interns and volunteers as  needed. 

• Maintaining an up-to-date understanding of the policy and political landscape as it  relates to CERA’s research agenda and activities. 

• Preparing reports for management and funders as required. 

• Performing other duties as may be assigned to support CERA’s research and knowledge  mobilization efforts, the organization, Executive Director and Board of Directors. 

Required Qualifications 

• An advanced degree (ideally a Ph.D.) in an area relevant to CERA’s work (e.g. Urban  Planning, Public Policy, Economics) and with a focus on applied research methods.

• Minimum of three years of post-graduation professional experience conducting applied research in government, academia, a think tank or other similar public policy  environment, with experience authoring a variety of publications, such as reports and  articles, ideally with a record of publication that includes peer-reviewed publications.

• Experience with a variety of applied qualitative and quantitative research  methodologies.  

• Experience writing, editing, and coordinating research proposals, with demonstrated  success securing funding to support research activities from a variety of sources. 

• Familiarity with federal and provincial housing policy priorities, as well as applied  academic and industry research related to housing. 

• Experience conducting applied research involving low-income and marginalized  populations facing housing precarity and systemic violations of their right to housing. 

• Strong understanding of the right to housing, the housing and social sectors in Canada,  domestic and international human rights law, and housing law and policy.

• Demonstrated experience building collaborative and respectful partnerships with a  variety of stakeholders and working in close co-operation with a multi-disciplinary team  that includes volunteers, community members, legal experts, service providers,  academia and/or other researchers.  

• Outstanding written and oral communication skills in English and an ability to  communicate clearly and directly. 

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint).

• Knowledge of public policy processes, understanding of and experience in developing,  implementing and/or evaluating policy, drafting briefing notes and/or position papers is  an asset. 

• Experience supervising, mentoring, and supporting staff, students and/or volunteers is  an asset. 

• Advanced knowledge of statistical methods and facility with related software (i.e., SPSS,  Excel, NVivo, R, etc.) is an asset. 

• Working proficiency in an additional language is an asset, particularly French.

Skills and attributes 

• Outstanding organizational, analytical and problem-solving skills.  

• Ability to multi-task, thrive in a fast-paced environment, and adapt quickly to change. 

• Ability to work accurately under pressure with attention to detail and deadlines, and  with minimal supervision. 

• Flexibility and entrepreneurial spirit to accommodate high levels of responsibility and  multiple and sometimes shifting priorities. 

• Strong strategic thinking skills, political acumen, diplomacy, discretion, tact and good  judgement. 

We recognize and value the unique perspective that people with lived experience of poverty  and/or precarious housing bring in addition to the skills and qualifications listed above. 

To apply for this job 

Applications should include a resume and cover letter in one PDF document and should be  submitted by email to opportunities@equalityrights.org with the subject line: Application – Senior Researcher.  

At CERA, we believe that a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve  strengthens our ability to achieve our mission. We strongly encourage applicants of all genders,  racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, sexual orientations, abilities, and with a range of life  experiences to apply.  

We are committed to full compliance with the Human Rights Code, the Accessibility For Ontarians With Disabilities Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and all other applicable legislation. We will provide accommodation during the hiring process upon request and  information received relating to accommodation measures will be addressed confidentially.   

We thank all applicants for their interest. 

Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. 

No telephone enquiries please.