The Head, Fundamental Research provides strategic leadership for CIFAR’s research portfolio, guiding activities that span early-stage discovery, horizon exploration, research programs, and impact clusters. Reporting to the Executive Director, Research, this role is responsible for shaping and stewarding a dynamic portfolio that advances CIFAR’s mission of driving transformative knowledge and global impact. As a senior leader within the Research Department and a member of CIFAR’s Leadership Team, the Head, Fundamental Research plays a critical role in ensuring CIFAR’s research initiatives are thoughtfully designed, effectively managed, and positioned to generate meaningful scientific and societal impact. This role oversees CIFAR’s research programs and impact clusters, while integrating foresight and discovery pipeline initiatives to support CIFAR’s long-term strategy. The Head, Fundamental Research also leads and supports a team of Research Program Directors and the Senior Director, Research & Strategic Initiatives and works closely with internal and external partners to ensure the portfolio remains innovative, rigorous, and globally relevant.

As the ideal candidate, you hold a PhD in a field of relevance to CIFAR’s work and have a demonstrated record of research contribution. You have a deep understanding of research principles, program design, and best practices in research management, and understand the global research landscape, including institutions, networks, and emerging areas of inquiry. You have experience working within a research-focused organization, in roles that include managing a team of highly engaged researchers, academics and scholarly experts. You have contributed to, and work to foster, a culture that with an interdisciplinary perspective; that is highly collaborative, inquisitive, innovative and curious. You are a strategic leader who has the ability to shape research agendas in complex and evolving environments, navigate ambiguity, convey complex ideas, and influence outcomes while building trust across a multitude of partners and stakeholders. Your exceptional verbal and written communications skills support this work and are viewed as being both credible and trustworthy. You have strong financial acumen, including experience managing large and complex budgets from a variety of funders, including philanthropic donors, governments, and institutions.