Manager of Research and Policy

JOB POSTING: MANAGER OF RESEARCH AND POLICY

Formed in 1992, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) is a non-profit, non-partisan advocacy organization that strives to effectively and responsibly represent Ontario’s full and part-time undergraduate students to lobby for an affordable, accessible, accountable, and high-quality higher education system. In order to achieve these goals, OUSA provides research and policy solutions to the government, organizes campaigns, communicates its priorities, and develops partnerships with post-secondary education sector stakeholders. With a membership of approximately 160,000 undergraduate, professional full- and part-time students, OUSA is one of the largest and most respected student organizations in the country.

POSITION: Manager of Research and Policy

DEADLINE:11:59 PM on Wednesday, April 1st, 2026

HOURS OF WORK: The position is 40 hours per week with the requirement to work some evenings and weekends.

COMPENSATION: Annual salary starting at $60,000 - $70,000; including vacation time, professional development opportunities, and health and dental benefits.

START DATE: Late April - Early May

LOCATION: A hybrid work environment based in downtown Toronto, with mandatory in-person conferences and events in Toronto and across university campuses in Ontario. Applicants must have the ability to come into the office 1-2 times a week.

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Manager of Research and Policy oversees the organization's research and policy activities in collaboration with your co-manager.

This includes:

• Conducting primary and secondary research on issues of importance to students and the post-secondary sector
• Assisting student leaders with the creation of policy papers and statements
• Preparing government submissions and briefing notes
• Conducting data analysis and survey development
• Presenting and explaining policy to stakeholders and decision-makers; and building relationships in the post-secondary research community.

The ideal candidate should possess:

• A university bachelor’s degree or above;
• Excellent research skills, including familiarity with various research methods, academic integrity, and proper citation;
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with an ability to present and explain policy to a wide variety of audiences, including politicians, civil servants, student leaders and sector stakeholders;
• Demonstrated public policy experience and knowledge of Ontario politics;
• Excellent qualitative and quantitative data analysis skills, including knowledge of data processing and statistical analysis software (SPSS, etc.);
• Familiarity with intersectional and equity-focused policy analysis;
• Demonstrated commitment to addressing inequities in post-secondary education;
• A command of Microsoft Word and Excel, as well as Google Suite and Zoom video conferencing;
• Strong organizational skills;
• Experience and affinity for working in a collaborative team environment;
• Excellent personal initiative and strong work ethic;
• Ability to work effectively and efficiently under pressure;
• Ability to be responsive and work in a flexible environment;

Qualities that would be considered an asset:

• A degree in the social sciences, public policy,
• Background or relevant experience in the post-secondary education sector is considered an asset;
• Fluency in written and spoken French is considered an asset.
• Experience working directly and collaboratively with post-secondary students while taking direction from them is considered an asset;
• Familiarity with OUSA’s structure and operations;

While OUSA is a professional organization, it is intimately connected with university students. This youthful attitude transfers into a highly charged and passionate workplace that creates a unique opportunity for both satisfying and creative work. OUSA makes every effort to reward employees with both a relaxing and exciting environment and a job that gives them the chance to build and develop their skills.

To Apply: Applicants must provide a resume, cover letter, and a one-page assignment that highlights how they meet the above qualifications and demonstrates their communication and analysis skills. The assignment can be found below.

Assignment

You are a Manager of Research and Policy at OUSA and one of the Board of Directors has asked you to prepare a briefing note on student financial aid. The Board member is meeting with a Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) who is very interested in the topic and would like to know more about how to address any issues regarding student financial aid and about OUSA’s stance.

Your task is to prepare OUSA’s Board member with background information, research, and policy recommendation(s) so that they can be successful in the meeting.

• Your brief should be one page (single-spaced) in length
• Your brief should be clearly laid out and organized
• It should outline the key issues, OUSA’s stance on the topic, highlight 2-3 relevant policy recommendations, and provide updated contextual information where necessary

Relevant Resources:

Student Financial Aid

No additional research is necessary.

More information and resources can be found at www.ousa.ca

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Candidates selected for an interview will be notified the week of Monday, April 13th, 2026. Interviews will be held on the week of Monday, April 20th, 2026 , and conducted via Zoom during business hours.

Please send a resume, cover letter, and completed assignment as PDFs via e-mail to: Octave Andrade-Dixon , Executive Director

e-mail: hr@ousa.ca website: www.ousa.ca

OUSA encourages applications from candidates from diverse backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences, including but not limited to racialized, Black, and Indigenous individuals, those with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ2S+ community.

OUSA is committed to providing accessible employment practices that are in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disability Act (AODA). If you require accommodations for a disability during any stage of the recruitment process, please email hr@ousa.ca.

The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) represents the interests of approximately 160,000 professional and undergraduate, full-time and part-time university students at nine student associations across Ontario. OUSA is run by a Steering Committee made up of elected student representatives from each of our member associations. Day-to-day activities are carried out by four full-time office staff. For more information, please visit our website at www.ousa.ca.