About OICR

OICR is Ontario’s cancer research institute. We bring together people from across the province and around the world to improve the lives of everyone affected by cancer. We take on the biggest challenges in cancer research and deliver real-world solutions to find cancer earlier and treat it more effectively. We are committed to helping people living with cancer, as well as future generations, live longer and healthier lives.

Launched in December 2005, OICR is an independent institute funded by the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security.

Position Details

Position: Administrative Assistant

Location: MaRS Centre, Toronto

Department: Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH)

Reports To: Program Manager

Hiring Range: $47,000 - $52,250 commensurate with experience; total compensation includes a competitive benefits plan, plus a defined benefit pension plan (HOOPP)

Hours: 35 hours/week

Job Type: Hybrid

Status: Full-time, Permanent

Position Summary

The Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) is looking to fill an existing vacancy for a Administrative Assistant to join the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH) program.

GA4GH is an international, nonprofit alliance formed in 2013 to accelerate the potential of research and medicine to advance human health. Bringing together hundreds of contributors working in healthcare, research, patient advocacy, life science, and information technology, the GA4GH community is working together to create policy frameworks and standards to enable the responsible, voluntary, and secure sharing of genomic and health-related data. Learn more at www.ga4gh.org.

GA4GH is supported by five international hosts: the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, the Wellcome Sanger Institute, EMBL-EBI, the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR), and McGill University’s Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Institute of Genomic Medicine. Nine technical and policy framing teams (“GA4GH Work Streams”) drive the standards development work to meet the specific needs of real world clinical and genomics data sharing projects. GA4GH Work Streams collaborate with Driver Projects and other genomic data initiatives that help guide our development efforts and implementations of our products.

The Administrative Assistant supports effective organizational operations by managing the CEO’s calendar and complex travel, coordinating meetings and events and ensuring efficient logistical planning across the Secretariat. This role supports community and membership administration, maintains accurate records and databases, processes invoices and expenses, and supports internal communications and central operations. Working closely with OICR administrative teams, the Administrative Assistant helps keep workflows organized, information up to date, and day‑to‑day operations running smoothly.

This position is permanent, full-time.

Position Responsibilities

Calendar and travel management for CEO

• Coordinate and maintain CEO’s evolving calendar.
• Organize complex travel arrangements for the CEO which include obtaining internal approvals and visa requirements, booking air travel, accommodation, and ground transportation, and management of multiple travel reimbursements.
• Coordinate requirements for speaking engagements.

Meeting coordination and event planning

• Schedule and support coordination for virtual and in-person, international meetings (approximately bi-annually), which could include supporting logistics planning, reaching out to vendors and gathering vendor quotes, drafting correspondence, and other duties.
• Make travel arrangements and coordinate support for Secretariat team and collaborator travel to GA4GH meetings.
• Record meeting minutes and actionable items for Secretariat and leadership meetings.
• Work flexible hours to meet intermittent special events or tasks (e.g., logistics associated with off-site meetings, deadlines associated with budget or operational reviews, etc.).

Community management

• Triage emails in the general GA4GH inbox, manage correspondence with stakeholders, answer inquiries and delegate tasks to other staff members as required.
• Coordinate all aspects of membership, including:
  • Overseeing member application and approval process.
  • Rapid responding to member emails and requests for information.
  • Annually auditing member information to ensure data are up to date.
• Manage the overall contact database for the GA4GH community in our CRM software, Attio, to ensure information is up-to-date.

Organization and management of complex documents and databases

• Maintain accurate electronic and paper information filing/retrieval systems with version controls.
• Data entry and generation of routine reports from Attio and other systems.

Coordinate financial billing and payment activities

• Process invoices, expense submissions, and internal transfers.
• Under supervision of the Program Manager, coordinate cost allocation for OICR cost centres.

OICR Responsibilities

• They will serve as a member of the Admin Council, with responsibilities that include participating in regular OICR Admin Council meetings and keeping the GA4GH team informed of any relevant updates.
• Ensure effective office operations, including ordering supplies, collecting mail from the department mailbox, and onboarding new staff.

Position Requirements

• Experience in administrative and coordinator‑level roles
  
• Post-secondary education or recognized equivalent
• Proficient with word processing, slide presentations, and spreadsheets
• Ability to analyze basic data and information
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills
• Excellent organizational and time management skills
• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills
• Proven ability to multi-task and manage projects
• Demonstrated ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities and evolving organizational needs
• Demonstrated ability to use good judgment in assessing difficult situations
• Collaborative
• Independent and self-motivated
• Thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
  
• Able to work flexible hours on occasion

• Comfortable in operating in a digital workspace and using virtual communications and messaging tools
• Familiar working with Google Workspace
• Familiar with Attio or other CRM

For more information about OICR, please visit the website at www.oicr.on.ca.

To learn more about working at OICR, visit our career page.

POSTED DATE: January 28, 2026

CLOSING DATE: Until Filled

OICR is committed to fostering a climate of equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. This commitment is central to, and mutually supportive of, our research excellence mandate. We welcome and respect the diversity of all members of our community and we support an inclusive culture for all. We welcome all applicants, and encourage applications from racialized persons, Indigenous Peoples, women, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ2S persons, and others who may contribute to furthering a diversity of ideas within our community. OICR is committed to fair assessment of a candidate’s abilities, and consideration for diversity of thought, method, and experience. Providing an accessible workplace and recruitment process is important to us, as described in our Accessibility Plan (https://oicr.on.ca/accessibility/). Should you require accommodation during any stage in the recruitment process, please complete the form at the bottom of page https://oicr.on.ca/careers/. Information received related to accommodation will be handled confidentially.

OICR hiring managers may use approved Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to assist with an initial screening or assessment of applications, and selection of applicants in accordance with OICR’s privacy policies. Personal information associated with any job application will not be shared with or retained by any third party for the purpose of training an AI model. Hiring managers shall determine which applications proceed through the recruitment process.

Resume Format: If you elect to apply, please click on the “Apply for this Job” button. You will be required to enter contact details, and to attach your resume to your application. Please attach your resume as a .pdf or .doc file.

The Ontario Institute for Cancer Research thanks all applicants. However, only those under consideration will be contacted.