Senior Information Specialist

Position Overview

The ORES Senior Information Specialist provides specialized literature research to project team members and clients in the areas of applied research and Intellectual Capital development.



Major Responsibilities and Job Activities

§ Client Service and Delivery

- Designs and delivers customized services in the areas of benchmarking, best practice research, literature synthesis, and Intellectual Capital development

- Works with project team on determining the most appropriate research strategy to meet the client needs; recommends which methods and tools to employ

- Works with the project lead to prepare for and participate in client meetings, best practices interviews, site visits; manages logistics and materials preparation.

- Participates in initial client and project team discussions in order to scope and price aspects of the work, and contributes to the creation of proposals

- Establishes and builds relationships with MDC project colleagues and appropriate client contacts

- Participates as an active member of the project team by helping to deliver MDC's value proposition. Works with others to identify and create opportunities to leverage MDC Research capabilities.

- Assists with alignment and coordination of internal ORES resources on large-scale best practices studies

- Solicits, interprets and synthesizes news, articles, reports, studies, books, etc., relating to companies and key client issues; creates client deliverables derived from the research.

- Captures relevant Intellectual Capital for client projects: key client deliverables and tools for contribution to Knowledge Exchange; writes up case studies and stories where appropriate

§ Project Management

- Maintains effective communications with consultants, clients, and vendors

- Develops project plans and timelines; coordinate with team members to determine deliverables and deadlines

- Attends internal project team meetings. Where appropriate, document, synthesize, and distribute meeting notes and action items.

- Communicates with vendors on the method of a research study, and confirms costs of outsourced projects. Manages and negotiates vendor contracts, timelines and quality assurance.



§ Building Firm Capabilities

- Manages ORES tools and processes, such as Copyright Compliance, ORES library collections, Knowledge Exchange, Research Notes, IC-related tools such as the Virtual Library, etc.  Acts as a SME in at least one of ORES tools/subject areas (e.g., Knowledge Exchange, Corporate Governance).

- Contributes to firm-building initiatives such as Knowledge Exchange, Research Notes, and Intellectual Capital development (e.g., new Insights, books, etc.).

- Contributes to professional development of peers through learning sessions, sharing best practices, and mentoring
REQUIREMENTS


Job Requirements/Qualifications

§ Bachelor's degree from an accredited school required, preferably in the area of I/O Psychology or related field. Experience in statistics and research methods. A Master's degree in I/O Psychology, Library Science or related field a plus.

§ Minimum of 2-3 years in professional services firm working in a research capacity

Skill Requirements

§ Research Skills - Demonstrates ability to conduct research in support of benchmarking and best practice studies. Able to effectively review, summarize and synthesize research results. Has mastery of database research technology (e.g., Factiva) and other web enabled search engines.

§ Project Management Skills - Demonstrates skills and ability to gather requirements and information, plan projects, develop timelines, manage change, report progress, set goals and manage expectations for a team, and give and receive feedback. Has experience using project management tools such as Microsoft Project.

§ Additional Software Skills - Has mastery of the Microsoft Office Suite (PowerPoint, Word, and Excel), including MS Project

§ Communication Skills - Has strong written and oral communication skills in the application of research solutions to client problems. Able to express ideas clearly and effectively. Listens to others and communicates in an effective manner that fosters open communications.

§ Vendor Management Skills - Has extensive knowledge of information vendors and tools relevant to MDC's services. Is experienced in negotiating vendor contracts and performing cost-benefit analysis. Has a broad understanding of the financial and legal aspects of contracting.

§ Copyright Management Skills - Has in-depth understanding of copyright regulations related to reproducing and distributing literature, graphics, audio-visual materials within MDC or to MDC clients. Is experienced working with the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) and in requesting reprint permissions from individual publishers.

Core Characteristics

§ Client Focus - Provides service excellence to internal and external clients

§ Relationship-Building - Able to develop strong client relationships, and add value through creative ideas and solutions

§ Self-Directed - Is able to work independently, take initiative, and think creatively

§ Professionalism - Behaves in a manner appropriate for a business environment. Projects a high degree of maturity and confidence at all times. Acts with the utmost integrity on behalf of the firm. Always treats others with respect and courtesy.

§ Problem-Solving - Able to identify causes and decide upon actions quickly and efficiently. Able to add value through creative ideas and solutions to problems.

§ Team Orientation - Works collaboratively with others to achieve common goals and positive results. Able to resolve conflict constructively.

§ Analytical Thinking - Understands and analyzes information to understand issues, identify options, and support sound decision-making

§ Creativity - Questions conventional approaches and responds to challenges with innovative solutions or services, using intuition, experimentation, and fresh perspectives

§ Adaptability - Manages and adjusts own behaviours to work effectively in light of new information, changing situations, and/or different environments

§ Continual Learning - Constantly seeks to improve personal and group effectiveness by staying abreast of developments in the field. Applies learning to improve personal and group efficiency and effectiveness.