Job Description About the Chronic Pain Network The Chronic Pain Network (CPN) is Canada’s national network for patient-oriented chronic pain research. Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), we bring together people living with pain, researchers, clinicians, trainees, policymakers, and health system leaders to improve the lives of the approximately one in five Canadians affected by chronic pain.

Our work is grounded in meaningful partnership with people with lived and living experience of pain. We support and connect the pain research community through training and capacity building, patient engagement initiatives, knowledge mobilization activities, and collaborations that accelerate the translation of evidence into practice and policy. By fostering innovation, strengthening research partnerships, and amplifying diverse voices, we are helping to transform how pain is understood, researched, and managed across Canada.

The Network Engagement Associate plays a central role in advancing the Chronic Pain Network's mission by fostering meaningful relationships and creating opportunities for engagement across Canada's patient-oriented pain research community. Reporting to the Managing Director, this position supports the recruitment, onboarding, development, and ongoing engagement of people with lived and living experience of pain and other Network members.

Recruitment & Selection of People with Lived Experience Identifies and recruits, new members to serve on Network committees and projects. Builds and maintains relationships with diverse communities, including equity-deserving groups, to strengthen inclusion and representation. Interviews and selects potential new members Develops and operationalizes membership frameworks, including value propositions and engagement pathways.

Onboarding & Training of People with Lived Experience and Network Members Develops and implements strategies to support network growth, accessibility, and member engagement across multiple partner groups. Develops and conducts training of new people with lived experience on the Network, the role of people with lived experience in research, governance, and knowledge mobilization. Onboards new Network Members about the Network and conducts training on patient-oriented research in collaboration with Training & Capacity Building Leads. Conducts an annual needs assessment and training plan to develop existing People with Lived Experience and Network Members

Committees Co-leads the Patient Engagement Committee for the Network, setting the agenda and workplan to align with the goals of the Network and grant funding. Participate in national patient engagement initiatives, representing the Network, including the SPOR Patient Engagement National Community of Practice, Putting the Pieces Together Committee, and National Pain Awareness Week committee, etc.

Engagement of People with Lived Experience and Network Membership Analyze and extract data through focus group/surveys and provide recommendation on what engagement strategies should be implemented. Conduct key informant interviews, survey and focus groups to understand the needs of People with Lived Experience and Network Membership. Develops and implements patient and community engagement strategies to support meaningful, equitable, and inclusive participation of individuals across programs and initiatives. Supports and advises participants engaged in projects, governance, and related activities to enhance their experience and contributions. Communicates regularly with People with Lived Experience and Network Membership through e-mail, 1:1, and group meetings to ensure regular engagement and touchpoints. Designs and develops tools, resources, and supports to enable effective engagement and participation across initiatives. Leads the development, implementation, and ongoing optimization of engagement platforms and tools. Collaborates with internal and external partners to embed engagement best practices across projects and activities.

Marketing & Communications Collaborates with internal teams and external partners to coordinate communications and enhance visibility of initiatives. Develops and executes communication strategies aligned with organizational priorities to enhance reach and impact. Creates, edits, and disseminates a variety of communication materials including reports, newsletters, website and social media content. Translates complex information into accessible and audience-appropriate formats to support understanding and uptake. Develops and delivers content that supports storytelling, reporting, and demonstrating program impact to partners. Develop and deliver presentations to audiences both internal and external about the Network and raising visibility on Network patient engagement initiatives.

Evaluation & Impact Monitors, tracks, and analyzes engagement metrics and prepares reports to inform planning and decision-making. Leads evaluation of Network’s patient engagement, publishes results, and determines an action plan to address areas for improvement.

How To Apply To apply for this job, please submit your application online.