The Ontario Public Service (OPS) is one of the largest employers in the province, employing more than 60,000 people. We have a wide range of meaningful and rewarding career opportunities in communities across Ontario. We welcome new ideas and new people, encourage learning and development, and reward achievement. We offer challenging work and competitive pay and benefits. With government involved in so many different lines of business, working in the OPS offers a tremendous range of exciting career opportunities.
The Education Equity and Governance Secretariat leads work in the identification and removal of systemic barriers to facilitate the strengthening of cultures of respect for human rights and equity and to ensure accountability across the education system. The Education Equity and Governance Secretariat works to ensure that all students and employees in Ontario's publicly funded education system have a safe, fair and respectful work and school environment. The Secretariat addresses the accountability of school boards by building their capacity to address human rights and equity issues in education and support evidence-based and transparent decision-making through demographic data collection, analysis, and public reporting.
To view the full Position Profile and a detailed overview on, please visit the
Legacy Partners website.
An effective leader in the Ontario Public Service (OPS) is responsible, innovative, and collaborative. A responsible leader is someone who demonstrates authenticity, accountability, and courage in how they interact with others. An individual who models ethical behavior, and who is honest and capable of making difficult choices. An innovative leader is someone who leads with common purpose, embraces positive disruption, and has a future mindset. An individual who inspires others, values continuous learning, and encourages development and integration. A collaborative leader focuses on helping others to grow, drives people-centered outcomes and promotes an environment of inclusivity. A leader who consistently works to confront bias and systemic barriers while understanding the importance of creating a more diverse and accessible workplace.
How we support diversity, inclusion and accessibility
The OPS is an innovative, responsive, and accountable public service that works hard to be diverse, anti-racist, inclusive, accessible, merit-based, respectful and equitable. Diversifying leadership teams is a top OPS priority with the goal to achieve parity with the Ontario labour force by 2025 for the most underrepresented groups (Indigenous, racialized and persons with disabilities) in leadership positions.
To advance this goal, the OPS is collecting socio-demographic information that will help to address potential barriers and achieve equity in hiring. You are requested to complete the
voluntary survey and contribute to building a more diverse, anti-racist, inclusive and accessible OPS.
The OPS invites all interested individuals to apply. As an organization that promotes equity and diversity, the OPS encourages applications from Indigenous, Black, racialized, and persons with disabilities. The OPS offers employment accommodation across the recruitment process and all aspects of employment consistent with the requirements of
Ontario's Human Rights Code. A dedicated team of employment accommodation specialists are available to discuss individual accommodation needs and ensure the hiring process is inclusive and free from barriers. Contact them at
ExecutiveAccommodations@ontario.ca if you require an accommodation to participate in the recruitment process. All information discussed related to accommodation will be kept confidential.
Visit the
OPS Anti-Racism Policy, the
OPS Diversity and Inclusion Blueprint and the
Multi-Year Accessibility Plan to learn more about the OPS commitment to advancing racial equity, accessibility, diversity and inclusion in the public service.
About the job
Reporting to the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Education, the work of the Chief Equity Officer and ADM of Education Equity and Governance Secretariat is focused on two main areas: human rights and equity and school board governance.
In the area of human rights and equity, the Secretariat is responsible ensuring that students in Ontario's publicly funded education system learn in barrier-free environments and can acquire the skills they need to be successful, competitive, and productive members of society and have opportunities to reach their full potential.
In the area of school board governance, the Secretariat is responsible for policy and program development to support effective, accountable school board governance. This includes responsibility for policies, regulations, and legislation regarding key governance issues, including director of education hiring, trustee code of conduct, and board reviews.
What you bring to the team
Executive Leadership
The ideal candidate will possess demonstrated executive-level leadership experience in relevant sectors and strong competency and profound grasp of human rights principles, specifically concentrating on identifying and addressing systemically based barriers to equitable student achievement.
The ideal candidate should have expert level knowledge about the Human Rights Code and be able to provide intersectional and non-hierarchical analysis and strategic direction in its application. In addition, the ideal candidate will have expertise in governance, exemplary political acuity, and will work collaboratively with senior leadership in the sector, the ministry, and across government to foster cultures that uphold and promote human rights.