If you have a passion for creatively solving policy problems and improving the way services are delivered to Ontarians, this role is for you! Join the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Service's Policy Prototyping Unit (PPU) as we work with our partners to solve complex policy and delivery challenges with a human-centred lens.
About usThe Strategic Policy, Insights and Data Division (SPIDD) supports the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS) to define and achieve its mandate for change, impacting Ontarians in need through the programs and services that support them.
We do this by:
• Collaborating with partners across the Ministry and beyond to develop quality policy options, advice and products to support our priorities
• Planning and testing effective and measurable delivery options including assessing how well they may, and actually do, achieve the mandate for change
• Monitoring and reporting on progress towards our ultimate goals
• Engaging our internal and external partners and members of the public to design, test, and refine new and innovative ideas and solutions
Information Session:We are offering an opportunity for those interested to attend a virtual session to learn more about the division and the positions to be filled.
Date: February 18th, 2026Time: 12:30 PM - 1:15 PM A link to the information session is
here.Remember to add this event to your calendar
* This session is optional and has no impact on hiring decisions
About the job
You will work closely with ministry partners to:
• Use your human-centred mindset and principles to define, plan, and deliver impactful projects that improve how government services are delivered and experienced
• Bring your analytical skills and creativity to tackle complex challenges within key policy priority files and deliver tangible outcomes using service design and systems thinking best practices.
• Provide a challenge function to existing and emerging initiatives
• Work with autonomy to scope ambiguous projects, engage diverse stakeholders, and facilitate workshops with cross-functional teams, while providing expert consultation and mentorship to staff.
• Identify and resolve roadblocks
• Undertake deep-dive, collaborative problem solving
• Connect teams with resources and subject matter experts
What you bring to the team
Policy Development and Performance Measurement Skills
You can:
• apply creative qualitative and quantitative research techniques (e.g. user research) to inform evidence-based policy options
• develop policy improvement opportunities based on current and future needs of people, balancing system constraints and challenges
• understand public sector decision-making practices to help manage the planning, implementation and evaluation of our team's recommended approaches
• develop and implement performance measurement and evaluation strategies for programs, projects, systems and strategic initiatives
Problem-solving and Analysis Skills
You can:
• apply research tools (e.g. service design, process mapping, prototyping, user research) to understand and improve complex policy or program issues
• frame problems and research approaches within ambiguous contexts
• engage diverse groups of partners, stakeholders, and members of the public on complex topics through various techniques (e.g. interviews, workshops)
•synthesize and analyze qualitative and quantitative data to identify actionable insights and recommendations
Leadership and Project Management Skills
You have:
• led multiple projects and meet deadlines within a high-demand work environment
• comfort operating in a matrix structure, working with multiple, cross-functional teams at once
• experience identifying potential risks for projects, including financial, political, operational, and legal, to determine mitigating strategies and best course of action
• flexibility to adapt to shifting priorities and evolving roles as part of a team
Communication and Facilitation Skills
You have:
• sound judgement, tact and political acuity to advise senior executives on the strategic policy work
• enthusiasm for cooperativeness, co-design, and human-centred outcomes.
• strong verbal, visual, and written communications skills and can produce high-quality, easy-to-digest reports and presentations to support decision making
• influencing skills to support and resolve issues
• networking, influencing and partnership building skills to discuss and resolve competing policy and program related issues
Don't meet every qualification?
If you are excited about this position and meet most, but not all, of the listed qualifications, please still consider applying. We recognize that no one person might have every qualification in this job ad, and you just might be the right candidate!
How we support diversity, inclusion and accessibility
We are building an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We encourage everyone interested in working with us to apply, including people with disabilities, Indigenous, Black and racialized individuals, as well as people from all ethnicities, cultures, sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.
Our hiring process is accessible, consistent with Ontario's
Human Rights Code and the
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. We are working to prevent and remove barriers in our hiring processes and can offer
accommodation to address specific needs related to Code-protected grounds such as disability, family status and religion. For more information about accommodation during the hiring process please
contact us.Learn more about the work the OPS is doing to create an inclusive, anti-racist, accessible and diverse workplace: