Manager, Indigenous Health Policy

Note: The headquarters for this position is at 438 University Avenue in Toronto. Options for flexible work and telework arrangements are available.

~ Leadership ~ Strategic thinking and innovation ~ An impactful mandate ~

People matter most to us. We believe in supporting policies, programs and resources that will achieve the best outcomes for Ontarians. We strive to deliver innovative and inclusive policies to improve access to health care for Indigenous Peoples in Ontario.

We seek an experienced Manager for our Indigenous Health Policy Unit who can inspire high-performing teams while leading staff through times of change and transition. The Policy Manager will play a critical role in engaging and collaborating with Indigenous communities and internal and external partners to drive our important work forward. If you are a collaborator who is able to build and maintain effective relationships, a strategic thinker who places priority on advancing equity, diversity and inclusion, and you are looking for an opportunity to make an impact in Ontario's health care system, join our senior leadership team and deliver leading-edge health care policies.

We are encouraging and welcoming applications from members of Indigenous, Black, and racialized communities to help us deliver on this critical work.

About us:
TheIndigenous, French Language and Priority Populations Branch provides systems thinking and evidence-based innovations to solve complex challenges in health care; translates evidence into policy and practice to help achieve health system change targets; proactively analyses emerging issues, research and trends to support policy development, evaluation and implementation; and works with a range of internal and external stakeholders, all with a focus on helping improve health equity at the systemic level.

TheIndigenous Health Policy Unit within the branch works to improve the health outcomes for Indigenous people in Ontario by working in partnership with Indigenous communities to advance innovative practices in Indigenous health through analysing emerging issues and trends, identifying leading practices and translating them into the health system in collaboration with partners; building and fostering productive relationships and providing advice and support to ministry partners on engaging with First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities.

What can I expect to do in this role?

Reporting to the Director, Strategic Policy, Planning & French Language Services, you will:
• Be a proactive and innovative leader, motivating your team and colleagues across government to deliver exceptional results in a changing environment
• Coach and mentor a team of professional staff, empowering them to grow and develop to their full potential
• Lead and manage the planning, development, research and evaluation of strategic and operational policy initiatives/programs
• Provide expertise and advice to executives, senior management and staff on policy options, legislation, regulation, funding models, risks and issues management strategies
• Build solid trusting relationships to lead and direct stakeholder and Indigenous partner relations and the ministry's federal, provincial, inter-provincial and inter-ministerial relations, consultations, engagement and facilitation processes
• Lead the management and governance of data sets for policy analysis on Indigenous health issues.


The Ontario Public Service (OPS) Leadership Behaviours define what it means to be a leader through the following expected behaviours and attributes:

• You are committed to the responsibilities of being a leader by demonstrating authenticity, accountability and courage.
• You are innovative by embracing positive disruption, maintaining a future mindset and leading with a common purpose.
• You are collaborative by driving people-centered outcomes, being inclusive and helping staff and colleagues grow, every day.

How do I qualify?

Leadership and Strategic Planning Skills

You demonstrate:
• An inclusive leadership style, leading by example, promoting a positive team environment, and fostering a team culture valuing excellence, diversity, inclusion, and equity
• Experience leading strategic large-scale projects or initiatives, delivering results in a high-profile environment
• Ability to lead and coordinate strategic policy planning, including the review of policy directions and evaluation of evidence-based outcomes
• Knowledge of HR policies and practices, including labour relations, organizational design, and succession planning

Consultation, Communication and Stakeholder Management

You demonstrate:
• Effective consultation, relationship-building and negotiation skills to manage stakeholder, and key Indigenous partner relations, including inter-ministerial, federal-provincial and inter-provincial collaboration and engagement
• Consensus-building skills to balance competing interests of multiple stakeholders
• Well developed communication skills to provide advice and present issues management strategies/recommendations to staff, senior management and executives
• Analytical skills to develop and evaluate stakeholder, Indigenous and key partner outreach strategies to facilitate province-wide public and stakeholder input on Indigenous health policy direction

Technical Expertise

You demonstrate:
• Expertise in policy development theory, practices and methods as it relates to Indigenous and health policy
• The ability to develop an understanding of Cabinet legislative and political decision making-processes
• Knowledge of economic analysis and quantitative research methods to provide specialized advice and expertise on policy and program strategies
• Understanding of factors and issues impacting and influencing the health of Indigenous communities/Peoples

Judgment and Political Acuity

• You demonstrate good judgement and political acuity to manage contentious and emerging issues, identify and minimize risks and develop mitigation strategies
• You are flexible, resilient, and can adapt in a changing and/or uncertain environment
• You are a strategic thinker with the ability to provide sound advice to influence senior level decision-makers

OPS commitment to diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and anti-racism

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 and encourages applications from Indigenous and racialized individuals, and persons with disabilities.

Visit the OPS Anti-Racism Policy and the OPS Diversity and Inclusion Blueprint pages to learn more about the OPS commitment to advancing racial equity, accessibility, diversity and inclusion in the public service. The OPS offers employment accommodation across the recruitment process and all aspects of employment consistent with the requirements of Ontario's Human Rights Code. Refer to the application instructions below if you require a disability-related accommodation.

All external applicants (including former employees of the Ontario Public Service) applying to a competition in a ministry or Commission public body must disclose (either in the cover letter or resume) previous employment with the Ontario Public Service. Disclosure must include positions held, dates of employment and any active restrictions as applicable from being rehired by the Ontario Public Service. Active restrictions can include time and/or ministry-specific restrictions currently in force, and may preclude a former employee from being offered a position with the Ontario Public Service for a specific time period (e.g. one year), or from being offered a position with a specific ministry (either for a pre-determined time period or indefinitely). The circumstances around an employee's exit will be considered prior to an offer of employment.

Remember: The deadline to apply is Wednesday, September 29, 2021 11:59 pm EDT. Late applications will not be accepted.

We thank you for your interest. Only those selected for further screening or an interview will be contacted.