Lead Developer

Posting timeline: This posting will be advertised as seen and available for applicant submission from November 1 to 23, 2021.


Join the Ontario Digital Service (ODS) to design and deliver the future of government services.

People are at the heart of our mission to ensure that government works for everyone. Be a part of a world-leading public service, and help improve the lives of over 14 million people of Ontario, through our work using modern design, data and technology tools and practices.

Help us scale impact across the public sector, tackling some of the most important challenges of our time. We work in multidisciplinary, inclusive, collaborative teams.

The Opportunity

As a Lead Developer in the Ontario Digital Service you will be presented with the opportunity to support digital transformation of top government priorities. You will be part of a multi-disciplinary, high-impact team that fosters digital transformation within government while using user-centric design strategies and new technology trends. We are looking for people with a proven background and hands-on experience in implementing complex, IT solutions.

The ideal candidates should have exceptional hands-on experience in all aspects of leading software development life cycle, architecting, coding and delivering digital products

What can I expect to do in this role?

As a Lead Developer, you will:
• Deliver user-centric solution design, development and implementation of cost-effective, high-performing, reliable and simple to use IT solutions
• Have a unique opportunity to contribute in the delivery of the top digital government priorities that have a high impact on the lives of the people of Ontario
• Be part of an agile team that includes a Product Manager, Software Developers, User Experience Researchers, Experience Designers, DevOps and Content Advisors
• Research new technology trends and develop proof of concept
• Provide guidance in solution development and modern web frameworks related to open source technology solutions that ensure our solutions are available anytime, anywhere and on any device
• Be a pioneer for the development and implementation of forward-thinking standards and technologies to support transforming the digital experience for Ontarians interacting with government
• Provide guidance in problem-solving that involves people, tech, and processes using logic and common sense

What you bring to the team:
• You possess proven technical skills and expertise and are not afraid to communicate new ideas and guide the product strategy
• You are proactive, take initiative and thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative, empowered work environment
• You possess exceptional analytical thinking needed for fast problem resolution of technical nature
• You have experience negotiating and influencing others by persuasion rather than authority
• You are committed to sustaining the culture of equality, diversity and inclusion where teams are supported to achieve the best results for everyone to advance and thrive

How do I qualify?

Architecture and Design

• You have solid understanding of modern architectural standards for cloud-based solutions
• You have proven experience applying software engineering best practices and architectural practices to agile product delivery using emerging delivery methodologies that include, but are not limited to, agile
• You have demonstrated experience designing modern architectural patterns to support delivery of complex IT solutions that are stable, secure, responsive, and scalable
• You have experience conducting feasibility studies, reviewing new IT system architecture or re-engineering legacy systems

Technical Knowledge

• You have knowledge of, and hands-on experience with open source technologies, mobile development and databases
• You have knowledge, and hands-on experience implementing IT solutions and working with a variety of modern JavaScript-based technologies (React, Node.js, etc.), MERN stack and semantic accessible languages (HTML5, CSS/SCSS)
• You have proven experience in analyzing systems requirements, architecting, designing and implementing IT solutions that conform to IT standards and best practices
• You have built complex, API-based solutions and transactional systems
• You have built effective UI design, accessibility, web standards, and design systems
• You have written automated test scripts for unit, integration, end-to-end, cross-browser, device, and accessibility testing
• You have knowledge of common authentication technologies, browser-based security controls and standard web application security tools
• You have experience with code version control systems (e.g. Git), DevOps practices, cloud delivery / deployment models, virtualization, and container solutions (e.g. docker, Kubernetes)
• You have advanced knowledge and understanding of best practices for developing web-based applications that meet Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) compliance standards.

Leadership and Organizational Skills

• You have led by example via taking ownership, writing code, being proactive and advocating for a collaborative environment
• You have steered teams on large-scale, complex IT projects and initiatives with high levels of autonomy
• You have experience providing mentorship, and guiding the work of team members/colleagues.
• You foster a culture of ownership and technical excellence
• You are able to articulate methods for build/buy choices on project components, identify common IT risks and address them with contingency plans and back-out options
• You energize and motivate the team by recognizing successes and learning from failures

Project and Digital Expertise

• You have worked closely with the product manager in planning product development, assisting in formulating product strategy, building a technology roadmap and setting timelines
• You have proven judgement and prioritization skills to supervise developers and perform code reviews/quality assurance activities
• You can define technical approaches to understand the user story, breakdown the tasks and guide others in doing so
• You have demonstrated the ability to get buy-in from a team to implement new and improved ways of doing things
• You have championed technology expertise around product development, shared best practices and tools with your peers across the organization, collaborated and shared insights and opinions with other developers, and shared lessons learned from your work with peers and leaders to help guide your approach to digital transformation
• You thrive on feedback and are comfortable transforming ideas generated through user research and data to create a better user experience

Communications

• You can work in a multi-disciplinary team environment to sell your ideas to colleagues, both technical and non-technical
• You are adept at navigating complex issues, handling partners and stakeholder interactions
• You have worked with partners to establish relationships with their security, operations, and IT teams
• You have guided successful technical, business and people-related initiatives that improved productivity, performance, and quality
• You have developed processes to improve the efficiency of teams and taken steps to help others resolve the conflict and maintain trusting relationships

Additional Information

For more information about the ODS, please check out the links below:

•About Us
•Join the ODS
•Digital Service Standard
•COVID-!9: digital rapid response
•Sign up for Job Posting Alerts

Note: These positions are located at 595 Bay Street, Toronto, however, in accordance with advice from the Ministry of Health and the Chief Medical Officer of Health, due to COVID-19, alternate work arrangements may be available.

OPS Commitment to diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and anti- racism:

We are committed to build a workforce that reflects the communities we serve and to promote a diverse, anti-racist, inclusive, accessible, merit-based, respectful and equitable workplace.

We invite all interested individuals to apply and encourage applications from people with disabilities, Indigenous, Black, and racialized individuals, as well as people from a diversity of ethnic and cultural origins, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions.

Visit theOPS Anti-Racism Policy and the OPS Diversity and Inclusion Blueprint pages to learn more about the OPS commitment to advance racial equity, accessibility, diversity, and inclusion in the public service.

We offer 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.

Please be advised that the results of this competition may be used to form an eligibility list of qualified candidates to potentially fill future vacancies represented by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU). In accordance with the Collective Agreement, eligibility lists are shared with OPSEU representatives. By applying to this competition, you are providing consent that your name may be shared with OPSEU representatives.

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 Tuesday, November 23, 2021 11:59 pm EST. Late applications will not be accepted.

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