Overview

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.

For example, just some of the areas we hire for include:

  • Administrative and Support Services
  • Customer and Client Services
  • Education and Training
  • Human Resources
  • Science and Engineering, and
  • many more

Career opportunities

As one of the largest employers in the province, the OPS offers work in a variety of locations, within five regional boundaries:

  • north
  • east
  • west
  • central
  • Toronto

Note: your job search will only list cities where active job postings are available.

Search current job openings

Our workplace

Our values

Values are important to the way an organization works, how staff members are treated, and how people work with each other and with people outside the organization including both customers and stakeholders.

The OPS organizational values are what the public service is striving for and the working environment that we are creating together. These values guide our behaviour and relationships.

Trust

We act honorably and honestly in all our relationships with the people we serve, work with and who rely on us. We do our best to keep our commitments and fulfill expectations.

Fairness

We deal with others in an open, impartial and non-discriminatory manner. We ensure that the processes we use and the decisions we make are fair.

Diversity

We celebrate our differences and draw on the strengths and capabilities of all of Ontario’s communities. We welcome and respect alternate points of view to inform and enlighten us.

Excellence

We strive for and recognize competence and excellence. We work hard to provide the best policy advice and the highest quality services that respond to the needs of Ontarians.

Creativity

We create new solutions by listening and learning and by being innovative and open to new ideas and approaches.

Collaboration

We work with team members, colleagues and partners to solve problems and share responsibility.

Efficiency

We make careful, prudent and effective use of the hard-earned public dollars, assets and resources entrusted to us.

Responsiveness

We engage with clients, stakeholders, bargaining agents, the general public, and our staff to find out how we can do better. We monitor and measure to make sure we are meeting our goals.

Our mission

Our mission is to serve the public interest, to uphold the public’s trust and deliver the policies, programs and services that government provides, we:

  • support the elected government by providing Ministers with honest, impartial and objective advice
  • carry out the decisions and policies of the elected government and administer public services to the highest professional standards
  • conduct ourselves with integrity
  • exercise responsible stewardship of public resources and information
  • fulfill all our duties in accordance with the law, including the Public Service of Ontario Act, and in compliance with our Public Service Oath.
  • are accountable for how we fulfill our public service roles

The public is entitled to expect the highest standards of conduct from all individuals who work for the OPS.

This means that public servants need to be sure that government activities are conducted in an open, fair and transparent manner.

One way to ensure this type of conduct is to identify and resolve any conflicts of interest. In most cases, potential conflicts of interest that are not identified at the application stage can be discussed during the Evaluation Process.

The provincial government is divided into ministries, and each ministry has an elected Minister who is accountable to the Legislative Assembly, and ultimately the public. In each ministry Deputy Ministers head up the public service.

The Deputy Minister and head of the OPS is called the Secretary of the Cabinet. The Cabinet is comprised of both the Premier and the Minister.

The hiring process

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.

Learn more about our hiring process.

Leadership

A career as an Ontario Public Service leader offers:

  • innovative, complex, and challenging assignments
  • opportunities for career growth and personal development
  • an enriching and fulfilling career in the field of your choice

Learn more about Ontario Public Service leadership opportunities.

Canadian Armed Forces Veterans

Canada’s former military personnel have a range of skills and experience, including high-quality leadership and team-building skills, that are valued in government. We are committed to supporting Canadian Armed Forces Veterans by making it easier for them to access OPS employment opportunities.

To improve CAF Veteran access to OPS employment opportunities, Veterans can apply to internal (“restricted”) competitions for non-represented (for example, non-unionized) positions in the OPS.

A CAF veteran is any former member of the Canadian Armed Forces who successfully underwent basic training and is honourably discharged (definition from Veterans Affairs Canada). If you are a CAF veteran, you should mention this in your cover letter or resume when applying for OPS job competitions. This may be considered prior to an offer of employment in Management Compensation Plan, excluded and executive competitions. This does not apply to CAF veterans who are OPS employees, nor does this apply to active members of the Canadian Armed Forces. If you are selected for an interview, please be prepared to bring an original copy of your proof of status (veteran’s ID Card or Certificate of Service).

To learn more about how to access and apply to these jobs, please visit the OPS Veterans’ job alert subscription service. You may also receive alerts for “open” job postings on our OPS Careers website by subscribing to this service.

We appreciate the service of CAF personnel and will help ensure that Veterans working in the OPS can build a successful career.

Students and new professionals

Students and new professionals can gain access to a variety of information and support programs, including:

  • work experience, internship and summer employment programs
  • career advice
  • labor market information
  • skills training

Learn more about OPS opportunities for students and new professionals.

Summer employment opportunities

The OPS offers various positions for students interested in developing new skills and gaining experience. 

Here are the top three reasons to apply for Summer Employment Opportunities:

  1. Learn: Jump start your career, whether you want to learn business skills, use your French language skills, help out in a lab, or work outdoors. Put the knowledge you’ve acquired at school into action.
  2. Grow: Enhance your skills and expand your network by working on projects, leading initiatives, and sharing your ideas. Transfer the skills you learn to your future school and work experiences.
  3. Contribute: In addition to advancing your professional and personal skills, you will also give back to your community. Spend your summer working to support the interests of Ontarians!

Learn more about summer employment opportunities.

Contact us

If you have any general questions, or more specific about the following:

  • job advertisement
  • status of a competition
  • help with an application (e.g. disability accommodation)

Contact us