Policy co-op

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Privacy, Archives, Digital and Data (the Ontario Digital Service)

Privacy, Archives, Digital and Data (the Ontario Digital Service) is tackling complex public problems with digital approaches. We are building a people-centred approach to the design and delivery of government services, programs and policy. Our co-op students are at the heart of supporting change initiatives that are creating a simpler, faster, better Ontario Public Service.

We own and support a growing number of policy files including the Simpler, Faster, Better Services Act, the Digital and Data Strategy, Data Authority, the Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence Framework, and efforts to create a customer-centered government.

We are relentless about diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and applies that lens to every piece of our work. 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.  

As a digital policy co-op you will be directly involved in developing new, forward-looking digital policies for Ontario. On any given day you may:

• work on designing policy options
• co-create solutions for complex public service problems
• conduct research on best practices and partnerships
• evaluate results
• analyze and report on data
• help people across government think about service delivery in a digital age.

Our co-op students are collaborative by nature and are enthusiastic about digital policy challenges and public expectation of government in a digital era.

Your impact

You will help ensure that the work we do to deliver services for Ontarians is done using evidence, data and a relentless focus on the needs of users. Your work will help shape what policy-making looks like in a digital organization. You will guide public servants across government to understand how their programs, policies, and processes can be made better by engaging end users and following the Digital Service Standard. 

You will learn how efficient and effective service design and people-centred approaches impact the way policy design and development are done across government. You will contribute evaluation and policy perspectives on digital design and delivery and provide expertise in research and analysis to support the development of change leadership approaches, strategies, and policies to create a more effective public service.

You will contribute to building a culture of open communication and participatory methods to share, critique, and improve not only our work, but our way of working. Most of all, you will inspire your colleagues across the government to improve the experience for the people of Ontario.

What you bring to the team

• You are enthusiastic and eager to learn.
• You are willing to pitch in where needed and can manage your time to provide support to a variety of different projects, with a variety of different tasks.
• You can communicate complex ideas clearly and succinctly with team members.
• You can familiarize yourself with the Digital Service Standard, Digital and Data Strategy, and digital and government trends, while embracing new ideas that put service users first to find the best solutions.
• You are eager to work in new ways and understand how technology and digital approaches can impact government service delivery and the changing demand for government services.
• You are collaborative and curious by nature, and have experience seeking knowledge from a variety of sources and perspectives.
• You believe diversity and inclusion help create the best conditions for people to achieve the best results. Good government services are built to support all users and diverse perspectives, ideas and opinions are essential to doing that.

Requirements of the job

Eligibility

• You must be enrolled in a co-operative education program approved by a college or university.
• You must be eligible to work in Canada.
• You must be available to work from a location within the province of Ontario.
• This is a full-time job commitment: five days a week, Monday to Friday.
• You must be available to work in-person from our office at 595 Bay Street, Toronto, three days per week, unless an accommodation is made with your manager.

Research and analysis

• You have strong research and analysis skills to develop evidence-based policy options.
• You have the ability to identify gaps and opportunities to continually improve approaches, policies, and services within a collaborative team environment.

Subject matter expertise

• You have some knowledge of – or an interest in – how digital approaches and technologies (e.g. agile, people-centred design, service design, etc.) can be applied to the design, development and implementation of new forward-looking policy.
• You have an understanding of – or an interest in learning about – how policy can contribute to the design and delivery of responsive people-centred digital products.
• You have some knowledge of – or an interest in learning about – government policy making processes.

Collaboration and partnerships

• You can work as a part of a multidisciplinary team, requiring strong communication, interpersonal and collaboration skills to balance and mitigate tensions and competing interests across a broad range of internal and external partners and stakeholders.
• You can develop and maintain strong partnerships with other parts of the OPS, other jurisdictions and external colleagues to share best practices and identify issues.
• You work in the open: sharing information, ideas, solutions and encouraging discussion.
• You work as part of a team, but can execute tasks thoroughly and independently.
• You take initiative and step up to support the team; no task is too big or small.

Why join the team

Our team is an enthusiastic, supportive and collaborative group of individuals making government work better for people by delivering simple, effective and straightforward digital services and products and having fun while doing it.

We offer

• work that makes an impact
• learning and development opportunities
• open and inclusive work environment
• flexible work arrangements

Job details

• Job title: Policy co-op
• Area of government: Privacy, Archives, Digital and Data
• Location: Toronto, Ontario (hybrid work arrangement)
• Salary: $687.49 - $916.65 weekly before tax, depending on your number of previous coop work terms
• Job term: Four-month term (May 6 to August 23) with the potential to be extended an additional 4 months
• Hours of work: 36.25/week (Schedule 6)

How to apply

If you’d like to apply, send us an email with your cover letter and resume in one attached file, labelled with the format: “LastName_FirstName – Policy Co-op Application”.

Submit your application by email to sarah.howe@ontario.ca and liva.zemitis@ontario.ca – put “Policy co-op” as the subject line.

We’re accepting submissions until Thursday, January 18^th, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. EST.

All applications will be kept on file, and considered for future roles. If you do not want us to keep you on file, please let us know in your application email. We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Inclusion and accessibility

The Ontario Public Service is an inclusive employer.

Accommodation is available under the Ontario Human Rights Code.

If you require a disability-related accommodation in order to participate in the recruitment process, please let us know via email at sarah.howe@ontario.ca and liva.zemitis@ontario.ca.