Lead High-Impact Service Delivery in the Heart of Ottawa

Do you thrive in dynamic, high-volume environments where every day brings new challenges and opportunities? Are you a people-centered leader with a passion for continuous improvement and exceptional customer service?

This is your opportunity to shape how government services are delivered in the largest and most visible public service centre in the East Region. Located in downtown Ottawa, this high-traffic location serves a wide and diverse population, averaging 300 to 400 customers daily. We are seeking an operational leader who can support frontline teams, improve service delivery, and help foster an engaging, responsive, and resilient workplace.

About the job

At the Ontario Public Service, we hold our leaders to the highest standards, expecting them to embody authenticity, accountability, and courage in every action and decision. As a leader, you'll be at the forefront of creating a dynamic work environment that sparks innovation, fosters collaboration, and champions inclusivity. We value a diverse, anti-racist, and accessible workplace where everyone feels safe and respected. By embracing these values, you'll help build a vibrant team culture where every individual can thrive. Your leadership will inspire and motivate your team to achieve their best, aligning their efforts with our strategic vision.

As Manager of the Ottawa Service Centre , you will be responsible for overseeing the delivery of government services at our only publicly run location in the nation's capital. This centre is unique within the region for its scale, visibility, and service offerings. Your leadership will be critical in meeting customer expectations and ensuring continuity of operations.

To succeed in this role, you will:

• Lead day-to-day operations of the centre, ensuring efficient workflows, positive customer experience and achievement of service standards.
• Provide consistent guidance and day-to-day support to a large frontline team, strengthening morale and operational stability in a high-demand setting with ongoing recruitment and attendance needs.
• Monitor and improve wait times, customer flow, and service outcomes, including at the kiosk, greeter desk, and express wicket.
• Deliver targeted outreach and community strategies to help reduce unsuccessful in-person transactions.
• Collaborate with other public and private service centre managers to support consistency, innovation, and shared success across the Ottawa market.
• Support regional priorities and contribute to strategic planning and performance reporting.

Please note:

• This position is based at Ottawa City Hall and requires on-site work five days a week.
• The position is expected to begin later in the year, though there is flexibility depending on team needs and candidate availability. We encourage applicants to indicate their availability in their application.

Meet Your New Team

You will report to the Heather Kearney, Director of East Service Centres Branch . Heather (she/her) is a seasoned public servant and an inclusive leader with a breadth of leadership experience in both the public and private sectors. From communications in entertainment, education, entrepreneurship and finance to tax administration, legislative interpretation and tourism, Heather has brought valuable lessons and a fresh perspective to her Customer Care role at ServiceOntario, promoting customer experience through innovation and service delivery excellence. Born and raised in eastern Ontario, Heather thrives in serving in government that touches people's everyday lives in this beautiful region of the province and encourages her team to focus on the impact their work has on the people in their communities. She believes in asking both why and why not, how can we do it better and that great customer experience begins with great employee experience. Prospective candidates interested in joining Heather's team and enjoying the meaningful work of responsive community service delivery are encouraged to connect directly via email at heather.kearney@ontario.ca.

You will join a dedicated and collaborative leadership team that values flexibility, results, and service excellence. You'll work closely with public and private partners in Ottawa and across the region to ensure a seamless and inclusive customer experience.

The Ottawa Service Centre team is known for its fast-paced and high-impact work, its strong customer focus, and its responsiveness to evolving community needs. We are looking for a manager who can bring both structure and care to help the team thrive.

Ready to Make an Impact?

This is a pivotal leadership role with the opportunity to influence how tens of thousands of Ontarians access services every year. Your ability to manage complexity, lead through change, and build strong connections with staff and customers will be essential in delivering results that matter.

If you're passionate about operational excellence, team development, and public service, we encourage you to apply and help shape a positive customer experience for the people of Ottawa.

What you bring to the team

Strategic Leadership and People Management

• Demonstrated the leadership behaviours, attributes and mindsets for leaders, across the organization, to lead the OPS into the future and deliver our vision.
• Experience inspiring, supporting, and developing high-performing teams in dynamic operational settings.
• Demonstrated success in fostering an environment of continuous improvement, creativity, and excellence.
• Inclusive leadership style that values diversity, collaboration, and open communication.
• Skilled in aligning people, processes, and resources to optimize service delivery and achieve organizational outcomes.

Operational Leadership and Service Excellence

• Experience managing operations in a high-volume, customer-facing environment, with a focus on delivering consistent, high-quality service.
• Proven ability to lead and support teams through change, while maintaining service standards and ensuring day-to-day continuity.
• Commitment to service excellence, with a track record of identifying service gaps, streamlining workflows, and improving the overall customer experience.

Team Development and Recruitment

• Experience managing and developing frontline teams, including coaching, performance management, and fostering a positive work culture.
• Ability to navigate staffing challenges with agility, including proactive recruitment, onboarding, and retention strategies.
• Skilled at building team engagement, addressing issues such as burnout or absenteeism with empathy and accountability.

Problem Solving and Adaptability

• Proven capability in assessing complex situations and developing practical, effective solutions.
• Flexibility in responding to shifting priorities, operational demands, and workforce dynamics.
• Political acuity to anticipate risks, respond to sensitive issues, and support informed decision-making.

Communication and Relationship Building

• Clear and thoughtful communicator, able to motivate teams, convey expectations, and provide meaningful updates to leadership and partners.
• Skilled in building collaborative relationships with colleagues, staff, and external partners to support coordinated and efficient service delivery.

Language Skills

• Bilingualism (English and French) is considered an asset, as it supports inclusive service delivery in Ottawa's diverse and multilingual community.

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:

• diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives
• accessibility
• Anti-Racism Policy

Apply by: Wednesday, July 16, 2025 11:59 pm EDT