Position Officer: Returning Officer

Posting Status: Open

Position Status: Contract position

Expected Earnings: $48.60 per hour

Hours of Work: Full-time during elections/Varied part-time outside elections

Posting Date: Friday, March 6

Closing Date: Thursday, March 26

Who we are

The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer is an independent, non-partisan agency of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, responsible for the administration of provincial elections, by-elections and referenda.

At the heart of our work is a commitment to democracy – making voting easy and accessible for all electors, while maintaining the integrity, security, and transparency of the electoral process.

Join our team

The Returning Officer (RO) reports to the Chief Electoral Officer and is responsible for the election in their electoral district (ED). They play a key role in maintaining public trust in the electoral process to ensure democracy is upheld by delivering fair, accessible, and consistent elections.

We are seeking results-oriented community leaders who thrive in a multi-faceted challenging environment, to manage all aspects of provincial elections, by-elections and referenda in their assigned electoral district.

Your role

As a Returning Officer (RO), you manage election operations in your ED in accordance with the Election Act and operational parameters set by Elections Ontario. As an election call can occur at any time, this role involves ongoing activities and engagement.

You will:

-Collaborate: Work with EOHQ through planning, assignments, and training, while building effective relationships with electors, staff, candidates, vendors, and community partners. -Manage: Independently recruit and manage returning office staff and 400–600 poll officials during elections, make operational decisions, and oversee budget, payroll, and compliance obligations. -Plan and Execute: Secure and inspect returning office and voting locations, ensure AODA-related accessibility compliance, coordinate legislated timelines for writs, close of nominations, and polling day, and manage nomination processing. -Problem Solve: Anticipate operational issues, troubleshoot challenges in staffing, logistics, and voting services, and escalate matters to EOHQ when needed. -Proactively Communicate: Maintain clear, timely communication with EOHQ, provide guidance to staff and stakeholders, and ensure accurate, confidential handling of sensitive election information.

Click here https://www.elections.on.ca/en/returning-officer.html to watch videos about the Returning Officer position in Ontario.

To succeed you need

• Must be of voting age, a Canadian Citizen and resident in Ontario as per the Election Act.
• Demonstrated experience in event planning, project management or other senior management experience.
• Proven expertise in managing a diverse workforce.
• Proficient experience managing a six-figure budget and overseeing payroll activities.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills to engage effectively with electors, candidates, landlords, polling staff and other stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience with Microsoft Office and various software applications, with the ability to learn new tools quickly.
• Residing in or near the electoral district is preferred; local demographic and geographic knowledge is considered an asset.
• Access to a reliable means of transportation is required.
• ROs work under the direction of the Chief Electoral Officer and are appointed by Order-In-Council.

Locations

We are recruiting for Returning Officers for the following electoral districts (EDs): - ED038 – Hamilton Mountain*

• ED041 – Humber River—Black Creek*

• ED052 – Leeds—Greenville—Thousand Islands

• ED065 – Mississauga—Streetsville*

• ED071 - Nickel Belt*

• ED074 – Oakville - ED080 – Ottawa—Vanier*

• ED086 – Peterborough—Kawartha

• ED095 – Scarborough—Guildwood*

• ED107 – Timiskaming—Cochrane*

*For French-designated electoral districts, a professional working knowledge of French is considered an asset for the Returning Officer.

How to apply

Please submit your resume and cover letter as one attachment, by completing the Returning Officer Application. For more information, consult our website and click Apply Now.

Our recruitment process reflects our mission to uphold the integrity and accessibility of the electoral process. Together, we lead change by building modern services that put the needs of Ontarians first. We appreciate all applications; only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. We thank all applicants for their submissions.

How to request accommodation Elections Ontario is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable and accessible environment, where all employees feel valued, respected, and supported. Under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and the Ontario Human Rights Code, we provide accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment and selection process. If you require a disability-relate accommodation to participate, please call 1-888-668-8683, send fax to 1-866-714-2809, TTY at 1-888-292-2312 or email hr@elections.on.ca.