Ontario Centre of InnovationVerified Job Source

Director, Strategic Programs

Toronto, ON
On-site
Posted Jul 6, 2026
1 position

$130,000–$148,000 / year

Opens an external site

Employment type: Full-time
Experience level: Lead · 10+ years
Minimum education: Master’s degree
Posting language: English
Working hours: 40 hours per week

Job summary

The Director will develop and execute strategies to drive portfolio growth and manage the delivery of strategic initiatives and partnerships for OCI programs. This includes leading teams, managing resources and budgets, and collaborating with stakeholders to promote Ontario's leadership in innovation.

Job details

Job Summary Reporting to the Assistant Vice President, Strategic Programs, the Director, Strategic Programs will develop and execute strategies and tactical plans to achieve program and initiative targets and drive portfolio growth for a range of OCI programs. This role will primarily be responsible for managing the strategic growth of the portfolio, whilst also managing and supporting the successful delivery of a range of strategic initiatives, projects and partnerships. The Director, Strategic Programs will lead and or build the team(s) associated with the specific program(s) providing tactical guidance and coaching to staff and creating through their leadership a positive and stimulating work environment. The Director, Strategic Programs demonstrates strong leadership, strategic thinking and effective program management skills to ensure seamless execution of programs under the strategic programs portfolio. They will also support work to promote, market and build profile around Ontario’s leadership, nationally and globally. Duties and Responsibilities * Analyze market trends and develop new proposals and approaches to create value for OCI’s strategic programs portfolio. * Support partnership opportunities with the various ministries and stakeholders to co-develop and negotiate new and existing programs and initiatives. * Drive thought leadership and outreach to a broad range of stakeholders across Canada’s priority areas. * Lead key program development and delivery activities, including but not limited to establishing program focus, objectives, structure, delivery model, processes, criteria and evaluation tool. * Develop and execute the strategic program(s) strategic planning process and report on program performance using quantitative and qualitative metrics, making data driven decisions and adjustments as necessary. * Build and maintain the OCI network, including the identification and development of strategic partnerships and initiatives to advance the stakeholder goals of this and other initiatives. * Leverage and grow existing networks of investors, alumni, mentors, and other community assets to support public sector led ventures. * Provide operational leadership to manage and deliver programs under the strategic programs portfolio. * Work collaboratively across the organization to deliver on program targets and deliverables, organizational objectives and the evolving needs of stakeholders. * Manage the allocation of resources, including budget and personnel to support the successful implementation of programs and initiatives. * Lead staff who are allocated to the assigned programming, including providing guidance and coaching, providing a clear sense of purpose and direction, and creating through his/her leadership a positive and stimulating work environment. * Ensure roles, responsibilities, accountabilities, and authorities of the team are defined and understood and that appropriate performance management programs are in place. * Develop and manage baseline processes, procedures and templates for the strategic program(s) working collaboratively across the organization ensuring consistent, efficient, transparent processes are in place that provide a robust audit trail. * Provide direction and guidance to OCI service groups as it relates to the Strategy & Programs team activities (e.g., Marketing / Communication and Finance groups on key deliverables) as well as support relating to other programs and activities at OCI. * Build credibility, confidence, and collaboration cross-departmentally including with Business Development, and Marketing and Communications teams. * Liaise regularly with stakeholders to track progress against milestones and reporting metrics. * Plan, develop, and deliver events (e.g., workshops, seminars, regional network meetings) in consultation with Marketing and Communications. * Accountable for the identification and development of success stories in conjunction with the Marketing and Communications group. * May be required to perform other related duties as required and assigned. Qualifications and Competencies * Formal, specialized post-graduate education in Science and Technology or Business. * Minimum of 10 years of related experience in technology, innovation, business. * Proven leadership ability and management of a team with diverse skillsets and experience * Full knowledge of working elements in the public sector and Ontario’s innovation ecosystem. * Superior project management skills with the ability to balance multiple stakeholders’ needs and priorities. * Extensive stakeholder management experience management experience with the ability to broker and close deals. * Impeccable work ethic, highly motivated and passionate, and clearly driven by success. * Strong communication and interpersonal skills. * Demonstrated experience in a multi-party, collaborative project environment. * Highly developed interpretive and analytical skills. * Familiar with the language and terminology of industry, the academic community, finance, and government. * Distinctive problem solving and analytical skills and impeccable business judgement. * A self-starter with strong leadership skills, capable of independent program management and integration with all parts of OCI. * Occasional work required outside of normal business hours, including attendance at external events. * Occasional travel (30-40%) within Ontario. * Bilingual (French and English) an asset. This role is being recruited to fill a current vacancy. OCI is committed to creating a diverse and equitable environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. OCI welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

What you’ll do

Requirements

Requires a postgraduate degree in Science, Technology, or Business and at least 10 years of related experience in technology, innovation, or business. Candidates must possess strong leadership abilities, extensive stakeholder management experience, and deep knowledge of Ontario's innovation ecosystem.