Ontario is going global with its next open position.
Like a multinational tech giant, the province is casting the widest net possible in its search for the right person to serve as Ontario’s first chief digital officer.
“This is a one-of-kind senior executive opportunity to reinvent government for the digital age, to partner with all parts of a 60,000+ person organization, to ignite disruption and innovation, to mobilize new ideas, measure performance, and build upon success,” the posting, which has been given its own page on the Ontario website, says.
“If you’ve got courage, value excellence, are willing to challenge conventional thinking, spark curiosity, take smart risks, make tough decisions, believe that government can be better and have the digital chops to make it happen – we’re looking for you,” it says.
Based in Toronto, the position will require its successful applicant to build the province’s first Digital Government Office, “a nimble team with startup values and a diverse skill-set,” according to the posting, that will collaborate with senior government officials, organizational leaders, and digital delivery teams to execute a “bold vision” for Ontario – defined, of course, by its chief digital officer.
First announced in the 2016 provincial budget, the future CDO will also serve as the chair of Ontario’s first Digital Government Board, which will collaborate with partners both within and outside the government to implement a digital transformation plan the province will be revealing later this year, which according to the job posting will include:
- Designing digital services and products around user needs, rather than government needs;
- Harnessing new technologies to deliver user-focused government programs and services;
- Attracting top digital talent and advancing digital skills organization-wide; and
- Delivering a best-in-class user experience on an industry-leading web platform.
Above all, the province’s digital transformation “does not simply mean putting existing processes online,” the posting says. “It means fundamentally rethinking how government programs and services are delivered in Ontario.”
Consequently, the posting repeatedly emphasizes that civil service experience matters less to Ontario’s future CDO than being the people’s champion for a cutting-edge user experience, on par with the expectations they would have of Google or Facebook.
Among the qualities the province is looking for: a “sharp tech strategist” who will re-invent platforms and business processes using emerging technologies and data, and a “passionate educator” who can articulate those processes across the organization.
Tech gurus with executive experience who fancy themselves up for the challenge are encouraged to send their resume, along with a breakdown of how they would bring their vision of Ontario’s digital roadmap to life, to DMsearch@ontario.ca under the subject line “I’m Your CDO”.
The application deadline is July 29.