Ontario Centre of Innovation Looking for Director, Strategy & Programs, Automotive & Mobility at Toronto, Ontario, Canada Full Time

Job Summary

 

Reporting to the Assistant Vice-President, OVIN, the Director, Strategy & Programs – Automotive & Mobility will develop and execute strategies and tactical plans to achieve program and initiative targets and drive portfolio growth. This role will also be responsible for managing and supporting the successful delivery of strategic initiatives, projects and partnerships as well as delivering on public education, thought leadership, research, analysis, and insights to serve all stakeholders across the province and globally. The Director, Strategy & Programs – Automotive & Mobility will also be responsible for managing programming to support research and development (R&D) funding, talent and skills development, technology acceleration, business and technical supports, testing, demonstration, adoption, and deployment while supporting work to promote, market and build profile around Ontario’s leadership, nationally and globally.

 

Duties and Responsibilities

 

Leadership

·      Lead staff who are assigned to the Strategy & Programs team, 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.

·      Manage the allocation of resources, including budget and personnel to support the successful implementation of programs and initiatives.

·      Manage and direct strategies relating to thought leadership, research, analysis, and insights activities to serve all stakeholders across the province and globally.

·      Support and drive strategic partnership and collaborative opportunities with the various ministries and stakeholders to co-develop and negotiate new and existing programs and initiatives.

·      Lead the team to design, develop and execute on key program development and delivery activities, including innovative programs and strategic initiatives that align with OCI’s strategic goals.

·      Develop new proposals and identify opportunities and new approaches to amplify initiatives and create value for the automotive and mobility portfolio.

·      Develop and execute the portfolio’s strategic planning process, working closely with key stakeholders to develop strategies to achieve long-term growth and success.

·      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.

 

Program Management and Delivery

·      Manage and deliver the program portfolio including actively cultivating opportunities, support the development a pipeline of projects, and work collaboratively across the organization to deliver on program targets.

·      Develop and implement monitoring and reporting mechanisms to track the progress and impact of programs, and regularly analyze data and performance metrics to identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions.

·      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 information for related success stories in conjunction with the Marketing and Communications group.

 

 

Qualifications

 

·      Formal, specialized post-graduate education in Technology, Policy and/or Business.

·      A minimum of 10 years of related experience.

·      Proven leadership ability and management of a team with diverse skillsets and experience.

·      Knowledge of working elements in the public sector and Ontario’s innovation ecosystem would be an asset.

·      Knowledge of and/or experience in the automotive and mobility sector would be an asset.

·      Superior project management skills with the ability to balance multiple stakeholders’ needs and priorities.

·      Extensive stakeholder management experience with the ability to cultivate strategic partnerships and broker and close deals.

·      Demonstrated experience in a multi-party, collaborative project environment.

·      Highly developed interpretive and analytical skills.

·      Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

·      Impeccable work ethic, highly motivated and passionate, and clearly driven by success.

·      Team player and self-starter who can consistently accomplish critical organizational objectives on time.

·      Distinctive problem solving and analytical skills and impeccable business judgement. 

·      Perform other related duties as required and assigned.

·      Occasional work required outside of normal business hours, including attendance at occasional external events.

·      Occasional travel (10-20%) within Ontario.

 

OCI is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.