Senior Strategic Advisor to the Director, 100% Regular

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board is the largest school board in Eastern Ontario and offers students and parents a world of choice for learning. Our nearly 150 schools offer a wide range of programs to promote learning excellence and meet the individual needs of students, parents, and the community at large. Our schools are teaching communities where principals, vice-principals, teachers and support staff nurture student well-being and challenge students to achieve their best.

We are seeking a creative, dynamic, committed professional to join our team:

Senior Strategic Advisor to the Director

Position Status: Regular, 100%, 12 months
Affiliation: Union Exempt, UE11
Salary range: $149,562 - $176,121

Reporting to the Director of Education, the Senior Strategic Advisor to the Director serves as a critical strategic partner, and trusted advisor to the Director of Education. Serving as a senior-level leader within the District, this role is responsible for driving strategic initiatives, overseeing key departments related to communications, family and community engagement, and strategic data analytics, as well as building operational excellence through alignment and coherence, system-wide.

Candidate Profile

The Senior Strategic Advisor to the Director acts as an extension of the Director, managing the operational rhythm of the Director’s office, triaging critical issues, and ensuring cross-departmental alignment. The incumbent is a strategic thinker, a skilled communicator, and a proven change management leader who can navigate complex challenges and deliver tangible results. This position will lead and mentor a team of high-performing professionals in the Director's office, including ensuring high quality advisory services to the Board.

The successful candidate will have demonstrated the following:

• Leadership qualities to coach, motivate and mentor others; and provide strategic direction and support of the District's vision.
• Communication skills, consultation, diplomacy and political acuity to provide strategic advice with political implications to senior management, Board of Trustees, and internal/external stakeholders.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication (oral and written) skills to establish, foster and maintain effective working relationships with diverse stakeholders. Has the confidence to earn credibility and trust at all levels (internal and external).
• Ability to act with profound discretion and emotional intelligence when managing executive-level relationships and highly sensitive District information.
• Demonstrates sensitivity to stakeholder voice and confidentiality.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and the removal of systemic barriers, as well as championing the advancement of human rights for students, staff and school communities.

Qualifications

• Masters in business administration, public administration, or education.
• Eight (8) or more years in a managerial role; including experience in strategic planning, project management, communications and public relations, data analytics, and governance.
• Experience in a school board environment is preferred.
• Governance designation or knowledge about public body governance is considered an asset.