Overview
Chief Prevention Officer/ Assistant Deputy Minister Jobs in Toronto, Ontario, Canada at Ontario Public Service Leadership | Leadership dans la fonction publique de l’Ontario
Apply by: Monday, August 10, 2026 11:59 pm EDT
Shape the future of workplace prevention in Ontario
This opportunity to lead one of Ontario’s most visible and impactful public mandates, advancing a modern, integrated and prevention-focused systems that helps protect workers, strengthen employers, and improve outcomes across the province.
As the Chief Prevention Officer (CPO)/Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM), you will lead the transformation of Ontario’s prevention system at a pivotal moment. You will bring together policy, funding, research, training and delivery partners into a more connected, evidence-informed and outcome-driven model that improves workplace health and safety across Ontario.
You will work across government, industry, labour and system partners to modernize approaches, strengthen accountability, influence culture, and deliver measurable impact for Ontarians.
A career in the Ontario Public Service is driven by a passion for creating a stronger Ontario.
We foster a diverse and inclusive workplace where employees have the resources and opportunities they need to be fulfilled and inspired to move Ontario forward.
About the job
In addition to leading the Prevention Division of the Ministry as an Assistant Deputy Minister, the successful candidate will be considered for a ministerial appointment as Ontario’s Chief Prevention Officer under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The Chief Prevention Officer provides independent statutory leadership for Ontario’s workplace health and safety prevention system and works across government, employers, labour, health and safety organizations, and other partners to advance prevention priorities and improve workplace outcomes across the province.
Reporting to the Deputy Minister, you will:
- provide executive leadership to Ontario’s occupational health and safety prevention mandate, and oversee the advancement of an integrated provincial prevention system
- lead modernization and transformation across prevention policy, funding, training, research and service delivery functions
- establish a coherent, connected approach across internal ministry partners and external prevention organizations to improve outcomes and system performance
- advise the Minister and senior government leaders on complex, high-profile and sensitive prevention priorities
- strengthen governance, accountability and decision-making across a broad and diverse stakeholder environment
- lead organizational renewal by rebuilding culture, strengthening leadership capability and enabling high-performing teams
- champion evidence-informed approaches to prevention and continuous improvement across the provincial ecosystem
- advance the provincial prevention strategy, establishing prevention standards and providing strategic advice to government on workplace injury and illness prevention, subject to ministerial appointment as Chief Prevention Officer
What you bring to the team
Executive Leadership
You are an accomplished executive leader with demonstrated success leading large-scale transformation, building healthy organizational cultures, and delivering results through people in complex public or broader public sector environments. You bring experience:
- leading diverse, high-performing organizations through sustained change, ambiguity and renewal
- rebuilding trust, strengthening accountability and creating environments where leaders and teams thrive
- establishing clear direction and driving execution across multiple interconnected business lines
- leading through complexity with confidence, sound judgement and timely decision-making
- navigating complex people, labour relations and organizational challenges while maintaining engagement and performance
- fostering inclusive, values-based leadership that advances belonging, excellence and public service outcomes
Stakeholder Relationship Management and Political Acuity
You are a sophisticated relationship builder who can navigate competing interests and create alignment in highly visible environments. You have a proven track record in:
- building trusted relationships across government, agencies, regulated sectors, labour, industry and community partners
- influencing executive decision-making and advancing outcomes in politically sensitive and high-profile environments
- translating complex issues into practical advice and clear action for ministers, executives and stakeholders
- operating effectively where governance, accountability and delivery intersect
- building coalitions across diverse stakeholder groups to advance shared priorities and long-term system outcomes
- balancing strategic ambition with operational realities while maintaining public commitments
Prevention System Leadership and Enterprise Risk Prevention
You understand that prevention is not a program — it is a system. You combine leadership capability and experience in:
- designing and leading prevention, risk mitigation or upstream intervention strategies at enterprise, sector or jurisdictional scale
- advancing integrated approaches that move organizations from reactive response to proactive prevention and measurable outcomes
- using evidence, performance data and research to influence strategy, investment and system improvement
- aligning policy, funding, delivery and accountability mechanisms to achieve sustainable impact
- modernizing complex systems and strengthening governance to improve prevention outcomes across multiple delivery partners
- leading initiatives that anticipate emerging risks and build long-term resilience for organizations, sectors or populations
Don’t meet every qualification?
If you’re excited to work for the Ontario Public Service but don’t think you meet all the criteria, please still consider applying. We recognize no one person might have every qualification in this job ad, and you just might be the right candidate!
How we support diversity, inclusion and accessibility
We are building an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We encourage everyone interested in working with us to apply, including people with disabilities, Indigenous, Black and racialized individuals, as well as people from all ethnicities, cultures, sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.
Our hiring process is accessible, consistent with Ontario’s Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. We are working to prevent and remove barriers in our hiring processes and can offer accommodation to address specific needs related to Code-protected grounds such as disability, family status and religion. For more information about accommodation during the hiring process please contact [email protected]. All information discussed related to accommodation will be kept confidential.
Learn more about the work the OPS is doing to create an inclusive, anti-racist, accessible and diverse workplace:
- diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives
- accessibility
- Anti-Racism Policy
What we offer
The Ontario Public Service is one of Ontario’s largest employers. Employees work for a wide range of ministries, with offices in more than 70 cities across the province. We offer:
- a career that can grow across ministries and job functions
- flexible learning and developmental opportunities, including education and mentorship programs
- many employee networks offering support for and education about underrepresented groups
Our comprehensive compensation and benefits package includes:
- a defined-benefit lifetime pension plan (guaranteed, ongoing inflation-protected income after retirement)
- 100% employer-paid group health, dental, life and disability benefits
- a $750-per-year health and wellness spending account
- 25 days’ vacation, increased after 15 years
- parental leave top-up benefits including for adoptive parents
- an Employee and Family Assistance Program, which provides confidential counseling services
Title: Chief Prevention Officer/ Assistant Deputy Minister
Company: Ontario Public Service Leadership | Leadership dans la fonction publique de l’Ontario
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada