Senior Advisor, Corporate Affairs

About Us

The Ontario Cannabis Store provides safe, responsible access to recreational cannabis for adults 19 and older. We operate the sole legal online store for recreational cannabis in Ontario and are the provincial wholesaler of cannabis for private retail stores.

Working at the OCS is a unique opportunity to be part of an agile start-up in a ground-breaking new industry.  We’re a diverse team passionate about delivering a great customer experience, working together with mutual respect and building value out of our differences.  We’re an inclusive organization that understands that delivering great results comes out of ensuring every voice is heard.  

About the Role

We’re looking for a Senior Advisor, Corporate Affairs to join our team! Reporting to the Manager, Corporate Affairs, Policy & Government Relations, this role plays a key part in ensuring the OCS meets its accountability and reporting obligations as a provincial Crown agency.

The Senior Advisor will collaborate across the organization to support OCS’s relationship with the Ontario Ministry of Finance (MOF), draft high-quality corporate materials for internal and external audiences that align with strategic objectives, and develop tools to track and measure progress against the strategic plan. They will also lead the development and execution of the agency’s Annual Report and multi-year Business Plan.

We’re seeking a detail-oriented and organized professional who can effectively manage multiple priorities. The ideal candidate will thrive in a cross-functional environment, leveraging relationships across teams to drive results and support key deliverables.

About Your Day

• Support the organization’s accountability relationship with the Ontario Ministry of Finance
• Engage with internal partners (e.g., Enterprise Risk Management, Finance) to support financial and risk reporting to government
• Monitor and execute government information requests, ensure corporate compliance with applicable government directives, and provide acute issues management support.
• Develop and review core agency accountability documents and processes, including the Annual Report, Business Plan, and agency attestation process
• Lead the development, review and execution of the organization’s Annual Report and Business Plan. This includes developing a comprehensive workback plan, soliciting inputs and feedback from cross functional partners across the organization, facilitating approvals and submission into the government and the Board and coordinating publication.
• Lead and coordinate government approvals for operational initiatives. This includes providing project leadership to assigned resources responsible for project delivery (e.g., organizing meetings, setting agendas, developing and reviewing materials, assigning tasks, reviewing progress, providing guidance and advice) to ensure initiatives are approved for execution. 
• Work cross functionally to establish program evaluation structures to measure and monitor the short- and long-term impact on OCS operations of items brought forward for approval. 
• Build and maintain a network of internal stakeholders to support approval processes. Guide other advisors/analysts in support of department deliverables.
• Work with the Manager to support the organization’s day-to-day relationship with other provinces and territories through the Canadian Cannabis Jurisdictional Leadership (CCJL)
• Support the Policy team on policy deliverables, as required

About You         

• Completion of a post-secondary degree in public policy, public administration, business administration, political science, or a related field
• Master’s degree or advanced degree in a similar field is an asset
• 3-5 years of experience in public policy, corporate governance and/or stakeholder relations, ideally within a public sector organization or within a regulated sector
• Experience interfacing with senior management, with proven ability to develop and maintain strong professional relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Exceptional time management skills, highly organized and keen attention to detail
• Strong political acuity, interpersonal, diplomatic and negotiating skills, and ability to exercise discretion and judgment
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal)
• Developed critical thinking, research, and analytical skills
• Strong understanding of legislative processes, government procedures / agency oversight structures, and issues management
• Intermediate skill in Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, Excel and Outlook

About the Job

• This position currently offers a hybrid work schedule. The current in office requirement is a minimum of 3 days/week (may be more depending on business needs). The OCS office is located near York Mills and Yonge Street. However, OCS reserves the right to change this policy and its office location at any time.
• City: Toronto, ON 
• Employment Type: Permanent, Full- Time
• Required Travel: Rare, usually within the GTA

Compensation

The target hiring range for this position is 85,000- $95,000. This is a pay grade 6 role, with a salary range of $71,066.63- $106,316.64. Placement in the salary range will be based on factors such as market conditions, internal equity, and candidate experience, skills, and qualifications relevant to the role.

We are committed to providing an accessible, equitable and inclusive candidate and employee experience. We provide reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process and in employment. If you require an accommodation please let us know, we will work with you to meet your needs.