Director, Data Science and Analytics

Director, Data Science and Analytics

Location: Toronto-661 University

Department: Data Science & Analytics

To provide strategic leadership and direction for the planning, implementation and overall operational direction of the Data Science and Analytics department. Responsible for developing and implementing the organization’s analytics framework, establishing operating models, and overseeing shared services within Public Health Ontario.
The Director is accountable for ensuring these initiatives align with organizational strategies, promote innovation, and advance analytical capabilities to enhance decision-making and improve public health outcomes. The Director works closely with the Digital and Data leadership and other PHO leadership to build integrated Data Science and Analytics programs, services and products across the agency that maximizes the use of PHO and public health data for decision-making and action and accelerates population health monitoring. To set an overall data science and information management strategy working closely with the Chief Information Officer, PHO senior leadership, and Scientific Advisors and other Chiefs.

Key Responsibilities-

• Acts as a strategic leader and thinker across the organization to drive sound, innovative programs and strategies in the areas of Data Science and Analytics.
• Provides strategic leadership in strengthening PHO’s evolving Data Science and Analytics program, designing and building systems, business tools and solutions to support our programmatic requirements.
• Provides strategic leadership for services that support and build capacity in both PHO and its clients through initiatives in surveillance, analytics, enterprise data strategy that continuously improve collection, analysis and reporting as well as online service delivery platforms, tools and services.
• Consults and draws on the expertise of the Scientific Advisors and Business Unit leadership for priority setting, developing new approaches and recommendations, seeking to bring innovation and excellence to data science at PHO.
• Acts as a key leader in developing enterprise-wide integrated business strategies for data and analytical products, tools and applications, working in cooperation with internal and external partners.
• Works in close collaboration with the Chief Information Officer to align department strategies and projects with the overall corporate Digital and Data infrastructure and strategy.
• Promotes and directs the operational implementation of new strategies, directions, or practices in the area of Data Science and Analytics.
• As a member of the PHO Digital and Data leadership team and PHO senior management team, acts as a key participant in developing public health strategies, planning and execution.
• Provides direction across the department to model and set expectations to ensure PHO organizational values and right culture are imbedded in all areas of responsibility throughout the department.
• Manages risk across programs against established risk system/model business or programs.
• Sets the strategic and operational directions, defines operations in partnership with management, budget and program goals across programs or the entire enterprise.
• Acts as an authority in Data Science and Analytics and provides expertise across PHO to develop PHO strategy in the field.
• Ensures operational effectiveness and efficiency across areas of responsibility for a range of diverse informatics strategies, programs, services, and supports, and in collaboration with other operating directors and manager.
• Provides oversight for department compliance with PHO and government or policies, standards, rules.
• Directs and supports program manager on corporate and business related matters and supports operational and reporting activities including ensuring consistency and compliance to corporate human resource, procurement, financial and general administrative policies and approval processes.
• Manages managers and senior level professionals across a number of disciplines.
• Manages critical relationships internal and externally often in a matrix or team structure; builds networks to negotiate and resolve conflict that have a crucial impact on both the department’s goals and strategic direction and mandate of PHO.
• Manages cross enterprise business relationships to ensure conflict is resolved.

Knowledge and Skills –

• Demonstrated knowledge of, and skills to understand complex data sets and systems, and support the planning, design and development of innovative systems, tools and applications that meet the needs of public health practice and research.
• Considerable breadth of knowledge of the public health and research fields to act as an authority in the subject area.
• Demonstrated ability to apply skills and knowledge about operating systems, information technology hardware, software and applications to identify and evaluate options, assess their relevancy and effectiveness, and make recommendations.
• Demonstrated ability to succeed while working with skilled professional and business disciplines within a matrix structure and shared leadership model, with particular importance on bridging corporate IMIT functions with programmatic informatics, data science, and analytics functions.
• Knowledge of, and expertise in contemporary management methodologies including operational planning, resource management, business and financial analysis, human resources management, performance measurement, risk assessment/management, information management, business improvement, and change management in order to plan, monitor and evaluate the delivery of department projects, services and initiatives.
• Demonstrated senior level experience in managing and planning in a highly specialized and complex environment with experience having introduced and implemented new initiatives.
• Facilitation capacity and motivation to achieve results in collaboration with other professionals, particularly in an environment where influence is as important as positional authority.
• Skills/ability to manage, coach and mentor professionals within the team and within cross-functional teams.
• Experience in developing networks and partnerships with one or more of public health, research, academic, and institutional sectors.
• Strategic capacity to think, work and communicate across a system both vertically and horizontally and build exceptional relationships.
• Skilled in managing cross departmental planning and budgeting.
• Awareness of government directions, sensitivities and relationships; can work with ambiguities.

Education and Experience-

• Graduate degree in health administration, public health (or a related discipline) or equivalent experience.
• At least 10 years’ experience working in public health or a related field, with a focus on data science, informatics, or analytics leadership, in organizations such as local or provincial agencies, non-profits, government ministries, academic institutions.
• 5+ years of Senior level leadership (Director or equivalent) in professional, academic and/or scientific organizations whose key activities include informatics, analytics, biostatistics, data science and evidence-based quality data sets combined with expertise in developing and navigating innovative business solutions.

Attributes and Competencies-

• Communication and interpersonal skills to provide leadership in building effective relationships with clients and stakeholders (internal and external).
• Diplomacy, negotiation and interpersonal skills to develop networks and partnerships with one or more of public health, research, academic, and institutional sectors, to manage critical relationships internally and externally (with clients and stakeholders including the government, other provincial agencies, public health units, professional associations) and to build networks to negotiate and resolve conflict.
• Builds networks both across PHO and externally to negotiate and resolve conflicts that have a critical impact on both the department’s goals and strategic direction and mandate of PHO.
• Promotes PHO externally when dealing with stakeholders and professional colleagues in the informatics, analytics and data science field and with other key academic and community partners.
• Assesses and manages risk for the department as it relatesd to either corporate strategic issues or strategic scientific or public health issues, often where there is no precedent. 
• Acts as a strategic leader and thinker across the organization to drive sound, innovative, programs in the areas of: informatics, analytics, surveillance and data science as well as the provision of the similar services to support capacity building in local public health.
• Provides the strategic direction across the department to model and set expectations to ensure PHO organizational values and right culture are imbedded in all areas of responsibility throughout the department.
• As a member of the PHO senior management team, acts as a key participant in developing public health strategies, planning and execution.
• Manages managers and senior level professionals across a number of disciplines throughout the department.

Duration: Permanent

Hours of Work: Full time, 36.25 hours per week

Compensation Group: Director

Posting Date: 12-4-2025

Closing Date: 12-19-2025

Please note: applications will be received no later than 11:59pm on the date preceding the closing date as indicated on the Job Requisition.

Note: Internal candidates will be considered first.

While we thank all applicants for their interest, only those selected to move forward in the recruitment process will be contacted.  Any information obtained during the course of recruitment will be used for employment recruitment purposes only, and not for any other purpose.

PHO is committed to ensuring equity in employment. Our goal is to create a diverse, inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve and to ensure our services and communications are accessible to all individuals. Any candidate who requires a job posting in an alternative format may email a request to HR_Inquiries@oahpp.ca. Once an applicant has been selected for an interview, they can inform PHO about any accommodations they may require at any stage of the interview process.