Senior Advisor, Corporate Affairs and Policy

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.

We’re looking for a Senior Advisor, Corporate Affairs and Policy to join our team. Reporting to the Manager, Corporate Affairs, Policy & Government Relations, this role is responsible for supporting the OCS in meeting its accountability and reporting obligations to the Ontario government as a provincial Crown agency. The Senior Advisor will work collaboratively across the organization to support OCS’s relationship with the Ontario Ministry of Finance (MOF) and to develop high‑quality written products for internal and external audiences that align with corporate and strategic priorities.

The role also involves cultivating strong working relationships across the organization and leading cross‑functional engagement to support the development and delivery of the agency’s Annual Report and multi‑year Business Plan. As required, the Senior Advisor will also contribute to the development of policy advice for senior management, business areas across OCS, and the Government of Ontario. This includes conducting research and analysis, assessing emerging issues, and supporting relevant stakeholder engagement activities.

This role is well suited to a detail‑oriented, organized individual contributor who can effectively manage and prioritize multiple projects simultaneously. The Senior Advisor leverages strong relationships both within and beyond their immediate team to support the successful execution of deliverables and brings a demonstrated ability to interpret and apply provincial directives and policies.

• Support the organization’s accountability relationship with the Ontario Ministry of Finance, including regular reporting and compliance with government directives.
• Coordinate and respond to government information requests and provide issues‑management support as needed.
• Lead the development, approval, submission, and publication of the Annual Report, multi‑year Business Plan, and agency attestation processes.
• Work closely with internal partners to support accountability and reporting deliverables.
• Develop and manage comprehensive workback plans, solicit cross‑functional input, facilitate approvals, coordinate publication, and support post‑publication evaluations.
• Lead and coordinate government approvals for operational and strategic initiatives, providing project leadership to assigned resources.
• Establish and support program evaluation frameworks to assess short‑and long‑term impacts of initiatives brought forward for approval.
• Build and maintain strong internal stakeholder networks to support approval processes and guide advisors and analysts on deliverables.
• Support inter‑jurisdictional relationships, including engagement through the Canadian Cannabis Jurisdictional Leadership (CCJL).
• Contribute to policy development, market analysis, and strategic advice for OCS leadership and the Government of Ontario, as required.
• Support additional team and policy deliverables as needed.

• Post‑secondary degree in public policy, public administration, business administration, political science, or a related field; master’s or advanced degree is an asset
• 3–5 years of experience in corporate governance, public policy and/or stakeholder relations, ideally within the public sector or a regulated environment.
• Experience engaging with senior management and building strong professional relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong time management, organizational skills, and attention to detail.
• Demonstrated political acuity,…