Sector Data and Insights Strategist

Colonial Group; Guelph; Hybrid; CAD 110,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Defined benefit pension

Health benefits

Life insurance

Vision benefits

Job summary

OCAS and Colleges Ontario are seeking a Sector Data and Insights Strategist to lead cross-organizational data initiatives across OCAS’s Application Services, Data and Technology and Colleges Ontario’s Policy and Innovation teams.

In this role, you will advance data-informed policy development, analytics, and strategy to support Ontario’s college system, student outcomes, and workforce planning, while ensuring privacy and compliance.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in business, public policy, higher education, data analytics, statistics, economics, social sciences, or related discipline; PhD preferred.
• 8 to 10+ years of progressive experience in institutional research, strategic planning, enrolment management, analytics, higher education administration, or related field.
• Significant experience within the Ontario college sector, with credibility influencing senior interest holders across colleges, sector organizations, and government.
• Strong analytical and research capabilities, with experience interpreting large and complex datasets.
• Advanced knowledge of data visualization, reporting, and analytical tools such as Power BI, SQL, Excel, Python, R, or similar technologies.
• Experience translating technical findings into clear, compelling insights for executive, sector, and non-technical audiences.
• Exceptional communication, facilitation, and relationship-building skills.
• Demonstrated ability to influence without direct authority, manage complex relationships and navigate competing priorities.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership on sector-wide data opportunities, emerging trends, and priorities that support Ontario’s colleges and polytechnics.
• Identify opportunities to enhance the use of data across the college system and contribute to planning and advocacy related to enrolment, learner pathways, workforce needs, student outcomes, and system planning.
• Monitor post-secondary, labour market, demographic, and policy trends to identify opportunities and risks for Ontario colleges and polytechnics.
• Lead the development of analyses, models, briefing materials, reports, and presentations that translate complex data into actionable insights.
• Identify meaningful patterns and trends within OCAS and sector data to support evidence-based decision-making by colleges, OCAS, Colleges Ontario, and relevant interest holders.
• Build strong relationships with institutional research, strategic planning, enrolment management, student services, and other sector leaders.
• Facilitate discussions to understand sector needs, gather requirements, and identify opportunities for new data products, analytics, and research initiatives.
• Work with OCAS, Colleges Ontario, and sector partners to enhance data accessibility, quality, governance, and value while maintaining strong privacy and compliance practices.
• Shape the development of new data products, services, reporting capabilities, data repositories, and thought leadership deliverables that address sector priorities.
• Explore and connect diverse data sources, transforming information into actionable insights that support decision‑making and innovation.
• Lead and support sector-level research initiatives that inform strategic planning, public policy discussions, enrolment management strategies, learner mobility initiatives, or workforce development priorities.
• Provide analytical expertise and evidence-based recommendations to senior leaders across Colleges Ontario, OCAS, colleges, and government
• Represent OCAS and Colleges Ontario on sector committees, working groups, and collaborative initiatives, and act as a data liaison with government ministries
• Promote data-informed decision-making through presentations, workshops, publications, conference participation, and interest holder engagement activities

Skills

Data analytics

Policy analysis

Stakeholder management

Communication

Influence

Strategic thinking

Education

Master’s degree

PhD preferred

Tools

Power BI

SQL

Excel

Python

R

Job description

As Sector Data and Insights Strategist, you’ll work collaboratively with OCAS, Colleges Ontario, and Ontario’s public colleges and polytechnics to identify, advance, and champion strategic data initiatives that strengthen planning, decision‑making, policy development, and student outcomes across the post-secondary sector.

In this shared role, you’ll divide your time equally between OCAS’s Application Services, Data and Technology portfolio and Colleges Ontario’s Policy and Innovation team, helping both organizations use data and insights to support Ontario’s college system and shape its future direction.

You’ll provide thought leadership on emerging trends, enrolment, learner pathways, workforce needs, and data-informed policy development. Drawing on your deep knowledge of the Ontario college system, OCAS data assets, and other post-secondary datasets, you’ll help shape sector strategy, develop actionable insights, and identify opportunities to maximize the value of data for colleges and sector partners.

In this role, you will:

• Provide strategic leadership on sector-wide data opportunities, emerging trends, and priorities that support Ontario’s colleges and polytechnics
• Identify opportunities to enhance the use of data across the college system and contribute to planning and advocacy related to enrolment, learner pathways, workforce needs, student outcomes, and system planning
• Monitor post-secondary, labour market, demographic, and policy trends to identify opportunities and risks for Ontario colleges and polytechnics
• Lead the development of analyses, models, briefing materials, reports, and presentations that translate complex data into actionable insights
• Identify meaningful patterns and trends within OCAS and sector data to support evidence-based decision-making by colleges, OCAS, Colleges Ontario, and relevant interest holders
• Build strong relationships with institutional research, strategic planning, enrolment management, student services, and other sector leaders
• Facilitate discussions to understand sector needs, gather requirements, and identify opportunities for new data products, analytics, and research initiatives
• Work with OCAS, Colleges Ontario, and sector partners to enhance data accessibility, quality, governance, and value while maintaining strong privacy and compliance practices
• Shape the development of new data products, services, reporting capabilities, data repositories, and thought leadership deliverables that address sector priorities
• Explore and connect diverse data sources, transforming information into actionable insights that support decision‑making and innovation
• Lead and support sector-level research initiatives that inform strategic planning, public policy discussions, enrolment management strategies, learner mobility initiatives, or workforce development priorities
• Provide analytical expertise and evidence-based recommendations to senior leaders across Colleges Ontario, OCAS, colleges, and government
• Represent OCAS and Colleges Ontario on sector committees, working groups, and collaborative initiatives, and act as a data liaison with government ministries
• Promote data-informed decision-making through presentations, workshops, publications, conference participation, and interest holder engagement activities

You should have:

• A master’s degree in business, public policy, higher education, data analytics, statistics, economics, social sciences, or another related discipline; PhD preferred
• 8 to 10+ years of progressive experience in institutional research, strategic planning, enrolment management, analytics, higher education administration, or a related field
• Significant experience within the Ontario college sector, with the ability to establish credibility and influence senior interest holders across colleges, sector organizations, and government
• Strong analytical and research capabilities, with experience interpreting large and complex datasets
• Advanced knowledge of data visualization, reporting, and analytical tools such as Power BI, SQL, Excel, Python, R, or similar technologies
• Experience translating technical findings into clear, compelling insights for executive, sector, and non‑technical audiences
• Exceptional communication, facilitation, and relationship‑building skills
• Demonstrated ability to influence without direct authority, manage complex relationships and navigate competing priorities
• A strategic, collaborative approach to problem‑solving, with a commitment to integrity and evidence-based decision‑making

Why Colleges Ontario / OCAS?

• Enjoy a flexible hybrid work model that balances in‑office collaboration with remote work, with the option to designate either Colleges Ontario's Toronto office or OCAS's Guelph office as your primary work location.
• Join a collaborative team that is passionate about the Ontario college sector
• Plan for the future with a defined benefit corporate pension plan
• Access comprehensive benefits, including vision, dental, extended health care, life insurance, and more

The pay range for this position is $110,000-$130,000, depending on skills and previous experience.

Position reports to: Vice‑President, Application Services, Data and Technology at OCAS, and Vice President, Policy and Innovation at Colleges Ontario.

This position is being offered to fulfill an existing vacancy.