Director of Registration and Quality Assurance

The College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario (COTO) oversees the practice of occupational therapy across the province.  As a regulator, it is responsible for making sure the public receives safe, effective and ethical care.  

COTO is a progressive and dynamic organization, focused on its core mandate to protect the public interest. Ongoing work on various strategic priorities, and an upcoming retirement, has created the need for a new Director of Registration and Quality Assurance. This executive leader will steward regulatory programs, ensure clarity for registrants, and collaborate effectively with the Board and Committees.

This role is not just about leading registration and quality assurance and advising the practice team. It is a cornerstone role that will provide guidance and support to the Registrar and CEO, the Board and the broader community.

Responsibilities

PROGRAM LEADERSHIP - REGISTRATION AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

• Directs the strategic and operational plans for the Registration and Quality Assurance programs, ensuring effective development, implementation and evaluation of the programs’ objectives.
• Oversees the development, implementation and evaluation of a modernized and harmonized Quality Assurance program in line with best practices and compliant with relevant legislation, regulation, and College bylaws.
• Provides direction to program managers in achieving program goals and objectives, and in setting, tracking and achieving performance metrics.
• Ensures timely and appropriate monitoring and compliance of all committee outcomes, providing guidance regarding interpretation and enforcement of compliance standards and resolution of non-compliance.
• Advises the Practice program as needed, providing expertise and guidance about the practice of the profession, in collaboration with the Registrar and CEO.

COMMITTEE AND SUBCOMMITTEE SUPPORT

• Ensures the delivery of appropriate staffing and support to the Registration Committee, Quality Assurance Committee, subcommittees and/or working groups as needed.
• Ensures decisions of committees are drafted accurately, completely and in a timely manner. 
• Oversees scheduling, preparation and provision of documents/resource materials, and maintenance of policies for committees, subcommittees and working groups.
• Ensures committee members receive quality orientation, training and education regarding policies, processes and procedures required to make fair decisions about case files.
• Builds and maintains cooperative working relationships with internal colleagues and external stakeholders, ensuring the appropriate flow of timely and accurate information.

PEOPLE LEADERSHIP

• Aligns Registration and Quality Assurance teams with the strategic directions, mandate and regulatory philosophy of the College.
• Participates in the recruitment and selection process, facilitating ongoing training, professional development, performance management, coaching and mentoring of teams in accordance with College’s policies and best human resources practices.
• Delegates work assignments in accordance with individual skills and competencies, ensuring adequate time and resources are provided to meet performance expectations.
• Evaluates the ongoing performance and goals of the Registration and Quality Assurance managers and conducts annual performance reviews.
• Ensures that program managers and staff have opportunities to participate in professional development, regulatory networks and information sharing opportunities.

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

• Leads teams in monitoring program costs and ensuring appropriate budget planning and expenditures.
• Conducts annual and quarterly review of program budget lines, anticipating surplus and shortfall, and implements variance adjustments, alerting the Registrar and CEO and Chief Financial and Operating Officer of potential financial risk.
• Provides input to intermediate and long-term College operating and capital budgets.
• Negotiates contracts for services with vendors and external service providers, monitoring contract deliverables and service level agreements, taking corrective action, and mitigating risk with the Registrar and CEO, as needed.

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

• Leads development, implementation, and improvement of data collection processes. 
• Develops, implements, and monitors key indicators, evaluating performance against defined targets. 
• Integrates data reports and analyses to identify trends and areas of risk and leads the development of quality improvement initiatives to meet targets and address risks.
• Establishes standards and priorities for monitoring data collection, overseeing analysis of trends and development of regulations, standards and guidelines within respective program areas.

COMMUNICATIONS/EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Represents the College in addressing questions and concerns raised by registrants and other interested parties about the College, the Registration and Quality Assurance program areas.
• Participates on various committees, networks, working groups and task forces in alignment with the College’s strategic priorities.
• Leads and participates in the drafting of documents and responses for interest holders/interested parties (e.g., the Ministry of Health, professional associations) as required, disseminating information in a variety of formats for various audiences.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

• Engages in needs analysis, identifying and articulating issues or gaps in program, and cross-program processes and deliverables, defining desired state characteristics and success criteria. 
• Liaises with external agencies on projects related to program functions, as specified by the Registrar and CEO.
• Approves business-case for change including resource requirements (time, staff, materials), cost/benefit of current versus changed state, project charter, milestones/deliverables, and contingency plans.
• Monitors project implementation, ensuring activities meet success criteria and issues are addressed. 

EDUCATION

• Leads the identification of key program issues requiring College discussion and action, ensuring consistent and timely education regarding the same.
• Develops network related to occupational therapy profession and represents the College on positions to interested groups as requested by the Registrar and CEO.
• Writes submissions for College publications. 
• Recommends and participates in education opportunities for the public and other stakeholders and communicates broadly with registrants.

TEAMWORK AND COLLABORATION

• Fosters collaboration amongst program areas to support the ongoing development, evaluation and consistent application of high-quality Registration and Quality Assurance functions.
• Works with Communication team with respect to media access to information regarding Committee activities, ensuring consistent messaging and branding of the College’s positions and responses to key issues.
• Collaborates with the Policy Analyst in the research and development of policy and legislative proposals, crafting of policy positions and maintenance of College manuals and documentation. 
• Works collaboratively as part of the Senior Leadership Team to discuss and implement College-wide projects and strategic initiatives.

About the Individual

The ideal candidate will be an occupational therapist with experience in practice standards, quality assurance, and program oversight, aligned with COTO’s mandate to ensure safe, competent, and ethical care across the profession. 

As an experienced regulatory leader, you have demonstrated the ability to lead through complexity and change while maintaining a clear focus on long-term vision and innovation.

You are equally comfortable rolling up your sleeves and taking a hands-on approach when needed, ensuring that both strategic leadership and day-to-day operational needs are met.

Your engaging, honest, and transparent communications style allows you to cultivate and maintain strong and trusting relationships with your colleagues, direct reports, partners, and Board members.

Candidates must demonstrate strong alignment with COTO’s values - respectful of all voices, conscious of bias, open-minded, and dedicated to learning. The College is committed to integrating equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) practices throughout the organization and the occupational therapy profession to protect the public interest.

Qualifications

• University preparation in Occupational Therapy and current registration with the College or an occupational therapy regulator in Canada.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in a leadership role. 
• Proven program/project management and people management skills. 
• Familiarity with the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 and with a regulatory environment is preferred.
• Experience working effectively with a Board and committees is preferred. 
• French language proficiency is preferred. 

Key Competencies

• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, including tact and diplomacy in sensitive situations. 
• Strong strategic, analytical and conceptual thinking capabilities. 
• Meticulous attention to detail and accuracy. 
• Proven organizational and time management skills, able to set priorities to meet deadlines. 
• Models a high degree of professionalism, collaboration, and empathy. 
• Exemplary stakeholder engagement and networking skills. 
• Demonstrated public speaking and presentation skills for a variety of audiences. 
• Leadership and supervisory skills including task delegation, performance management, and providing/receiving feedback.
• Experience with development, implementation and/or facilitation of proposals, policies and procedures. 
• Demonstrated understanding and application of the principles of continuous quality improvement. 
• Flexible and positive; comfortable adapting to change and fostering an environment that welcomes it.
• Demonstrated ability to leverage Microsoft Office Suite at an executive level including Sharepoint and Dynamics 365. 
• Proven track record of overseeing enterprise database systems and ensuring data governance, and expertise in managing document management frameworks.

Location:  Downtown Toronto, Hybrid Schedule

Salary Range and Compensation: This role has a fulsome compensation package that includes a salary of $130,000-$180,000, a HOOPP defined benefit pension plan, four weeks vacation and fully paid health benefits. 

Use of AI: Griffith Group Executive Search does not use artificial intelligence to screen, assess, or select applicants for a position.

Reason for posting: Existing Vacancy

To apply for this impactful leadership opportunity with COTO, please submit a comprehensive resume along with a cover letter in confidence to Laura Machan (laura@griffithgroup.ca)  and/or Noshina Choudhary (noshina@griffithgroup.ca). 

COTO is committed to diversity, equity & inclusion and ensuring that their team is reflective of the community and the clients that they work with. Applicants from members of equity deserving groups including but not limited to; people with lived and/or living experience, Black people, Indigenous Peoples, racialized communities, LGBTQ2SIA+ people, people with disabilities, and people with marginalized identities are encouraged to apply.

COTO and Griffith Group are committed to an inclusive, accessible and welcoming hiring process that provides reasonable accommodation to all applicants. Please advise Laura Machan (laura@griffithgroup.ca) should you require any accommodation to participate in the recruitment and assessment processes.

Candidates must be legally entitled to work in Canada.