Directive on Digital Talent

• 1.1This directive takes effect on April 1, 2023.

• 2.1This directive is issued under the authority of section 7 of the Financial Administration Act and section 31 of the Public Service Employment Act and subsection 4.5.1.1 of the Policy on Service and Digital.
• 2.2This directive must be read in conjunction with other policy requirements, including but not limited to, the Policy on the Planning and Management of Investments, the Directive on the Management of Procurement, the Appointment Policy and the Policy on People Management.

• 3.1The objective of this directive is that the Government of Canada has a strong and diverse digital public service workforce to deliver digital services in a modern, secure, cost-effective, coordinated, data-informed, and sustainable way.
• 3.2The expected results of this directive are as follows:
  • 3.2.1The Government of Canada has the workforce capacity it needs to deliver digital services in accordance with the objectives of the Policy on Service and Digital;
  • 3.2.2Departments apply a cohesive, consistent approach to talent sourcing that bridges and balances the various requirements associated with human resources, procurement, finance and operations, and is in line with central guidance;
  • 3.2.3Departments have the data needed to enable evidence-based decisions on talent management and workforce development;
  • 3.2.4Departments are supported in meeting digital talent requirements through government-wide guidance, business intelligence, services and tools; and
  • 3.2.5The Government of Canada’s digital community demonstrates measurable progress in diversity, inclusion, and equity advancement in the areas of recruitment, retention, development, and career progression.

Planning and reporting

• 4.1Departmental chief information officers (CIOs) and senior designated officials responsible for information technology (IT), cybersecurity, digital, data or service, in collaboration with other departmental officials, as appropriate, are responsible for the following:
  • 4.1.1Participating in annual government-wide planning and reporting exercises for digital talent, in accordance with the Mandatory Procedures on Digital Talent, including completing the annual digital talent survey; and
  • 4.1.2For new digital initiatives that expect or require a substantial digital talent component for delivery, engaging with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, Office of the Chief Information Officer of Canada (TBS-OCIO), throughout the planning process, in accordance with the Mandatory Procedures on Digital Talent.

Digital talent sourcing

• 4.2Departmental CIOs and senior designated officials responsible for IT, cybersecurity, digital, data, or service, in collaboration with heads of human resources and other departmental officials as appropriate, are responsible for:
  • 4.2.1Being familiar with TBS-OCIO-led centralized services and tools for digital talent recruitment, mobility, training and development, executive appointment and placement, and generic work streams and standardized job descriptions related to digital talent, in accordance with the Mandatory Procedures on Digital Talent;
  • 4.2.2Collaborating with TBS-OCIO in the coordination of government-wide recruitment and upskilling efforts, in accordance with the Mandatory Procedures on Digital Talent; and
  • 4.2.3Implementing measures identified by TBS-OCIO and collaborating with TBS-OCIO in the advancement and progress tracking of diversity, inclusion and equity in the recruitment and development of the Government of Canada’s digital community.
• 4.3Departmental CIOs and senior designated officials responsible for IT, cybersecurity, digital, data, or service, in collaboration with senior designated official for the management of procurement and other departmental officials as appropriate, are responsible for:
  • 4.3.1Ensuring that TBS-OCIO is informed, in accordance with the Mandatory Procedures on Digital Talent, at the time when any contract for digital talent or IT-related services (including call-up against an established contracting vehicle) is submitted to departmental procurement authorities for processing; and
  • 4.3.2Engaging TBS-OCIO, in accordance with the Mandatory Procedures on Digital Talent, prior to concluding that a shortage of available or qualified digital talent is the primary rationale for contracting-out.

Digital talent development

• 4.4Departmental CIOs and senior designated officials responsible for IT, cybersecurity, digital, data, or service, in collaboration with other departmental officials as appropriate, are responsible for:
  • 4.4.1Enabling employee development, training, and upskilling, including encouraging employee participation in TBS-OCIO coordinated training and upskilling opportunities;
  • 4.4.2Encouraging employees to participate in government-wide digital talent management activities identified by TBS-OCIO, in line with departmental talent management processes; and
  • 4.4.3Ensuring that diversity, equity and inclusion are prioritized in the development of departmental digital talent strategies, and progress is made against any existing equity gaps.

Digital executive roles and structures

• 4.5In support of deputy head responsibilities for EX group organization and classification, and in support of the requirement in subsection 4.5.2.3 of the Policy on Service and Digital to consult with the CIO of Canada before appointing, deploying, or otherwise replacing the departmental CIO, the delegated authorities responsible for the appointment of the departmental CIO, the designated senior official for IT, or equivalent senior digital role are responsible for:
  • 4.5.1Engaging TBS-OCIO, in accordance with the Mandatory Procedures on Digital Talent, on the appointment, deployment, or otherwise replacement of the departmental CIO or equivalent senior digital role, including in cases where the role is filled by non-EX employees; and
  • 4.5.2Engaging TBS-OCIO when making changes to digital executive organizational structures, particularly at the C-suite level, to help ensure clarity and consistency on roles and relationships of C-suite digital leaders.
• 4.6Managers, for each subordinate executive, are responsible for the following:
  • 4.6.1Supporting government-wide talent management of digital leaders by taking TBS-OCIO guidance into account and collaborating with TBS-OCIO on executive performance management for those falling under the purview of the CIO of Canada’s mandate.

Enabling conditions

• 4.7Departmental CIOs and senior designated officials responsible for IT, cybersecurity, digital, data, or service, in collaboration with heads of human resources, senior designated officials for the management of procurement and other departmental officials as appropriate, are responsible for the following:
  • 4.7.1Taking TBS-OCIO guidance on generic roles and levels into account when determining requirements related to the recruitment and appointment of digital talent and the establishment of organizational structures;
  • 4.7.2Enabling managers to leverage flexibilities as allowed by legislation, policies, and standards, including those outlined in Mandatory Procedures on Digital Talent, to plan for, develop, and source the talent necessary to deliver digital services in a timely way;
  • 4.7.3Ensuring managers, human resources officials and contracting authorities, to whom responsibility is assigned or authority is delegated, are familiar with the requirements in this Directive and in the Mandatory Procedures on Digital Talent;and
  • 4.7.4Balancing risk as a cohesive whole, meaning that the risk of applying certain flexibilities or solutions is carefully weighed against the impact of failing to deliver digital services.

• 5.1The roles and responsibilities of other government organizations are described in section 5 of the Policy on Service and Digital.

• 6.1This directive applies to the organizations listed in section 6 of the Policy on Service and Digital.
• 6.2This directive does not apply to separate agencies as defined in section 11.1 of the Financial Administration Act (Schedule V):
  • Canada Revenue Agency
  • Canada Energy Regulator
  • Canadian Food Inspection Agency
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research
  • Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
  • Canadian Security Intelligence Service
  • Communications Security Establishment Canada
  • Financial Consumer Agency of Canada
  • Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada
  • Invest in Canada Hub
  • National Film Board
  • National Research Council Canada
  • National Security and Intelligence Review Agency Secretariat
  • Natural Sciences and Engineering Research of Canada
  • Northern Pipeline Agency Canada
  • Office of the Auditor General of Canada
  • The Correctional Investigator Canada
  • Office of the Intelligence Commissioner
  • Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions Canada
  • Parks Canada
  • Polar Knowledge Canada
  • Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
• 6.3Agents of Parliament
  • 6.3.1The following organizations are considered agents of Parliament for the purposes of the directive:
    • Office of the Chief Electoral Officer
    • Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada
    • Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
    • Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada
    • Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
    • Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner of Canada
  • 6.3.2Agents of Parliament are solely responsible for monitoring and ensuring compliance with the policy within their organizations, as well as for responding to cases of non-compliance in accordance with any Treasury Board of Canada instruments that address the management of compliance.
  • 6.3.3With regard to agents of Parliament, the following subsections do not apply:
    • subsection 4.1;
    • subsection 4.2;
    • subsection 4.3; and
    • subsection 4.5.
  • 6.3.4The following agents of Parliament do not appear listed under the schedules to the Financial Administration Act, and are considered fully exempt from the directive:
    • Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
    • Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer

• 7.1The references in relation to this directive are described in section 8 of the Policy on Service and Digital.

• 8.1For interpretation of any aspect of this directive, contact Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Public Enquiries.