Jim was born in Winnipeg, and graduated from John Taylor Collegiate and earned his Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Winnipeg, and completed post-baccalaureate studies at the University of Manitoba. He has taught at schools in Norway House and Cranberry Portage, and was a seminar and school experience instructor at the University of Winnipeg.

He later became the Adult/Work Education Coordinator for the Frontier School Division, where he played a leading role in establishing 18 adult learning centres and libraries throughout the province. Jim also developed an award-winning school-to-work transition program for young people from northern Manitoba. Jim's work as an educator, at all levels within the public schools system, reflects his dedication to life-long learning throughout Manitoba.

While living in northern Manitoba, he served on the Cranberry Portage Ambulance Service; later, he was involved with the St. John Ambulance Volunteer Services. He has coached numerous volleyball and badminton teams to zone and provincial awards, and sat on the board of directors of Literacy Partners of Manitoba.

He is also a member of the Assiniboia Optimist Club, and regularly works with community clubs, parent councils, seniors groups, military organizations and other community initiatives. Rondeau is the first openly gay member of the Manitoba legislature, and was the keynote speaker of Winnipeg's 2000 Gay Pride Parade. He encouraged the Doer government to introduce full legal equality for gay and lesbian couples during its first term, and strongly supported 2002 legislation that ensured full equality for all common-law relationships. He later became a vocal supporter of same-sex marriage, which was legalized in Canada in 2005.

Jim was elected as NDP Member of the Legislative Assembly for Winnipeg/Assiniboia in the 1999 Manitoba election (the first out gay MLA) and re-elected in 2003. He was appointed Legislative Assistant to the Deputy Premier and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs in 2002. On November 4, 2003 he was appointed the new Minister responsible for Healthy Living within the Department of Health and was also given responsibility for Seniors and Healthy Child Manitoba.

Jim works as a financial advisor with Partners in Planning Financial Management, and serves on the board of directors of Junior Achievement Manitoba. A former business owner in both rural and urban Manitoba, Jim brings a wealth of business knowledge and financial experience to the Legislative Assembly.