Assistant General Counsel

Job Description

The Assistant General Counsel (AGC) is a senior practitioner as well as a team leader and manager, with these responsibilities being of equal importance. The AGC is responsible for providing timely and accurate advice on matters that are of strategic significance to the Corporation (based on size, sensitivity, associated risk, cost), enabling informed, business focused decision-making though clear options and recommendations aligned to enterprise priorities, while ensuring that the team does likewise on any other matter, proactively engaging with business needs and facilitating business outcomes.

The work is complex, as the expectations and challenges of stakeholders both within and outside of the Corporation must be met. Success is measured by the ability to effectively balance these in a manner that prioritizes business outcomes, while proactively supporting the business, strengthening trusted partnerships, and contributing to the Corporation’s strategic goals and objectives.

Achieving more with less is a significant challenge as the Corporation strives to efficiently reduce costs and transform its operations. As a result, the AGC is accountable for balancing the administrative workload while continuing to provide quality and timely legal advice that is responsive to business needs and calibrated to risk and value. The volume of work, especially in respect of labour matters, requires the judicious use of external counsel.  Regardless of where in the Corporation budget is for these costs, the AGC is expected to actively manage and optimize the Corporation’s overall external legal spend to ensure alignment with business priorities, cost-effectiveness, and measurable value.

Job Responsibilities

1.    Provides proactive, sound and effective strategic, risk appropriate, business-focused and decision-enabling legal advice to all levels of management within the Canada Post Group (subsidiaries as required), to support problem resolotion and decision making, including by representing clear options and recommendations to enable the successful operation of the Corporation and achievement of business priorities.

2.    Provides expert advice and coaching to legal professionals within Legal Affairs, including providing a broader / strategic perspective on the files under consideration, so that they are able to deliver the required quality and standard of service required by the Corporation while strengthening business acument and an outcome-focused mindset, and improving their own capabilities and knowledge. 

3.    Creates a positive work environment and culture, provides clear objectives and performance expectations for subordinates, conducts training and development needs assessments and ensures that team members are provided with the support necessary to deliver against the expectations of their roles and contribute to measurable business outcomes.

4.    Leads the provision of legal services relating to large / complex files within personal areas of expertise and experience, in order to secure outcomes in accordance with the specific objectives determined by the Corporation while balancing risk, speed, and business impact.

Job Responsibilities (continued)

5.    Directs the Legal Affairs team to ensure they are capable of meeting client requirements across a broad range of legal fields (e.g. labour law, contracts, franchising, intellectual property, civil litigation), meeting ongoing demand while proactively anticipating issues and opportunities to support problem resolution and decision-making, and delivering high-quality, cost-effective services through flexible and scalable processes aligned to business value creation.

6.    Determines the work priorities and allocation of files to legal professionals to optimize, grow and utilize the available capability, while balancing workloads to achieve timely service delivery and responsiveness to business needs supporting the development of trusted, proactive client counsel relationships that position Legal as a valued business partner.

7.    Ensures the selection and effective oversight of outside counsel to provide required resources or expert services to ensure the legal service requirements of the clients are met in a timely and cost effective manner and aligned to business objectives and value.

8.    Contributes, as a member of the Legal & Corporate Affairs management team, to the identification and implementation of initiatives to improve services and processes, and undertake and satisfy all managerial responsibilities with respect to the service teams (e.g. budgets, performance management, managerial communications) so the teams are able to function effectively while continuously improving service delivery and demonstrating value through contribution to business outcomes.

Qualifications

Education
•    Juris Doctor (J.D.) or Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from an accredited institution.

•    Membership in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario.

Experience
•    Minimum of 10 to 15 years of progressive legal experience, including significant experience in a senior leadership or advisory role

Other Candidate Requirements
•    Excellent judgment and decision-making skills, with the ability to manage sensitive and confidential matters.
•    Exceptional communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management abilities.
•    Ability to balance legal risk with business objectives and provide practical, solutions-oriented advice.
•    Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, with a collaborative and inclusive approach.
•    Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
•    High level of integrity, professionalism, and commitment to ethical standards.
•    Bilingualism (English/French) is considered an asset.

Other Information