AVP, Corporate Counsel

Aviva; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading insurance firm in Toronto is seeking an Assistant Vice President, Corporate Counsel to strategically partner with senior leaders and provide legal guidance. The ideal candidate will have a sound understanding of the Canadian legal environment, a valid provincial bar license, and at least 8 years of experience. This role involves defining legal strategies, managing risks, and enhancing corporate practices in a hybrid work environment. Competitive rewards and development opportunities are included.

Benefits

Competitive rewards package

Outstanding Career Development opportunities

Competitive vacation package

Corporate wellness programs

Qualifications

• Call to a provincial Canadian bar with a current license.
• Minimum of 8 years of post-qualifying in-house and/or law firm experience.
• Proven ability to lead projects and negotiate effectively.

Responsibilities

• Deliver high-quality legal advice across corporate/commercial matters.
• Identify and mitigate legal risks in timely manner.
• Partner with the corporate legal team to develop best practices.

Skills

Strong knowledge of Canadian legal environment

Excellent drafting and negotiation skills

Ability to build relationships at senior levels

Bilingual proficiency in English and French

High responsiveness to business needs

Education

Call to a provincial Canadian bar

Minimum of 8 years of in-house and/or law firm experience

Job description

Experience Aviva

Individually we are people, but together we are Aviva. Individually these are just words, but together they are our Values – Care, Commitment, Community, and Confidence.

At Aviva Canada, we put people first, our employees, our customers, and our communities. We’re proud of a culture built on care, inclusion, and collaboration, where your voice matters and your growth is supported. We’re not just about insurance; we’re about making a real difference by protecting what matters most.

The Opportunity

Ready to make a real impact? As Assistant Vice President, Corporate Counsel, you’ll play a pivotal role in strategic decision-making, partnering with senior leaders to shape the future of our business. This is your chance to work alongside a high-performing legal team, tackle complex challenges, and deliver innovative solutions that drive success.

In this senior position, you’ll act as a strategic legal partner to the Canadian business actively shaping initiatives that enable the organization to achieve its priorities and objectives. You will provide expert legal guidance while anticipating and managing risks across a broad spectrum of corporate, commercial and regulatory matters. This role goes beyond advising and involves collaborating with business leaders to design and implement solutions that support growth, innovation and compliance in a dynamic environment.

Does this sound like your next big move? Keep reading!

What you’ll do:

• Deliver high-quality legal advice and services across business activities and corporate/commercial matters.
• Driving a culture of growth, collaboration and engagement within the legal team.
• Identify and mitigate legal risks, ensuring timely escalation when needed.
• Be part of the team that helps to manage external counsel relationships to maintain quality and cost efficiency.
• Stay ahead of legal developments and share insights with business leaders.
• Partner with the corporate legal team to develop and apply best practices that enhance efficiency and foster ongoing improvement.

What you’ll bring:

• Call to a provincial Canadian bar with a current license.
• Minimum of 8 years of post-qualifying in-house and/or law firm experience.
• Strong knowledge of the Canadian legal environment and corporate/commercial law.
• Proven ability to lead projects, negotiate effectively, and build strong internal and external relationships at senior levels.
• Excellent drafting, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Highly responsive to business needs, with strong problem-solving skills and the ability to deliver timely, pragmatic, and commercially focused advice.
• Ability to identify and simplify complex legal issues to provide clear, actionable recommendations.

What makes you stand out:

• Experience in insurance and/or working with large financial institutions.
• Experience in special projects where legal skills in the areas of mergers & acquisitions, financing, and corporate commercial are critical.
• Bilingual proficiency in English and French.

What you’ll get:

• Compelling rewards package including base compensation, eligibility for annual bonus, retirement savings, share plan, health benefits, personal wellness, and volunteer opportunities.
• Outstanding Career Development opportunities.
• We’ll support your professional development education.
• Competitive vacation package with the option to purchase 5 extra days off per year.
• Employee driven programs focused on gender, LGBTQ+, origins, diversity and inclusion.
• Corporate wellness programs to support our employees’ physical and mental health.
• Hybrid flexible work model.

This job advertisement is for an existing vacancy which has been posted both internally & externally.

Please note that we may use AI tools to help us through the recruitment process. This is a new position which has been posted both internally & externally.

Aviva Canada has an accommodation process in place to provide accommodations for employees with disabilities. If upon commencement of employment you require a specific accommodation because of a disability, please contact your Talent Acquisition Partner so that an appropriate accommodation can be arranged. This process applies throughout your career with Aviva Canada.