Director, Legal Services

Canadian Association of Labour Media; Ottawa; Hybrid; CAD 169,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Dental insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Pension Plan

Vacations (5 weeks)

Job summary

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) seeks a Director, Legal Services in Ottawa, hybrid, to lead the Institute’s legal affairs and protect its interests. You will provide high‑level counsel to senior management and the Board, oversee litigation, privacy, and dispute resolution, and manage internal staff and external counsel.

Fluency in English and French is required. The role includes budgeting, governance oversight, and strategic guidance for corporate and

Qualifications

• J.D./LL.B. and bar in good standing with Canadian province.
• 8–10 years of senior legal experience and staff leadership.
• Fluency in both official languages (French and English) required.

Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, direct, and oversee the Institute’s legal activities to manage risk.
• Provide legal counsel and strategic advice to senior management, Executive Committee, and Board.
• Oversee corporate, contractual, litigation, privacy, and dispute-resolution matters.
• Manage internal and external legal resources and budgets.
• Lead and develop Legal Services staff and coordinate with external counsel.
• Advance governance and compliance across the Institute and subsidiaries.

Skills

Labour and employment law

Corporate and contractual matters

Litigation strategy

Privacy compliance and data protection

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.) or LL.B.

Bar admission in good standing

8–10 years of related legal experience

Job description

Director, Legal Services

Reason for posting: Backfill
Division: Legal Services
City: Ottawa, ON
Type of position: Hybrid
Job Term: Permanent Full-time (35 hours per week)
Eligibility: Applicant must either be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident eligible to work in Canada
Union/Non: Excluded
Competition: 26-51

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), a national union representing over 80,000 professionals and scientists across Canada, is seeking a Director, Legal Services to join our team at our National Office in Ottawa, ON.

PIPSC/IPFPC is committed to building an inclusive workplace where diversity of thought – and of people – are recognized, valued, and considered essential to achieving our goals and objectives. We are making concerted efforts to foster a workforce that is representative of our diverse membership. We strive to create a work environment that is welcoming to everyone regardless of their gender, age, religion, race, ethnicity, and nationality, particularly equity deserving groups, such as members of the IBPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and people living with disabilities.

All qualified candidates will be considered; however, in support of achieving a diversified workforce we encourage applications for this opportunity from candidates belonging to one of the employment equity groups: Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Metis or Inuit), peoples of colour or persons with a disability. Consideration will be given to a qualified candidate who, at the time of application, voluntarily indicates being part of these groups.

What can I expect to do in this role?

Under the direction of the Chief Operating Officer (COO), the Director, Legal Services provides leadership and oversight for the Institute’s legal services and is responsible for protecting the Institute’s legal and corporate interests. The position provides legal counsel, opinions, guidance, and strategic advice to senior management, the Executive Committee, the Board of Directors, and other internal and external clients on legal matters affecting the Institute and its operations.

The Director oversees legal services related to corporate and contractual matters, litigation, privacy, and dispute resolution. The position anticipates and assesses legal risks, oversees the preparation and review of contracts, agreements, leases, and other legal instruments, and directs internal and external legal resources as required on areas of related authority. The Director also oversees the Office of Dispute Resolution and acts as the Institute’s Privacy Officer. The position provides leadership and direction to Legal Services staff and contributes legal expertise to organizational initiatives and decision-making.

Primary responsibilities:

• Plan, organize, direct, and oversee the Institute’s legal activities and services to protect the Institute’s interests from a legal standpoint and support the effective management of legal risk, with the exception of Board matters potentially in conflict with Institute activities.
• Provide legal counsel, opinions, and guidance to senior management, the Executive Committee, the Board of Directors (on some matters), and other internal and external clients on Institute matters involving legal issues. Anticipate emerging legal issues and risks affecting the Institute’s operations and recommend appropriate courses of action. This excludes matters where the interests of the Board and staff may not be aligned, or where the Board requires independent legal support in relation to a Board member.
• Manage legal staff by assigning work and establishing performance standards; provide leadership, mentoring, coaching, training, and guidance; participate in legal staffing, onboarding, and probationary assessments; implement corrective or disciplinary measures as required; authorize overtime, leave, and travel; and co-develop Career Development and Training Plans for approval.
• Foster a positive and effective work environment in accordance with approved human resources policies and programs.
• Provide legal advice and guidance on matters affecting the corporate interests of the Institute and its subsidiaries. Draft, review, and provide legal advice on contracts, leases, agreements, and other legal instruments to identify and mitigate legal risks and safeguard the Institute’s interests.
  Initiate legal proceedings and defend the Institute in legal actions involving the organization.
• Retain, instruct, coordinate, and oversee external counsel as required and monitor the delivery of external legal services. This excludes matters where the interests of the Board and staff may not be aligned, or where the Board requires independent legal support in relation to a Board member.
• Provide legal advice and guidance on Board and organizational governance matters that affect the legal governance of the Institute. This excludes matters where the interests of the Board and staff may not be aligned, or where the Board requires independent legal support in relation to a Board member.
• Oversee the Office of Dispute Resolution and lead the development and implementation of dispute resolution mechanisms and processes required by the Institute. This excludes dispute resolution matters in which Board members are principals to the dispute.
• Manage the Institute’s privacy requirements and act as the Privacy Officer, providing advice, guidance, and oversight regarding privacy obligations, risks, practices, and compliance requirements.
• Develop and strengthen the Institute’s organizational knowledge of legal matters by monitoring and analyzing legal issues, trends, precedents, jurisprudence, and other developments of relevance to the Institute, and by supporting the sharing and application of legal knowledge across the organization.
• Develop and recommend for approval budgetary and expenditure proposals for assigned functions; manage approved expenditures within delegated authorities; and review and approve expense claims and expenditure invoices for direct reports.
• Lead or participate in multi-disciplinary teams assigned to special projects and work collaboratively with employees across the Institute; oversee and support the effective contribution of legal staff and legal expertise to multi-disciplinary initiatives.
• May be requested to undertake other related duties on a periodic basis.

Education, Experience and Skills Required

Education / Experience:

• A Juris Doctor (J.D.), Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.), or equivalent recognized law degree, and membership in good standing with a Canadian provincial or territorial law society; and
• Eight (8) to ten (10) years of progressive and related legal experience, including significant experience providing senior-level legal advice in areas relevant to the position and demonstrated experience managing professional staff and complex legal matters; or
• An equivalent combination of education and experience, subject to the professional licensing requirements necessary to practice law and perform the duties of the position.

Language requirement:

• Fluency in both official languages (French and English) is required

Skills and experience required:

• A thorough knowledge of applicable federal and provincial legislation, regulations, jurisprudence, and legal principles relevant to the Institute’s operations, including labour and employment law, collective bargaining, corporate and contractual matters, governance, privacy, and dispute resolution.
• A thorough knowledge of the authorities governing employer-employee relations in the federal public service of Canada and other jurisdictions in which Institute members are employed.
• Extensive experience providing legal counsel, opinions, and strategic advice to senior management and organizational decision-makers on complex, sensitive, and high-risk legal matters.
• Extensive experience interpreting and applying legislation, jurisprudence, collective agreements, policies, contracts, and other legal instruments, and assessing their implications for organizational operations and decision-making.
• Experience providing legal advice on corporate and drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts, leases, agreements, and other legal instruments to identify and mitigate legal risk and safeguard organizational interests.
• Experience initiating, managing, and defending litigation and other legal proceedings, including retaining, instructing, and overseeing external legal counsel and assessing legal strategy, risk, cost, and outcomes.
• Strong knowledge of labour relations and collective bargaining principles and practices, with the ability to provide strategic legal advice on individual and collective representation matters and issues having broader organizational implications.
• Knowledge of privacy legislation, principles, and practices, with the ability to provide organizational‑level advice and oversight regarding privacy obligations, risks, compliance, and information‑handling requirements.
• Knowledge of dispute resolution principles and practices, including the ability to oversee and guide the development and application of appropriate dispute resolution mechanisms and processes.
• Demonstrated ability to anticipate, identify, assess, and manage complex legal and organizational risks and to develop practical legal strategies and recommendations that balance legal requirements with organizational objectives.
• Demonstrated ability to provide clear, authoritative, and practical legal advice and to effectively communicate complex legal matters orally and in writing to senior management, elected officials, the Board of Directors, employees, members, external counsel, and other stakeholders.
• Strong leadership and management skills, including demonstrated experience managing professional staff, establishing priorities and performance expectations, providing coaching and development, managing performance, and fostering an effective and collaborative work environment.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise a high degree of independent judgment, discretion, integrity, and professional responsibility when managing confidential, sensitive, complex, or potentially contentious matters.
• Strong planning, organizational, financial management, and decision‑making skills, including the ability to establish priorities, manage multiple complex files and competing demands, oversee budgets and external legal expenditures, and ensure the effective delivery of legal services.
• Knowledge of the Professional Institute’s organization, governance structure, mandate, and operating environment, or the ability to acquire such knowledge.

Compensation Package

Salary Range: $169,385 to $219,578 (G11) annually
Group Benefits: Health, Dental, life Insurance and disability Insurance
Pension Plan: Defined Benefits
Vacation: Five (5) weeks per year, plus other generous paid leave
Paid Time Off: December 27th to 31st