Director, Legal Services, People and Culture

City of Burnaby; Burnaby; On-site; CAD 186,000 - 207,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Burnaby is seeking a Director of Legal Services to lead the People and Culture legal division in a large, unionized environment. This senior role provides strategic legal guidance to senior management on employment, labour, privacy, health and safety, and human rights matters.

Reporting to the Chief Human Resources Officer, the director oversees external counsel, advises on settlements and policies, and leads negotiations to mitigate risk while supporting organizational objectives.

Qualifications

• A Bachelor of Laws (LLB) or Juris Doctor (JD).
• A member in good standing with the Law Society of British Columbia.
• Significant, recent experience in employment and labour law, including privacy, FOI and OIPC matters.
• A valid British Columbia Driver’s Licence.
• Skill in the use of various software applications, including Adobe Pro.

Responsibilities

• Provide confidential strategic advice on a variety of complex labour and employment law issues.
• Provide effective legal advice, opinions, and representation to mitigate risk and ensure compliance with legislative requirements, prepare and advise on employment related legal documents, including settlement agreements, collective agreements, letters of understanding, employment agreements and labour and employment policies, programs, and procedures.
• Perform research and prepare high level written summaries and recommendations for management review and decision making.
• Review and recommend strategies, programs and services.
• Communicate clearly, persuasively, effectively and tactfully orally and in writing and to make presentations to a wide variety of audiences.
• Coach and mentor staff.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships at all levels of the organization and with union executives.
• Work collaboratively and interact respectfully with others.
• Lead projects, evaluate multiple priorities, set priorities and meet deadlines.
• Deal with confidential and sensitive information; and,
• Employ conflict resolution, consensus building and negotiation skills.

Skills

Labour/Employment Law

Strategic Legal Advice

Leadership & Mentoring

Education

Bachelor of Laws (LLB) or JD

Tools

Adobe Pro

Job description

Director, Legal Services, People and Culture

Competition No: 2026-232

Duration: Temporary Full Time

Salary: $186,440 - 191,608 - 196,795 - 201,981 - 207,168/Year + $11,786.16 Annual Stipend

Last Updated: 9/18/26

Are you an experienced lawyer with a passion for labour and employment law and a desire to make a meaningful impact in a complex, unionized environment? The City of Burnaby has an exciting temporary full time opportunity for a Director, Legal Services to join our People and Culture team. This is a senior role and trusted advisor reporting directly to the Chief Human Resources Officer. The Director, Legal Services manages the People and Culture Legal Division and provides critical guidance and strategic legal advice to senior management and People and Culture staff on a variety of employment, labour, privacy, workers compensation, occupational health and safety, and human rights matters. Additionally, this role may act as the City’s representative in workplace law litigation matters, including arbitration hearings, mediations, Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner matters, human rights complaints, labour relations board matter, and employment related civil claims. This role also actively coordinates and manage files represented by external counsel and related invoicing and costs.

Qualifications

A Bachelor of Laws (i.e. LLB) or Juris Doctor (i.e. JD). A member in good standing with the Law Society of British Columbia. Significant, recent experience in employment and labour law, including handling complex exempt and unionized labour matters, and managing and providing advice on privacy, FOI and OIPC matters. A valid British Columbia Driver’s Licence. Skill in the use of various software applications, including Adobe Pro. This role requires the ability to:

• provide confidential strategic advice on a variety of complex labour and employment law issues;
• provide effective legal advice, opinions, and representation to mitigate risk and ensure compliance with legislative requirements, prepare and advise on employment related legal documents, including settlement agreements, collective agreements, letters of understanding, employment agreements and labour and employment policies, programs, and procedures;
• perform research and prepare high level written summaries and recommendations for management review and decision making;
• review and recommend strategies, programs and services;
• communicate clearly, persuasively, effectively and tactfully orally and in writing and to make presentations to a wide variety of audiences;
• coach and mentor staff;
• establish and maintain effective working relationships at all levels of the organization and with union executives;
• work collaboratively and interact respectfully with others;
• lead projects, evaluate multiple priorities, set priorities and meet deadlines;
• deal with confidential and sensitive information; and,
• employ conflict resolution, consensus building and negotiation skills.

This is a temporary full-time opportunity anticipated to run from November 1, 2026, through October 31, 2028.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER Visit us at www.burnaby.ca

We respectfully acknowledge that the City of Burnaby is located on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm Peoples (Kwikwetlem). Each Nation has distinct histories and distinct traditional territories that fully or partially encompass the city. We encourage you to learn more about the Host Nations whose ancestors have occupied and used these lands, including parts of present-day Burnaby, for thousands of years. We are grateful to be on this territory as we dedicate ourselves to creating an inclusive and diverse workforce that reflects our vibrant community and welcomes applicants of all backgrounds, genders, ages, ethnicities, abilities, sexual orientations, and life experiences.