Manager, Claims Legal Support

Desjardins; Toronto; On-site; CAD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and annual bonus

4 weeks of flexible vacation

Defined benefit pension plan

Group insurance including telemedicine

Reimbursement of health and wellness +

Telework equipment

Job summary

Desjardins is seeking a Manager, Claims Legal Support for the Ontario, Atlantic and Western region. You will lead a team of 7 Section Managers and over 100 professionals within the In-House Legal group, supporting property and casualty defence across five locations, including Toronto, Mississauga, Aurora, Ottawa and Calgary.

You will build strategic partnerships with Legal Counsel and Claims, driving performance, engagement and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field is required.
• Nine years of relevant experience, including at least three years in management.
• Experience managing leaders and developing high-performing teams.
• Leadership ability to coach, influence and inspire.
• Property & casualty insurance industry experience.
• Advanced proficiency of English for work tools and collaboration.
• Intermediate knowledge of main systems (Legal software, Claim Systems, MS Office).
• Willingness to travel to an office once per month.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute sector action plans aligned with strategic priorities.
• Establish goals, metrics and standards; manage performance to meet objectives.
• Lead, coach and develop Section Managers and staff; support talent growth.
• Foster a collaborative culture with a shared vision and clear communication.
• Strengthen cross-team relationships and promote engagement.
• Drive operational excellence and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Partner with Legal Counsel, Claims and stakeholders to implement client-focused solutions.
• Oversee budgeting and resource management with accountability.

Skills

Leadership

Team development

Strategic thinking

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Travel readiness

Change management

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related field

Tools

Legal software

Claim systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

As Manager, Claims Legal Support, for the Ontario, Atlantic and Western (OAW) region you will play a pivotal leadership role in driving operational excellence and shaping the performance of a high-impact legal support function. Leading a team of 7 Section Managers and an extended group of over 100 professionals, you will oversee the delivery of law clerk services and legal administrative support critical to our success. This role sits within our dynamic In-House Legal team specializing in Property and Casualty Insurance Defence—an engaged, collaborative network of more than 200 legal professionals across five key locations: Toronto, Mississauga, Aurora, Ottawa, and Calgary. A key component of this role is fostering strong, strategic partnerships with Legal Counsel and the Claims department—particularly within Accident Benefits and Bodily Injury—ensuring alignment, effective communication, and coordinated approaches to complex claims handling and litigation support. This collaboration is central to delivering seamless, client-focused outcomes while driving continuous improvement across functions. This is a unique opportunity to influence strategy, strengthen team capability, and champion a culture of performance, innovation, and service excellence across a growing and geographically diverse organization. You will require a thoughtful, steady, and people-focused approach to building trust, stability, and engagement. Success in this role requires a leader who understands the value their teams bring to the broader organization—recognizing their needs, motivations, and expectations—and leveraging that insight to drive performance and engagement. You will invest in developing talent, creating pathways for growth and opportunity, and empowering leaders and employees to reach their full potential. You are a relationship-builder who values getting to know people beyond transactional interactions. You lead with curiosity—asking questions, listening deeply, and challenging the status quo to continuously improve how work gets done. You foster an environment where collaboration is prioritized over individual achievement, and where success is defined by the collective strength of the team.

More specifically, you will be required to:

• Develop and execute sector action plans aligned with strategic priorities, ensuring strong cross-functional integration
• Establish clear goals, performance metrics, and standards while managing individual and team performance to consistently achieve business objectives
• Lead, coach, and develop Section Managers and staff, building leadership capability and supporting ongoing talent growth and future workforce needs
• Foster a collaborative, motivated culture through clear communication, shared vision (mission, values, objectives), and a focus on collective team success
• Strengthen relationships across teams by promoting curiosity, meaningful engagement, and a deeper understanding of people beyond transactional interactions
• Drive operational excellence by ensuring efficient processes, challenging the status quo, and leading continuous improvement initiatives
• Partner closely with Legal Counsel, Claims, and other stakeholders to identify issues, ensure alignment, and implement effective, client-focused solutions
• Oversee budgeting and resource management while promoting accountability, problem-solving, and strong, people-centered leadership practices.

What we offer*

• Competitive salary and annual bonus
• 4 weeks of flexible vacation starting in the first year
• Defined benefit pension plan that provides predictable, stable income throughout retirement
• Group insurance including telemedicine
• Reimbursement of health and wellness expenses and telework equipment
• Benefits apply based on eligibility criteria.

What You Bring To The Table

• Bachelor's degree in a related field
• A minimum of nine years of relevant experience, including three years in management
• Please note that other combinations of qualifications and relevant experience may be considered
• Experience managing leaders and developing high-performing teams
• Leadership experience with the ability to coach, influence, and inspire.
• Property and casualty insurance industry/experience
• Advanced proficiency of English due to the nature of the duties or work tools or because the position involves interactions with English-speaking partners, members and/or clients
• Intermediate knowledge of main systems (Legal software, Claim Systems, Microsoft Office)
• Intermediate knowledge of standards and processes related to Property & Casualty legal matters (AB, BI, Property, etc.)
• Intermediate knowledge of the industry and legislation in OAW
• Available for travel once per month to an office

• Action oriented
• Courage
• Customer Focus
• Develops talent
• Differences
• Engagement
• Interpersonal Savvy
• Nimble learning
• Situational adaptability

Trade Union (If applicable)

At Desjardins, we believe in equity, diversity and inclusion. We're committed to welcoming, respecting and valuing people for who they are as individuals, learning from their differences, embracing their uniqueness, and providing a positive workplace for all. At Desjardins, we have zero tolerance for discrimination of any kind. We believe our teams should reflect the diversity of the members, clients and communities we serve.

If there's something we can do to help make the recruitment process or the job you're applying for more accessible, let us know. We can provide accommodations at any stage in the recruitment process. Just ask!

Job Family

Management (FG)

Unposting Date

2026-08-16

This position is actually vacant.

Desjardins uses tools that incorporate artificial intelligence functionalities to screen or assess applicants as part of the recruitment process for this position.