General Counsel

Description

UWinnipeg is proudly situated on Treaty One Territory and the Métis homeland in the heart of downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba. Each year, 9,000 students choose UWinnipeg for its commitment to academic excellence, Indigenous inclusion, environmental sustainability, smaller class sizes, campus diversity, and community connections.

As a member of UWinnipeg’s senior executive leadership team, the General Counsel (GC) advises and provides supports to the President and Vice-Chancellor, senior executives and administrators, the Board of Regents and Senate, and various others across the institution. The GC provides strategic legal leadership across a broad range of legal and governance matters, helping to safeguard the University’s interests and support effective and responsible management at the University.

Responsibilities:

• Works with the Chair of the Board of Regents, Board Officers, and committees, providing advice and support including legal compliance and liability reporting to the Board Audit & Risk Committee.
• Works with the President and Vice-Chancellor as Chair of the Senate and other members of Senate Executive leadership providing advice and support
• Works with the Senior Executive Management team, administrative and academic managers, and executives and members of the Board of Regents and Senate, to protect the university from legal challenges, defend the University from legal actions when appropriate and necessary, and limit the University’s exposure to legal liability, through preventative as well as responsive and objective advice and decisions.
• Seeks independent legal advice in situations where there is potential or perceived conflicts of interest.
• Ensures that the University is in compliance with all applicable legislation, regulations, internal policy, and principles of good governance.
• Participates in University events to honour University traditions and nurture positive relationships between the University, external communities, and the public.
• Provides effective leadership of legal matters through consultation and cooperation with the University community.
• In collective bargaining provides input and guidance to representatives of University employees and provides input and support to the development of the bargaining mandate in collaboration with the Board Officers and Senior Executive Management.
• Acts as the delegated head of the University for the purposes of FIPPA, and works closely with the Executive Director, Data Privacy and Compliance, to ensure the University’s compliance, and protect the access to information and privacy interests.
• Supports effective governance through participation on the Senior Executive Management team, in the development and monitoring of the budget process, development of strategic objectives and annual priorities and the provision of relevant information and legal advice to the Board of Regents and Senate on policy and other matters within the purview of the governing bodies.
• Contributes actively at the executive level within the University and serves as University representative, both internally and externally.
• Advocates for the University to faculty, students, staff, government, other universities and the communities that the University serves.
• Stays current with changes in the law by participation in professional development activities.
• Serves as one of three University appointees to the Pension Board of Trustees including regular membership on Standing Committees.
• Manages the Office of the GC and provides guidance and leadership to the office staff, supporting and fostering their professional growth and career aspirations.

Qualifications:

• Must possess an L.L.B./ J.D. and practiced for a minimum of 10 years in a Canadian common law jurisdiction i.e. not civil law, combined with experience and achievements that will command respect within and outside of the University community.
• A practicing member of, or eligible to be, a practicing member of the Law Society of Manitoba. Any candidate who is not, at the time of application, currently a member shall be made an offer conditional upon obtaining membership within 3 months of the start date.
• Have general knowledge and experience in a wide range of areas of the law including:
  • contracts;
  • intellectual property;
  • litigation;
  • information and privacy;
  • human rights, discrimination and harassment;
  • labour and employment;
  • statutory interpretation;
  • corporate and administrative law;
  • policy development, interpretation, and implementation;
  • property development and real estate. 
• Experience advising on governance, preferably in the public and/or not for profit sectors.
• Senior administrative experience including strategic and operational planning and execution.
• Successful financial, operational and people management experience.
• Experience making and implementing difficult decisions, fostering constructive decision-making processes, inspiring individuals and groups to address significant challenges, and can recognize and act on strategic opportunities.
• Demonstrated success in actualizing operational plans and programs.
• Proven ability to work and communicate effectively with governing bodies, committees, unions, communities analogous to the University community, and the broader community and members of the public.
• Proven ability to effectively negotiate significant agreements.
• Demonstrated ability to build strong and effective relationships.
• Demonstrated knowledge of/experience with:
  • Equity and diversity issues, human rights, and promoting a respectful workplace;
  • Using consultative processes to introduce innovations and improvements;
  • Building teams and developing individuals – particularly building leadership capacity;
  • Understanding of and commitment to building a sustainable campus consistent with the University’s campus sustainability policy and plan
  • Collective bargaining processes;
  • Balancing a multitude of projects and issues simultaneously.
• Superior verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills, with a high level of personal integrity, resilience, and motivation to excel.
• Vision and leadership capabilities to communicate and implement the University’s mandate and to present confidently to audiences of all levels. 
• Effective team builder who works in a problem-solving mode, seeing all perspectives, and is effective at negotiating agreements.
• Accessible management style, communicates openly and candidly and effectively motivates a variety of individuals using strong management skills.
• Experienced team player who enjoys working collaboratively, models this behaviour, and can instill a sense of trust.
• Effective problem-solver and decision-maker who ensures appropriate analysis, and can make and communicate timely, and at times difficult, decisions.
• Results oriented, and capable of setting, meeting and exceeding goals.
• Capability to undertake discussions and negotiations with policy makers.
• Experience in working in both a unionized and non-unionized environment.
• Exercises excellent judgment, approaches issues with fairness and objectivity, and takes accountability when addressing problems and difficult situations.
• Demonstrates the highest standards of integrity and the ability to remain principled when addressing difficult or sensitive issues.

An equivalent combination of education, experience, skills, knowledge and abilities may be considered. 

Condition(s) of Employment:

• Must be legally entitled to work in Canada.