Legal Counsel

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ELIGIBILITY FOR THIS COMPETITION IS RESTRICTED TO STEP 1 CANDIDATES INCLUDING OPS ALOC AND OCAA LAWYERS  living or working within 125 km of this location. Note: Eligible lawyers from outside the Area of Search may apply but will not be entitled to relocation or travel expenses for the transfer as set out below.

Step 1: All regular/fixed-term OCAA and ALOC lawyers on staff, current Redeployment List Members and current Articling Student Hireback Pool Members.

Step 2: In the absence of qualified applicants at Step 1 the competition may be reposted so that external applicants or non-members of the above-mentioned groups would then be eligible to apply.

The Ontario Financing Authority (OFA) is seeking a Legal Counsel to join its Legal Branch.

Established under the Capital Investment Plan Act, 1993, the Ontario Financing Authority (OFA) is an agency of the Province of Ontario that works to execute all borrowing, investments and financial risk management activities; manage the provincial debt; advises on financial policies and projects; provide financial and cash management services and advice to Ontario Electricity Financial Corporation.

In this role, you will draw on your legal expertise to provide the OFA and Ontario Electricity Financial Corporation (OEFC) with legal advice to effectively implement existing programs and new initiatives; manage and find solutions to complex legal issues; support robust corporate governance; minimize exposure of the corporations and the Province to liability; and ensure the corporations' activities are carried out in accordance with their respective mandates, the law and applicable government policies.

Our core values include respect, innovation, teamwork and accountability. We are dedicated to fostering a respectful, inclusive and supportive workplace while working in a dynamic, fast-paced setting.

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About the job

Duties Will Include:
• Negotiate, draft, and finalize financial and business agreements and related legal instruments on behalf of the corporation.
• Advise staff and senior management on the legal risks and implications of proposed policies and transactions, with particular focus on corporate law, banking and financial services.
• Fulfill corporate law obligations for the corporation, which may include acting as Board Secretary of the corporation and providing legal and corporate support to the Board of Directors such as drafting minutes, by-laws and Board resolutions.
• Monitor developments in the law and government policy and advise on their practical impact and application on the corporation's activities.
• Manage litigation and other matters referred to external counsel.
• Negotiate, draft, process and advise on tenders and other procurements, including I&IT procurements and contracts.
• Advise on all aspects of the corporation's operations and providing legal research and written and verbal opinions.
• Draft legislation, Orders in Council and regulations under statutes administered by the Ministry of Finance and other legal documents as required.
• Participate in committee work and special projects.
• Monitor and advise on Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), conflict of interest and agency powers.

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What you bring to the team

Mandatory requirements

• Membership in good standing as a lawyer with the Law Society of Ontario

Knowledge and Skills

• Demonstrated expertise in one or more of the following: corporate finance, including banking, borrowing and lending and securities; corporations law; commercial and contract law; procurement and public law.
•Demonstrated oral and written communication and strong interpersonal skills.
• Sharp analytical thinking, legal research ability and problem solving.
• Ability to recognize and assess legal implications of policies and proposals, and to provide practical, strategic, risk-based advice.
• Proven initiative, integrity and sound judgement; able to inspire client confidence and work effectively in a collaborative environment.
• Experience drafting a range of contracts, legal instruments and corporate documents.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple files and prioritize competing deadlines.
• Demonstrated computer literacy, including use of online legal research tools and standard office software.

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How we support diversity, inclusion and accessibility

We are building an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We encourage everyone interested in working with us to apply, including people with disabilities, Indigenous, Black and racialized individuals, as well as people from all ethnicities, cultures, sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.

Our hiring process is accessible, consistent with Ontario's Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. We are working to prevent and remove barriers in our hiring processes and can offer  accommodation to address specific needs related to Code-protected grounds such as disability, family status and religion. For more information about accommodation during the hiring process please  contact us.

Learn more about the work the OPS is doing to create an inclusive, anti-racist, accessible and diverse workplace:

• diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives
• accessibility
• Anti-Racism Policy

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Additional information:

Note:

• About security checks:
  A criminal or other federal offence record does not automatically disqualify you from the position. We consider each situation based on the position's responsibilities.
  If a check is needed and you've lived outside of Canada in the past 5 years for 6 or more months in a row, or if you are not a Canadian resident, you'll need to provide an out-of-country police clearance certificate from the country you lived in.
  Employment screening checks are only reviewed and evaluated by the Transition and Security Office, which also maintains them and keeps them strictly confidential.
• For issues with submitting applications, or questions, please contact CSMD.HR.LegalCompeti@ontario.ca

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How to apply:

1. You must apply online.
2. Your cover letter and resume combined should not exceed five (5) pages. For tips and tools on how to write a concise cover letter and resume, review the Writing a Cover Letter and Resume: Tips, Tools and Resources.
3. Customize your cover letter and resume to the qualifications listed on the job ad. Using concrete examples, you must show how you demonstrated the requirements for this job. We rely on the information you provide to us.
4. Read the job description to make sure you understand this job.
5. OPS employees are required to quote their WIN EMPLOYEE ID number when applying.
6. If you require a disability related accommodation in order to participate in the recruitment process, please Contact Us to provide your contact information. Recruitment services team will contact you within 48 hours.

Language requirements and assessment:
All external Ontario Public Service (OPS) job ads are posted in English and French. Check the "position(s) language" section at the top of each job ad for the language requirements. For all roles, candidates are assessed in English, the business language of the OPS. If the position is bilingual (English/French), you'll also need to pass a French-language proficiency test.

Exigences en matière de langue et évaluation:
Toutes les offres d'emploi externes de la fonction publique de l'Ontario (FPO) sont affichées en français et en anglais. Consultez la section « Langue du ou des postes » en haut de chaque offre d'emploi pour connaître les exigences linguistiques. Pour tous les postes, les candidats sont évalués en anglais, la langue d'affaires de la FPO. Si le poste est bilingue (anglais/français), vous devrez également passer un test de compétences linguistiques en français.