Counsel II or Senior Legal Counsel

Location:

Toronto

Temporary Assignment:

1 Regular and 1 Temporary Position (Up to 24 Months)

Business Unit:

Legal Resources & Corporate Governance

Why join us?

You’ve got great skills. And you want to use them in an organization where you know what you do every day matters. We get that.

We also know that ensuring Ontarians have access to affordable and reliable power doesn’t happen by accident. So we give you the tools, flexibility and support you need to achieve your goals, and development opportunities to help you grow. You’ll thrive in a collaborative, team-based environment that values your unique skills and experiences – and recognizes that when you do better, we become even better too.

Who we are

The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) works at the heart of Ontario’s power system ensuring there is enough electricity to keep the lights on, today and into the future. We operate the power system in real time, oversee Ontario’s wholesale electricity markets, deliver energy efficiency and plan for Ontario’s future energy needs. In today’s fast-changing energy landscape, ensuring Ontario’s businesses and communities have access to reliable and affordable power is becoming more complex – and more exciting. That’s why now, more than ever, we need values-driven professionals who can see issues from different perspectives, who are agile, embrace innovation, and thrive in a collaborative environment built on shared values and a powerful purpose.

Note, the IESO has offices in Mississauga and Oakville as well. The IESO offers a Hybrid Work Model Program. This Program allows for remote working up to three days per week, subject to business needs.

The opportunity

The IESO is seeking up to two new lawyers to join its legal team. The successful applicants will have a minimum of four years post-call experience, preferably working on complex matters in leading law firms or fast paced in-house environments. The Counsel role will report to a Senior Manager in the Legal group.

The position will be either Counsel II or Senior Counsel, depending on successful applicant experience. Please note that there are two positions - one regular and one temporary (two-year contract). Please indicate whether you are applying for regular, temporary, or both.

What you'll do

• As a member of the Legal Department, Counsel will work collaboratively, advising on multi-disciplinary legal projects, providing strategic legal advice on a range of complex legal, regulatory, policy and business issues, ensuring that advice is linked to the organization’s strategic objectives, and acting as an integral part of internal and external project teams
• Counsel will provide high-quality solution-oriented legal advice and guidance on a range of matters supporting IESO’s strategy and mandate, including:
• Management of electricity generation contracts
• Acquisition of new electricity system resources (including from electricity storage facilities) and management of energy contracts
• Electricity market operations, including interpretation, administration and development of the IESO’s Market Rules and related matters
• Interpretation and compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements
• Transmission system planning
• Disputes that may arise under or in relation to Market Rules or energy procurement contracts, and
• General operations of the IESO, including matters relating to governance, procurements of goods and services (including IT-related acquisitions), non-disclosure agreements, freedom of information access requests, privacy law, records management, and related legal research

Who you are

• A member in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario.
• For the Counsel II position, we are looking for a minimum of 4 years post call experience in commercial, transactional and/or regulatory law gained either in a leading law firm or in-house law department setting
• For the Senior Counsel I position, we are looking for a minimum of 8 years post call experience in commercial, transactional and/or regulatory law gained either in a leading law firm or in-house law department setting
• Experience in any of the following specific areas is an asset:
• Electricity or energy law
• Infrastructure or construction law
• Banking and finance law
• Procurement law
• Administrative law
• Privacy law
• Regulatory law

Competencies

• Ability and commitment to align with IESO’s core values
• Ability to work collaboratively in a busy team environment
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Ability to analyze complex issues and recommend practical solutions
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Excellent negotiation and drafting skills
• Deadline-oriented
• A strong personal commitment to client needs
• Organizational and time management skills
• Demonstrate a clear understanding of the IESO’s public mandate and corporate objectives
• Ability to influence peers and others in the organization
• Strong problem-solving skills

What the IESO offers:

• Competitive salary
• Comprehensive benefit programs (regular employees)
• Defined Benefit Pension Plan – provides a fixed pension based on earnings and length of service
• Flex/Rewards Program – includes standard, company-paid benefits plus annual flex credits that you can allocate among various optional plans according to your personal and family needs (including up to two extra weeks of vacation, subject to approval)
• A challenging, fast-paced team environment
• Career support
• Learning:
• Webinars and programs offered through the IESO
• The IESO provides assistance at 75% to 100% of the cost of approved work-related educational programs.
• Flexibility/Work-life balance
• Opportunity to work with some of the brightest people in the energy industry

IESO is committed to a fair and equitable recruitment process. Our process is designed to ensure the highest standards of fairness and transparency are maintained. We value the unique skills and experiences each individual brings to the organization and we are committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and accessible environment for everyone.

Upon request, the IESO will provide accommodation in its recruitment process for applicants.

Please indicate if you require any accommodations based on Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

Please note the successful candidate must be located in Ontario, eligible to work in Canada and will be subject to a background check.

While we appreciate your submissions, we can only contact those candidates selected for interviews.

Application Deadline: April 14, 2023

Join our talent community

Sign up for talent community on the legal job board in Toronto; stay in touch, find out about new opportunities – and discover how you can make a difference. Discover how we use our expertise and commitment to deliver reliable and affordable electricity to Ontario’s businesses and communities, and how we’re innovating to secure a stronger energy future for all Ontarians. Visit Careers at IESO and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.