City Solicitor

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Closing Date: This posting will remain open until filled

Labour Group: Executive Contract

Posting: 5791

Join our Team!

The City of Saskatoon is seeking an experienced, strategic legal leader to serve as City Solicitor, providing comprehensive legal services and trusted counsel to City Council, the City Manager, Administration, and civic Boards and Committees. This executive leadership role oversees the City Solicitor’s Department, guides complex legal matters, and provides expertise in municipal law, litigation, legislation, bylaws, and contracts.

Duties & Responsibilities

The City Solicitor’s Office provides legal services to the City of Saskatoon, City Council and its Boards, Committees and other related organizations. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, this professional position provides legal advice and opinions on policy and process matters to the City Manager, City Council, the Leaders, Administration, and City staff under the general direction of the City Manager. You will provide leadership and guidance to the members of the City Solicitor’s Department, including Solicitors and Administrative Assistants, and will support their professional development. You will also oversee and approve the drafting of bylaws and contracts relating to all aspects of the City’s operations, including utility operations, land transactions, municipal planning and development, construction, IT and community partnership activities. This position is responsible for providing full legal services to the City of Saskatoon, including litigation and in-house counsel services to City Council, the Administration and various civic Boards and Committees. Duties include:

• Sets the overall strategic direction of the City Solicitor’s Office by establishing goals and short- and long-term objectives that are consistent with the overall strategic direction of the City.
• Demonstrated ability to build strong, collaborative relationships with organizational leaders and to work cooperatively with colleagues at all levels, as well as with a wide range of internal and external contacts, agencies and members of the public.
• Organizes and directs the City’s legal activities. Supervises the provision of legal services to City Council, the Administration and civic Boards and Committees in a variety of areas including Litigation, Municipal Law, Planning and Administrative Law, Employment Law, Prosecutions, Real Estate and Construction Law.
• Attends and provides legal advice at Council meetings. Frequently called upon to give immediate answers based on accumulated knowledge and experience without the opportunity to conduct research. Attends and provides legal advice at Executive Committee meetings of Council.
• Provides legal counsel and direction in a timely manner to senior management and departmental personnel on corporate matters involving legal problems/issues. Works closely with senior management and department personnel to assist them in achieving their goals in a manner which is consistent with protecting the City’s interests from a legal standpoint.
• Manage outsourced specialised legal service providers to ensure the City’s interests are kept while managing costs.
• Proactively shares information, analysis and recommendations based on legislation, court and tribunal decisions that may affect the organization and its practices.
• Represents the organizations at various levels of court, and other formal and informal legal proceedings.
• Demonstrated political acumen and the ability to negotiate, mediate, facilitate and present information to a varied audience.
• Provides ongoing departmental leadership by using effective management techniques and performance management processes. Encourages the professional development of personnel so that employees are highly qualified, competent and provide excellent service. Is available for consultation with legal staff.
• Acts as a member of the City’s Executive Leadership Team and represents the City at a senior level.
• Develops departmental budgets and ensures that the departmental budget is implemented in accordance with the City’s budget plan.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Who we are looking for:

Visioning and Strategic Thinking - Thinks long-term, stretching horizons and challenging imaginations to develop an image of how to deliver innovative and creative services that meet and exceed community expectations. Creates a vision that drives the incumbent’s performance and professional motivation, and captures and energizes others to commit to the vision.

Building Organizational Effectiveness - Sets the stage and builds the culture and standards for a high performing workplace. Acts as a role model.

Financial Leadership - Oversees the health of the corporation's finances and long term financial plans, and ensures openness and accountability exists in corporate resource allocation and collection decisions.

Team Leadership - Builds own skills in team leadership, fosters teamwork and ensures that team members and staff are engaged. Gets the most and brings the best out of people. Makes decisions made based on what is best for the city, not what is best for the department.

Political Astuteness - Able to understand and operate effectively within both the political environment of the Corporation and the community. Uses knowledge of the political and organizational climate to solve problems and get things done. Communicates in a politically sensitive manner. Diplomatically handles challenging or tense personal or political situations.

Foster Change & Innovation - Champions change, demonstrates a willingness and ability to initiate, sponsor and lead change initiatives through to completion. Focuses on continually improving work processes and practices. Recommends and implements innovative ideas and solutions to enhance organizational results.

What we are looking for:

• A Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) or Juris Doctorate (JD) degree.
• Membership in the Law Society of Saskatchewan.
• Ten years' progressively responsible experience at a senior level providing legal services within a multifaceted setting including extensive experience practicing municipal law.
• Demonstrated team management and leadership capabilities.

Additional Requirements

The City of Saskatoon offers a wide range of benefits. These benefits support the health, well-being and financial security of our employees.

Salary Range: A comprehensive total rewards package will be negotiated with the successful candidate.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The City of Saskatoon offers an inclusive workplace that embraces diverse backgrounds. As an equity partner with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission (SHRC), the City commits to diversity, equity and inclusion in our workplaces. By having our workforce reflect the community we serve, we support the realization of miyo-pimatisiwin, (me-o-pi-ma-ti-si-win) “the good life”, for all residents. To learn more about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the City, please visit Saskatoon.ca/diversity

Accommodation

The City of Saskatoon strives to provide an accessible and inclusive workplace for all, including throughout the application and selection process through reasonable access and accommodations. Should you require accommodation through any stage of the recruitment process, please email View email address on click.appcast.io.

While we appreciate all applications we receive, only candidates under consideration will be contacted.

Our Recruitment Process: Application > Posting Closes > Resume Review > Pre-screen/Interview > Offer > Pre-Employment Conditions > Welcome to the City