Senior Legal Counsel - Burnaby, BC

Location: This hybrid role requires 3 days on-site at our Burnaby, BC office and 2 days remote per week.

Welcome to Specsavers – where we’re not just about eyecare and eyewear, but changing lives through better sight. Ranked the 5th Best Workplace™ in Canada and 12th globally by Great Place to Work®, we’re proud of our optometrist-owned model that makes high-quality, eyecare and eyewear accessible to all Canadians.

Founded 40 years ago in the UK by visionary husband and wife optometry duo Doug and Mary Perkins, Specsavers has remained privately owned since day one. Today, we are a $7.8 billion global business with over 45,000 colleagues across more than 2,700 retail optical locations.

In Canada, our support office is based in Burnaby, BC. Since entering the market in 2021, we’ve been scaling rapidly, now with over 270 locations nationwide. With advanced clinical equipment and a wide range of affordable, high-quality eyewear, we’re transforming the way Canadians experience eyecare.

If you’re passionate about making a difference and want to be part of a values-driven organization, join us as we continue to grow. Together, we can change lives through better sight.

What You’ll Do

Support the growth of Specsavers in the Canadian optical retail and optometry market by providing practical, commercially focused legal advice and infrastructure that enables the sustainable growth and long-term success of the Specsavers business model in Canada.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide pragmatic, commercially focused legal advice to support the delivery of the organization's annual plan and strategic business objectives.
• Identify, assess, and help mitigate legal risks across the organization.
• Advise internal stakeholders on and draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of commercial agreements, including franchise, joint venture, and commercial lease arrangements.
• Partner with key stakeholders across the business to deliver practical legal guidance in a cross-functional environment, supporting teams including Finance, Operations, Business Development, Regulatory Affairs, Marketing, Sponsorship, Human Resources, Information Security, Information Technology, Product, Procurement, and Data.
• Develop, review, and maintain legal documents, templates, policies, procedures, and training materials to support business operations and compliance.
• Collaborate with global Legal teams and provide support on initiatives and projects with broader organizational impact.
• Build and maintain strong, effective relationships with external legal counsel, members of the Legal team, and key business stakeholders across Canada and other Specsavers markets.
• Provide timely, solutions-oriented responses to legal enquiries and business needs.
• Foster open and transparent communication with stakeholders by providing clear updates, guidance, and follow-through, building trust, credibility, and strong partnerships that enable constructive discussion, healthy challenge, and informed decision-making.

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor of Laws (LLB) or Juris Doctor (JD).
• Qualified lawyer in good standing with the Law Society of British Columbia.
• A proactive, self-motivated legal professional with at least 7 years of broad corporate and commercial law experience gained in both private practice and in-house environments.
• Strong commercial acumen, with demonstrated ability to negotiate, structure, and draft agreements that effectively balance legal protections with business objectives.
• Excellent analytical and critical thinking skills, coupled with a pragmatic, solutions-oriented approach to legal and commercial issues.
• Proven ability to assess and manage legal risk while providing practical, business-focused advice that supports timely decision-making.
• Collaborative and relationship-oriented business partner who is effective at building credibility and strong working relationships with stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience supporting organizations operating across Canada, with in-house advisory experience in one or more of the following areas considered an asset: data protection and health privacy, marketing and advertising law, employment law, commercial leasing, and/or franchise law.
• Demonstrated people leadership capabilities, with experience supporting team management, operational effectiveness, and administrative processes.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to translate complex legal concepts into clear, actionable guidance for non-legal audiences.
• Highly organized and able to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment, demonstrating sound judgment, effective time management, and strong prioritization skills.

Compensation: $145,000 - $170,000 base salary, plus quarterly bonus, profit sharing, and benefits. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience

Speccies’ Benefits

• 4 weeks of vacation and 1 paid volunteer day per year
• 1 extra paid day off plus an eyecare voucher to celebrate your birthday.
• Health and dental benefits, RRSP matching and a Healthcare Spending Account active from your first day.
• Mental health and wellbeing support, including $3,000 annually for practitioner care and access to our Employee Assistance Program.
• Quarterly bonuses, based on your performance.
• Annual Profit Share program to recognize your part in Specsavers’ success.
• Free parking, access to the building gym, and a fully stocked kitchen with snacks and coffee/tea.
• On‑site wellness offerings in-office, including RMT and yoga sessions.
• Team and company social events, including holiday and annual celebrations.

Behaviours We Value

• Collaborative : We work together as one Specsavers to deliver on our purpose
• Curious : We question, explore, and seek out diverse perspectives to develop our knowledge and understanding
• Courageous : We challenge the status quo, we experiment with good ideas, and we are brave, bold, and fast in our decision making
• Compassionate : We care, support, and help each other
• Commercial : We treat money wisely and make decisions that are good for our customers, our partners, our people and for the long term

We hope that in applying with us, you value these things as well!

Our Hybrid Work Model

Experience the best of both worlds. At Specsavers, we embrace a hybrid approach that balances in-office collaboration with the flexibility to work from home. We come together in office three days a week to connect, innovate, and keep our culture thriving.

Equal Opportunity Employer

At Specsavers, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We believe that a diverse team enriches our work environment and enables us to achieve our goals. We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage candidates of all backgrounds and abilities to apply. If you believe you can contribute to our mission and vision, we welcome your application, even if you don\'t meet every qualification listed. We value the unique skills and perspectives each individual brings to our team.

Accessibility and Accommodations

We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible workplace. If you require accommodations at any stage of the application or interview process, please let us know by contacting us at View email address on click.appcast.io. We will work with you to meet your needs and ensure a fair and equitable experience.