Job Description

ABOUT UPP

UPP is the first pension plan of its kind in Ontario\xe2\x80\x99s university sector, proudly serving over 39,000 members across four universities and 12 affiliate organizations. Our purpose is to bring greater retirement peace of mind to the university sector by investing with integrity and serving members with care. As a sector-wide plan designed for growth, our doors are open to all Ontario universities.

Together, we\xe2\x80\x99re a team of progressive thinkers and agile doers operating within a fast-paced culture of collaboration and respect. We believe in bringing smart and capable people together to create, solve and grow with a clear shared vision and values of integrity, inclusivity, ingenuity, and impact.

Our culture is intentionally welcoming and purposefully rooted in equity, diversity, inclusion, and reconciliation (EDIR). We believe diverse teams, perspectives, and lived experiences contribute to better decisions and a better workplace.

As a long-term investor, we recognize that environmental, social and governance (\xe2\x80\x9cESG\xe2\x80\x9d) factors support risk management and value creation. As stated in our Responsible Investing Policy, we are committed to incorporating ESG considerations into our investment management activities and we collaborate with other industry participants in the promotion of a sustainable economy and society.

Join us in building a bright future for our members, our organization, and each other.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Reporting to Senior Legal Counsel, the Legal Assistant will provide direct administrative support to the Legal and Governance team. In addition to managing day-to-day correspondence and scheduling, this individual will draft and organize a diverse array of documentation, coordinate corporate events, and assist with other special projects.

The ideal candidate is creative and thrives in a member and result-driven environment. They understand the flexibility and adaptability required in a growing enterprise and will exercise good judgment in a variety of situations. They will have exceptional written and verbal communication, administrative, and organizational skills, and maintain a realistic balance among competing priorities. A self-starter, they will work independently and efficiently on an array of critical, time-sensitive projects. They will represent UPP with the utmost professionalism, discretion, and diplomacy and contribute to the UPP\xe2\x80\x99s culture of respect, collegiality, and inclusion. The successful candidate will benefit from a cross-functional, operationally focused experience and collaborate closely with diverse stakeholder groups across UPP.

UPP is based in Toronto\xe2\x80\x99s financial district and has a hybrid work model (~2 days / week in office).

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Administration and Coordination:

• Complete a wide variety of administrative tasks for the Legal and Governance team including but not limited to:
• Communicating with internal and external stakeholders directly and on behalf of the team members, and in doing so, building trust in relationships with key audiences.
• Keeping the team well informed of upcoming commitments and responsibilities, as applicable, and helping address competing demands and necessary follow-ups.
• Tracking and managing certain correspondence and determining appropriate referrals or responses.
• Organizing and strategically managing the team\xe2\x80\x99s complex calendars, as requested from time to time.
• Organizing and strategically managing UPP\xe2\x80\x99s internal digital file repositories, including within UPP\xe2\x80\x99s document management system, contract management system, and intranet to ensure ease of navigation and reference.
• Coordinating external appearances, engagements, and invitations, as appropriate.
• Planning and managing logistics for a variety of special projects.
• Managing file intake from UPP\xe2\x80\x99s departments and coordinating delegation of work within legal team.
• Facilitating a smooth communication process between the Legal and Governance team and other internal departments.
• Assuring clarity of action items arising from team meetings, and confirming responsibility for closure and follow-up on the status of open items as requested from time to time.
• Assuming responsibility for planning, organizing, and facilitating internal events, as requested from time to time.
• Supporting internal expense reporting.
• Scheduling and coordinating logistics for meetings and other events.
• Supporting the drafting and dissemination of materials and documents, including legal documents where appropriate.
• Providing support to team members for travel, education, and expense claims related to UPP, as required.
• Other duties as required

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor\xe2\x80\x99s degree, college diploma, or equivalent certification.
• At least 3-5 years of administrative experience in a corporate or professional environment, with direct support to legal and governance professionals.
• Law firm and/or pension industry experience is an asset.
• Strong Outlook and calendaring skills; proficiency in the MS suite of products (Sharepoint and PowerPoint would be an asset); willing to learn new software such as Diligent, Adobe Acrobat Pro, DocuSign, and doodle polls.
• Experience using a knowledge and document management system such as iManage is an asset.

ATTRIBUTES

• A nimble, resourceful team player.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a positive attitude.
• Able to build positive relationships within the UPP and with external stakeholders.
• Exceptional writing and proofreading skills, able to produce and review documents quickly and accurately.
• Outstanding administrative and organization skills, detail-oriented, able to prioritize and multitask.
• A proven track record of a proactive \xe2\x80\x9cownership mindset\xe2\x80\x9d evident through responsibility and accountability.
• Demonstrated ability to meet high performance standards and maintain a calm, pleasant demeanor in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• A highly professional video, telephone, and email presence.
• Handles confidential information with discretion.
• Alignment with UPP\xe2\x80\x99s desire to be a leader in Responsible Investing, ESG, and climate change.

LIFE AT UPP

Do work that matters. We are duty-bound to serve our members\xe2\x80\x99 interests, and it\xe2\x80\x99s a responsibility we don\xe2\x80\x99t take lightly. That\xe2\x80\x99s why we\xe2\x80\x99ve ingrained sustainability in our work from day one\xe2\x80\x94to ensure our members have a resilient future to retire into, both today and for generations to come.

Stronger together. Collaboration is how UPP was born, and it\xe2\x80\x99s how we work with each other and our partners day in, day out. No one at UPP is just a number (even if they are excellent at math) and every win is a shared win.

Grow every day. You\xe2\x80\x99ll have the opportunity to work on unique, once-in-a-career projects that maximize your skill set and probably teach you some new ones\xe2\x80\x94at any stage in your career.

Prioritize wellness. At UPP, wellness takes many forms. Ultimately, it\xe2\x80\x99s about ensuring our people are cared for in the ways that matter to them. Check out some highlights of our inclusive employee-focused benefits program including:

• Defined benefit pension plan
• Flexible hybrid work model
• Work from abroad up to eight weeks/year
• Comprehensive group benefits including medical, dental, vision etc.
• Extended paramedical and mental health service coverage
• Health care and lifestyle spending accounts
• Fertility treatments, paid parental leave, and gender affirmation coverage
• Education Assistance program

UPP enthusiastically welcomes applications from all qualified applicants and especially invites people with lived experience as an Indigenous person, a person with a disability or as a member of another Human Rights Code protected group that faces barriers to employment to apply. Our goal is to create a barrier-free experience for every candidate throughout the recruitment process, so if you require accommodation at any point during the process, please let us know so that we can make the appropriate arrangements. It would be our honor to work with you to adapt our processes to ensure that you can meaningfully participate.