Job Description

Overview
As a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, the Vice President & Chief Legal and Risk Officer provides strategic leadership and expert counsel to safeguard the Corporation's legal, regulatory, and governance interests. This role is accountable for ensuring the Corporation maintains a sound legal and compliance posture across all operations, while proactively identifying and mitigating risk.
This position is responsible for overseeing all corporate secretarial functions, ensuring adherence to applicable legislation and regulatory frameworks. They serve as a trusted advisor on corporate governance matters, supporting the Board of Directors through the development and continuous improvement of governance policies and practices. The role acts as a central liaison between the Board, Executive Management, and the Government of Manitoba, facilitating the effective flow of information to enable informed decision-making.
The Vice President & Chief Legal and Risk Officer will also lead the development and execution of long-term strategies aligned with corporate priorities, fostering a high-performance culture grounded in integrity, accountability, and service excellence. This includes building and empowering a skilled, engaged, and customer-focused team, while driving operational efficiency and robust governance and risk management practices.
Responsibilities
Strategic Planning & Transformation:

• Lead the transformation of legal services by fostering a deep understanding of the Corporation's business and aligning legal strategies with enterprise-wide priorities.
• Contribute to the development of the Corporation's vision, strategic direction, and long-term goals, ensuring legal and risk strategies are fully integrated and supportive of organizational objectives.
• Provide forward-looking leadership in the formulation and execution of legal services strategies that drive innovation, efficiency, and value.
• Develop and implement processes to assess and respond to the evolving needs of Manitobans, internal departments, and key stakeholders, ensuring legal services remain responsive and relevant.
• Continuously monitor emerging trends, risks, and best practices, integrating insights into strategic planning and service delivery.
• Implement evaluation frameworks to assess the Corporation's capacity to meet current and future legal and compliance demands.
• Anticipate future challenges and opportunities, positioning the Corporation for long-term success through proactive legal and risk strategies.
• Translate strategic priorities into actionable operational plans, clearly communicating objectives and expectations across the legal function and to relevant stakeholders.

Operational & Performance Leadership:

• Accountable for the legal advice and opinions provided to other departments, and other legal services as necessary, for the effective conduct of the Corporation's business within the applicable legislative framework. Also leads all legislative initiatives, whether Act or Regulation.
• Accountable as legal advisor to all areas of the Corporation. This includes matters relating to contracts, statutory interpretation and advice on business/policy issues. Oversee legal defences on behalf of the Corporation in contractual matters and court challenges to the interpretation of the Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation Act.
• Responsible for the Personal Injury Protection Plan (PIPP) internal review process; this internal review process is a pre-requisite before the independent Automobile Injury Compensation Appeal Commission can hear formal appeals. Act as primary liaison between the Corporation and the Commission and oversee all appeal hearings.
• Provide legal representation on behalf of the Corporation.

Organizational & People Leadership:

• Establish and maintain an effective organizational structure that supports the strategic delivery of legal, risk, and governance services, ensuring alignment with corporate priorities and operational excellence.
• Foster a unified and high-performing leadership team that is collaborative, future-focused, and committed to advancing the Corporation's mission through continuous service improvement and innovation.
• Champion a culture of accountability, inclusion, and excellence, where diverse perspectives are valued, calculated risks are embraced, and employees are empowered to deliver exceptional service and contribute meaningfully to the Corporation's success.

Qualifications

• Law degree from a recognized Canadian law school (or equivalent).
• Call to the Manitoba Bar.
• Fifteen (15) years of senior leadership experience in the practice of law providing input on a wide range of complex corporate documents and issues.
• Exceptional leadership skills with a proven ability to form, lead and develop high performing teams, and demonstrates successes in leading change.
• Excellent technical foundation in legal matters with an understanding and thorough knowledge of associated principles and case law.
• Knowledge of corporate governance issues as well as an understanding of emerging trends and issues in particular as they affect Crown corporations.
• Superior communications skills along with excellent negotiation skills and proven success in public speaking and formal presentations.
• Strong organizational skills along with the ability to plan and manage multiple complex projects and tasks simultaneously.
• Proven ability to adapt to, and effectively contribute to, rapid business transformation along with the ability to develop a strategic vision, with proven ability to build consensus, fostering the necessary momentum to ensure objectives are met.
• Capable of positively engaging executive management, the Board of Directors as well as influential external stakeholders (e.g. Government of Manitoba, strategic business partners, interest groups with diverging interests) and operating with the highest level of integrity and business ethics.

Employee Benefits
Health benefits
We offer a comprehensive health benefits program that includes:

• flexible health, dental and vision plans
• health spending account
• travel health coverage
• other extended health benefits such as ambulance, massage and physiotherapy

Financial security
In an effort to support financial security, we offer:

• registered pension plan
• group, dependent, and optional life insurance coverage
• critical illness insurance
• sick leave to cover short-term disability
• long-term disability

Wellness
We offer programs that focus on how to better achieve a balance between work and personal commitments, as well as maintain a healthy workplace culture. This includes:

• vacation entitlement
• flexible work arrangement for eligible positions
• maternity, parental and adoptive leaves
• bereavement and family responsibility leaves
• employee and family assistance program
• mental-health programming
• lunch-and-learn offerings
• discounted gym memberships and wellness account

Diversity and inclusion
Manitoba Public Insurance believes that diversity and inclusion strengthens us. We consider ourselves to be a barrier-free organization where individual values, beliefs and practices are respected and appreciated for the diversity they bring to our work life.
Employee recognition
It's important to recognize our employees for their contributions. Not only do we recognize employees as they achieve milestone years in their careers, we also have several outlets for leaders and peers to reward each other for work well done.
Professional development
We want our employees to grow, which is why we offer support in keeping their skills up-to-date. We offer in-house training, professional development and an educational assistance program.
Safety and health
In an effort to encourage a safe and healthy work environment, we offer various safety, health and workplace policies and programs along with technical expertise and assistance to support employee activities in safety and health.

Skills Required