Senior Counsel - Regulatory Liaison
Top Benefits
About the role
Application Deadline:
09/11/2025
Address:
100 King Street West
Job Family Group:
Legal
Senior Counsel- Regulatory Liaison, Enterprise Regulatory Office.
The Enterprise Regulatory Office (“ERO”) helps BMO meet its regulatory obligations. ERO provides legal advice on regulatory matters, provides leadership and guidance on regulatory examinations and interactions, and is involved with various monitoring and reporting involving regulatory and supervisory matters.
The Senior Counsel, Regulatory Liaison, role supports ERO and the Enterprise with particular focus on BMO’s interactions with its lead regulator, OSFI. The role is a senior lawyer position in ERO focused on regulatory liaison activities with a particular focus on OSFI. The role will assist in maintaining key relationships with OSFI, oversee and advise on regulatory examination activity and supervisory activities, provide legal advice on supervisory and regulatory matters, stay abreast of the current supervisory environment, and report on current and upcoming supervisory trends and themes.
The Regulatory Liaison function within ERO maintains relationships with OSFI and internal stakeholders and oversees the OSFI supervisory examination process including:
- Provides advice, guidance, and procedures for management of OSFI examinations and supervisory activities;
- Helps prepare and support the business during regulatory examination and supervisory activities;
- Oversees responses to supervisory matters and provides input on action plans to address deficiencies, as appropriate;
- Interfaces directly with the supervisory team and specialist groups at OSFI to address appropriate information flow and maintain regulatory relationships; and
- Supports the overall ERO function in identifying trends and themes in the supervisory and regulatory environment.
Knowledge
- Minimum requirement is a degree in law (LLB) and license to practice law in Canada
- Typically, 5 to 10+ years call from the bar
- Proficient level knowledge in legal field
-
Strong knowledge of business and regulatory environment in which BMO Financial Group operates.
Skills
-
Strong skill in proactively providing ideas, advice and solutions relative to legal issues
-
Superior judgement
-
Above average analytical capability
-
Strong verbal and written communication skills
-
Above average negotiations skills
-
Superior relationship management skills/able to relate at all levels
-
Ability to work independently or in team environment
Key Accountabilities
- Develop and maintain relationships with OSFI supervisory team and specialist groups.
- Support BMO's interactions with regulators to ensure BMO stays abreast of supervisory trends and themes. Interact with all levels within BMO including Senior Executive Leaders.
- Lead in identifying supervisory and regulatory themes and trends.
- Provide legal advice on supervisory and regulatory matters.
- Provides advice, guidance, and procedures for management of OSFI examinations and supervisory activities.
- Prepare, as necessary, reports and presentations on supervisory activities and exam preparation for Senior Management and the Board of Directors, including ERO reports on issues and trends.
Scope and Impact
The role is based in Canada but Enterprise wide. The role has direct or indirect impacts across the Enterprise including the following:
-
Legal Risk
-
Regulatory Risk
-
Reputational Risk
-
Regulatory Relationships
-
Ability to execute strategic objectives
The role is complex as a result of number of different businesses and the number of separate legal entities that comprise BMO, many of these businesses are highly regulated by specific regulatory regimes and regulators, the global nature of the business of BMO, the importance of OSFI as BMO’s lead regulator, the amount of relevant regulation and the magnitude of regulatory change. Failure to fully understand and demonstrate an understanding of regulatory environment may impact BMO’s ability to execute on key strategic objectives.
*Hybrid work model: 4 days in office
About Desjardins
Desjardins Group is the largest cooperative financial group in North America and the fifth largest cooperative financial group in the world, with assets of $435.8 billion as at March 31, 2024. It was named one of Canada's Best Employers by Forbes magazine and by Mediacorp. To meet the diverse needs of its members and clients, Desjardins offers a full range of products and services to individuals and businesses through its extensive distribution network, online platforms and subsidiaries across Canada. Ranked among the world's strongest banks according to The Banker magazine, Desjardins has some of the highest capital ratios and credit ratings in the industry and the first according to Bloomberg News.
Senior Counsel - Regulatory Liaison
Top Benefits
About the role
Application Deadline:
09/11/2025
Address:
100 King Street West
Job Family Group:
Legal
Senior Counsel- Regulatory Liaison, Enterprise Regulatory Office.
The Enterprise Regulatory Office (“ERO”) helps BMO meet its regulatory obligations. ERO provides legal advice on regulatory matters, provides leadership and guidance on regulatory examinations and interactions, and is involved with various monitoring and reporting involving regulatory and supervisory matters.
The Senior Counsel, Regulatory Liaison, role supports ERO and the Enterprise with particular focus on BMO’s interactions with its lead regulator, OSFI. The role is a senior lawyer position in ERO focused on regulatory liaison activities with a particular focus on OSFI. The role will assist in maintaining key relationships with OSFI, oversee and advise on regulatory examination activity and supervisory activities, provide legal advice on supervisory and regulatory matters, stay abreast of the current supervisory environment, and report on current and upcoming supervisory trends and themes.
The Regulatory Liaison function within ERO maintains relationships with OSFI and internal stakeholders and oversees the OSFI supervisory examination process including:
- Provides advice, guidance, and procedures for management of OSFI examinations and supervisory activities;
- Helps prepare and support the business during regulatory examination and supervisory activities;
- Oversees responses to supervisory matters and provides input on action plans to address deficiencies, as appropriate;
- Interfaces directly with the supervisory team and specialist groups at OSFI to address appropriate information flow and maintain regulatory relationships; and
- Supports the overall ERO function in identifying trends and themes in the supervisory and regulatory environment.
Knowledge
- Minimum requirement is a degree in law (LLB) and license to practice law in Canada
- Typically, 5 to 10+ years call from the bar
- Proficient level knowledge in legal field
-
Strong knowledge of business and regulatory environment in which BMO Financial Group operates.
Skills
-
Strong skill in proactively providing ideas, advice and solutions relative to legal issues
-
Superior judgement
-
Above average analytical capability
-
Strong verbal and written communication skills
-
Above average negotiations skills
-
Superior relationship management skills/able to relate at all levels
-
Ability to work independently or in team environment
Key Accountabilities
- Develop and maintain relationships with OSFI supervisory team and specialist groups.
- Support BMO's interactions with regulators to ensure BMO stays abreast of supervisory trends and themes. Interact with all levels within BMO including Senior Executive Leaders.
- Lead in identifying supervisory and regulatory themes and trends.
- Provide legal advice on supervisory and regulatory matters.
- Provides advice, guidance, and procedures for management of OSFI examinations and supervisory activities.
- Prepare, as necessary, reports and presentations on supervisory activities and exam preparation for Senior Management and the Board of Directors, including ERO reports on issues and trends.
Scope and Impact
The role is based in Canada but Enterprise wide. The role has direct or indirect impacts across the Enterprise including the following:
-
Legal Risk
-
Regulatory Risk
-
Reputational Risk
-
Regulatory Relationships
-
Ability to execute strategic objectives
The role is complex as a result of number of different businesses and the number of separate legal entities that comprise BMO, many of these businesses are highly regulated by specific regulatory regimes and regulators, the global nature of the business of BMO, the importance of OSFI as BMO’s lead regulator, the amount of relevant regulation and the magnitude of regulatory change. Failure to fully understand and demonstrate an understanding of regulatory environment may impact BMO’s ability to execute on key strategic objectives.
*Hybrid work model: 4 days in office
About Desjardins
Desjardins Group is the largest cooperative financial group in North America and the fifth largest cooperative financial group in the world, with assets of $435.8 billion as at March 31, 2024. It was named one of Canada's Best Employers by Forbes magazine and by Mediacorp. To meet the diverse needs of its members and clients, Desjardins offers a full range of products and services to individuals and businesses through its extensive distribution network, online platforms and subsidiaries across Canada. Ranked among the world's strongest banks according to The Banker magazine, Desjardins has some of the highest capital ratios and credit ratings in the industry and the first according to Bloomberg News.