FEBRUARY 4, 2026

LEGAL COUNSEL

POSITION NUMBER: 00336462

POSITION STATUS: Continuous, Full-Time

DIVISION: National Film Board of Canada

DEPARTMENT: Business Relations & Legal Services

SALARY RANGE: 11 – $102,355 to $132,162

UNION CATEGORY: PIPSC (proposed for exclusion)

FLEXIBILITY PROFILE: Hybrid

LOCATION: Montreal

Are you passionate about great storytelling, about exploring the issues that matter, about pushing the boundaries in new audiovisual experiences? So are we. As Canada’s public producer and distributor, the National Film Board has been telling the country’s stories and pioneering breakthroughs in virtually every field of audiovisual content since 1939. But to do this, we need a team that truly reflects the richness and diversity of Canada. If you’d like to be a part of this team—and part of the NFB’s incredible legacy—we’d love to hear from you.

SUMMARY OF DUTIES

Collaborates in the negotiation of framework agreements with artists’ associations and serves as an NFB co-spokesperson with the associations and as a resource person in interpreting and applying the agreements internally. Advises internal clients on legal and business matters related to various NFB activities and responsibilities, both for the negotiation and drafting of contracts and other legal documents. Analyzes the legal and financial risks of projects undertaken by the organization. Represents the NFB’s interests in litigation and dispute resolution. Contributes to supporting legal and business aspects of NFB activities by developing standard contracts and designing internal training sessions on the legal aspects of the NFB’s areas of activity. Provides interpretation and advice to internal clients on legislation applicable to the NFB, including the legal aspects of Treasury Board Secretariat policies and directives.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Collaborates in the negotiation of scale agreements with artists’ associations and participates in the development of negotiation strategies aligned with the NFB’s objectives and the mandates that the production department has entrusted them with.
• Acts as co-spokesperson for the NFB with artists’ associations; negotiates scale agreements with these associations, independently or in collaboration with the Senior Legal Counsel and Head of Labour Relations.
• Coordinates working and negotiation sessions, supports preparation for scale-agreement negotiations by researching, preparing analyses and collecting data; drafts agreement texts and related concluded agreements, and plans internal training sessions on these scale agreements.
• Acts as a resource person for NFB internal clients with regard to the interpretation and application of scale agreements.
• Analyzes contracts, ensures compliance with scale agreements and negotiates settlement agreements.
• Drafts grievances, builds cases, examines case law and attends arbitration hearings.
• Recommends actions to internal clients to resolve disputes and grievances, prepares evidentiary documentation for transmission to external legal counsel and follows up on arbitration files or other recourse brought forward by artists’ associations.
• Monitors labour-relations best practices and develops strategies for their implementation.

Legal Support to the NFB’s mandate

• Provides legal advice and opinions for the NFB’s various sectors of activity and internal clients on legal and business-relations matters.
• Analyzes the legal and business risks associated with the NFB’s various productions and projects.
• Negotiates, reviews, drafts and interprets various contracts (or other documents) related to NFB productions and other activities, and advises internal clients on the legal and business implications of such contracts for the organization.
• Represents the NFB’s interests in claims and lawsuits initiated by or against the organization and follows up with external counsel.
• Designs and delivers training to NFB staff on legal issues and other topics related to NFB activities; develops simple work tools and plain-language legal materials to support internal clients.
• Monitors developments in entertainment-industry law and contractual practices that may have an impact on the NFB and its activities, and communicates changes to colleagues.
• Acts as an advisor in the development of internal policies and guidelines in NFB areas of responsibility and, working with the relevant managers, develops internal practices compliant with the requirements of the law as well as Treasury Board Secretariat policies.

REQUIRED TRAINING, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

• University degree in Law;
• Member of the Barreau du Québec or the Bar of another Canadian province;
• Minimum seven (7) years of relevant experience;
• Experience in the cultural sector; experience in the film and television industry is an asset;
• Bilingualism in the official languages (French and English), both orally and in writing.

SKILLS REQUIRED

• Ability to advise, negotiate and persuade; sound judgment and analytical skills;
• Ability to work under pressure with a diverse and complex caseload;
• Initiative, autonomy, adaptability; strongly oriented toward customer service and collaboration;
• Excellent ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, with an organized, meticulous, structured and rigorous approach to work;
• Ability to establish good interpersonal relationships, to be effective in professional interactions and to exercise unifying leadership;
• Excellent communication and writing skills in French and English;
• Focused on results and seeking solutions; skilled in conflict resolution.

Qualified candidates who are interested in this position are invited to submit their application online, via the web page Work at the NFB , by February 25, 2026.

The NFB is committed to building a skilled, diverse workforce that’s reflective of Canadian society. It promotes initiatives such as employment equity and encourages candidates to voluntarily indicate in their cover letter if they are a woman, a member of a First Nations group, Inuk, Métis, a person with a disability, or a member of a visible-minority group.

The NFB is also committed to developing inclusive, barrier-free selection processes and work environments. Feel free to advise us of any accommodation needs.

Please note that only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.