The Legal Services Department is responsible for providing legal advice and services with respect to all City activities including conduct of real estate and corporate/commercial transactions, litigation and by-law prosecutions, claims/risk management, by-law drafting and statutory interpretation, procurement, contracts, constitutional, labour and employment law and other areas specific to municipal corporations.

Under the general direction of the Director of Legal Services and City Solicitor, as well as two Deputy Directors, the successful candidate will be responsible for providing legal advice, representation and mentorship with respect to all facets of procurement, representing the City in a professional and competent manner.

The successful candidate will be a subject matter expert in the area of practice and will mentor other lawyers in the practice team, as well as monitor and manage the distribution of work assigned to the lawyers within the practice team.

The Department is arranged into the following practice teams:

• Grants & Governance
• Labour, Employment and Human Rights
• Litigation and By-law Enforcement
• Planning & Land Development
• Procurement
• Real Estate

As the Solicitor IV (Procurement Lead), you will:

• Provide expert legal advice and other legal services on complex and/or sensitive matters to the municipal corporation, its departments, and committees of Council.
• Attend agenda management and Council committee meetings as required.
• Participate on various ad-hoc and administrative committees.
• Review work of other Solicitors within the practice area to ensure that established standards are met.
• Provide input into performance evaluation of Solicitors in the Procurement team.
• Lead practice team meetings, provide guidance and strategic advice on legal and public policy issues.Lead and/or oversee complex commercial transactions and negotiations related to major projects or requiring input from multiple practice areas.
• Provide legal services related to all stages of procurement through a public bid solicitation, including evaluation and award, interpreting contract terms, providing legal advice regarding contract administration, contract disputes and contract administrator appeals.
• Lead development of legal documentation such as standard templates, general conditions, internal policies & procedures and administrative standards.

Your education and qualifications include:

• Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree, Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree, or equivalent.

• Minimum of 10 years’ experience as a practicing lawyer.

• Minimum of 5 years’ post-articling experience in the area of procurement or equivalent experience.

• Experience with supervising or mentoring others.

• Experience assigning work and monitoring the workflow of assignments within a team.

• Excellent verbal communication skills, including the ability to persuasively advocate, and explain technical and legal information in plain language to all levels of the organization and external stakeholders.

• Superior written communication skills with the ability to author a variety of contracts, documents, policies, and correspondence.

• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with individuals at all levels of the municipal organization, external contacts, and the public.

• Excellent organizational and time management skills to manage multiple priorities, and meet deadlines.

• Ability to work independently and produce high quality work, with minimal supervision.

• Excellent problem solving and decision-making skills.

• Strong negotiation skills, including using sound judgment, diplomacy and discretion when providing legal advice and advocating to facilitate the resolution of contentious issues.

• Knowledge of contract, procurement and municipal law, trade agreements and procedural fairness.

• IMPORTANT: Applicants who have been educated outside of Canada must have education which is comparable to the minimum qualification in Canada. Applicants submitting foreign credentials require an official academic assessment report issued by a recognized Canadian assessment service https://www.canalliance.org/en/ at application.

Conditions of employment:

• The successful candidate must maintain legal eligibility to work in Canada. If the successful candidate possesses a work permit, it is their responsibility to ensure the permit remains valid.
• Membership in good standing with the Law Society of Manitoba.
• A Police Information Check satisfactory to the employer will be required from the successful candidate(s), at their expense. To obtain Police Information Check information please visit www.winnipeg.ca/police.