Individually we are people, but together we are Aviva. Individually these are just words, but together they are our Values – Care, Commitment, Community, and Confidence.

Aviva Canada is one of the leading property and casualty insurance groups in the country, providing home, automobile, lifestyle, and business insurance to 2.5 million customers coast to coast. As a subsidiary of UK-based Aviva plc, we are part of a trusted insurance group which has financial strength and scale and has operated for more than 325 years.

We have an exciting opportunity for Senior Surety Counsel in our corporate legal team within the General Counsel office. We are looking for a business-minded lawyer with a minimum of 5 years of post-qualifying in-house and/or law firm experience to help deliver first class legal advice and support to the surety business of Aviva Canada.

You will be a dedicated support to our surety line of business. As a member of the surety business senior leadership team, you will work closely with management to support the corporate, commercial and regulatory aspects of all surety-related initiatives in areas including Contract Surety, Developer Surety, and Commercial Surety. You will also work alongside management and surety claims counsel to support corporate, commercial and regulatory aspects of all restructuring and other corporate transactions involving surety and surety claims.

In addition to being a great teammate with strong interpersonal skills, you must be a problem solver who possess excellent negotiation and drafting skills. To be a successful candidate, you must have demonstrated experience in handling corporate and commercial matters including those involving banking, finance and insolvency considerations. It is a definite asset if you have experience in areas of general construction law, surety-specific experience, and insurance.

If you are looking to build and grow your skills and experience in the surety area, this will be a great opportunity to do so in a collegial environment with an employer who appreciates flexibility and recognizes the importance of work/life balance. Training opportunities are available to gain and strengthen skills in areas of construction and surety law.

Does this sound like your next role? Read on!

What You’ll Bring

• Call to a provincial Canadian bar with a current license.
• Minimum of 5 years of post-qualifying inhouse and/or law firm experience.
• Demonstrated strong of Canadian legal environment.
• Strong technical knowledge of areas of law relevant to the specific responsibilities of the role.
• Demonstrated experience working with senior management and executives.
• Proven ability to manage projects, negotiations and relationships (internal and external).
• Excellent drafting and negotiation skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to spot, troubleshoot and summarize legal issues and ability to effectively convey recommendations to collaborators.
• Ability to bring judgment to facts, problem solves effectively, sees wider picture, displays good mental agility.
• Possess strong problem-solving skills.
• Ability to focus on key issues, uses resources effectively and has a can-do attitude.
• Responsive to the needs of the business, with ability to provide timely, pragmatic and commercially focused advice.

What You’ll Get

• Compelling rewards package including base compensation, eligibility for annual bonus, retirement savings, share plan, health benefits, personal wellness, and volunteer opportunities.
• Outstanding Career Development opportunities.
• We’ll support your professional development education.
• Competitive vacation package with the option to purchase 5 extra days off per year
• Employee driven programs focused on gender, LGBTQ+, origins, diversity and inclusion
• Corporate wellness programs to support our employees’ physical and mental health
• Hybrid flexible work model

Please note that we may use AI tools to help us through the recruitment process. This is a new position which has been posted both internally & externally.

Aviva Canada has an accommodation process in place to provide accommodations for employees with disabilities. If upon commencement of employment you require a specific accommodation because of a disability, please contact your Talent Acquisition Partner so that an appropriate accommodation can be arranged. This process applies throughout your career with Aviva Canada.