OUR COMPANY BACKGROUND & CULTURE

UPP is the first pension plan of its kind in Ontario’s university sector, proudly serving over 41,000 members across five universities and fourteen sector organizations. Our purpose is to bring greater retirement peace of mind to the university sector by investing with integrity and serving members with care. As a sector-wide plan designed for growth, our doors are open to all Ontario universities.
Together, we’re a team of progressive thinkers and agile doers operating within a fast-paced culture of collaboration and respect. We believe in bringing smart and capable people together to create, solve, and grow with a clear shared vision and values of integrity, inclusivity, ingenuity, and impact. Our culture is intentionally welcoming and purposefully rooted in equity, diversity, inclusion, and reconciliation (EDI&R). We believe diverse teams, perspectives, and lived experiences contribute to better decisions and a better workplace.
As a pension plan, UPP approaches investing through a long-term lens to generate and safeguard value. Our commitment to investing responsibly accounts for material risks that impact our investment portfolio to generate sufficient risk-adjusted returns to meet the pension needs of our members.
Join us in building a bright future for our members, our organization, and each other.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

The Director, Board Governance plays a key role in supporting the effective functioning of UPP’s Board of Trustees, providing governance leadership, operational excellence, and strategic advice to ensure strong oversight and decision-making as UPP continues to grow. The Director supports UPP in maintaining high standards of governance and ensuring the efficient operation of the Board and Secretariat. The successful candidate will also supervise, train, and develop the Senior Paralegal, ensuring both their growth and the effective execution of Secretariat operations.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• A university degree in Law and active membership in a Bar Association of any Canadian province or territory are strongly preferred.
• Significant corporate governance and corporate secretarial experience, specifically within a financial services organization will be considered an asset.
• Experience working with Diligent BoardBooks or similar board portal software application.
• Experience working with Senior Management, Executives, and Board of Directors.
• Detailed knowledge and demonstrated experience advising on governance matters, processes and practices, including prior experience working with Board of Directors
• Demonstrate a clear understanding of the role and responsibilities of the Board and its Committees
• Ability to communicate and represent the organization in a highly professional manner with tact and diplomacy
• Experience either supervising or managing at least one (1) individual will be considered an asset.
• The flexibility of work hours to ensure results are met in a fast-paced environment of changing and conflicting priorities and high timeline demands.
• Ability to co-ordinate multiple tasks with a high level of initiative and ability to work well with minimum direction ensuring deadlines are met.
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills
• Excellent written, oral and proofreading skills
• Must be able to communicate complex matters in a concise and simplified way
• Must have good judgement, strong analytical skills, think abstractly, have high standard of professional conduct
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality, including the handling of confidential information and deal with sensitive matters and information in a discreet manner.

Reporting to the General Counsel and Board Secretary, the Director, Board Governance plays a key role in supporting the effective functioning of UPP’s Board of Trustees. The Director works closely with UPP’s leadership to administer the Plan’s governance model and, at the Board’s discretion, assists in the discharge of its duties and responsibilities.
The Director serves as a trusted governance advisor to both the Board and UPP management, collaborating regularly with the Executive Leadership Team on governance processes, problem-solving, and continuous improvement. All functions are carried out in a respectful and collegial manner that fosters an effective and cooperative relationship between the Board and management.
To ensure the smooth operation of the Secretariat function, the Director oversees the Senior Paralegal, Board Governance, and coordinates closely with the Chief of Staff and the CEO’s Executive Assistant, who provides administrative support such as posting materials to the Board portal (Diligent). Seamless collaboration between the Secretariat, Joint Sponsors, the Board, the CEO, and UPP’s executive leadership is critical.
As a young and evolving organization, UPP’s governance functions are still being built and refined. The Director will play an important role in developing and embedding good governance practices, with significant growth potential in both responsibilities and seniority as UPP matures.
This role is based in Toronto’s financial district with a hybrid work model (approximately two days per week in office) and may require occasional travel within Ontario.