Central 1 cooperatively empowers credit unions and other financial institutions to deliver banking choice to Canadians. Central 1 provides critical services at scale to enable a thriving credit union system. We do this by collaborating with our clients, developing strategies, products and services to support the financial well-being of their more than 5 million diverse customers in communities across Canada. For more information, visit
www.central1.com
.

What we offer:

• Work-life flexibility
• Hybrid work environment
• One time allowance to set up your office for remote first employees
• Variable annual incentive plan
• Generous annual vacation allotment
• Top-notch flexible benefits plan
• Retirement Plan, matched contributions at 6%
• Access to a learning platform and educational assistance support
• Career development opportunities
• Wellness Flex Fund to support personal interest and activities
• Day off to volunteer in your community and other paid time off options
• Corporate discounts
• subject to employment agreement

Job Summary:
Central 1 is pleased to announce an exclusive partnership with The Counsel Network for the recruitment of General Legal Counsel. For more information please reach out to Dal Bhathal, Partner, at Dbhathal@caldwell.com, or Meaghan Loughry, Consultant, at mloughry@caldwell.com.
Central 1 is seeking a well-rounded General Counsel to join its team. The General Counsel will lead and manage Central 1’s legal team, provide legal advice to all functional areas of Central 1, and assume responsibility for fostering organizational awareness through ongoing legal training and support.
As the preferred candidate, you will have at least ten years of corporate commercial law experience, with a focus on financial services/banking, preferably at a major law firm and/or in the financial services industry. You must have excellent leadership skills and a demonstrated track record of effectively managing a team. Success in this position requires excellent communication and relationship-building skills, as well as strong business acumen, sound judgement.
The ideal candidate should be driven by the ambition to democratize financial services, ensuring accessibility and efficiency in the banking and payments ecosystem. Through your work at Central 1, you will play a crucial role in shaping the future of financial services in Canada, contributing to a more inclusive and technologically advanced banking environment.

Key Accountabilities and Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and enterprise legal advice to the Board and Executive to support the development and implementation of Central 1’s strategy and associated initiatives.
• Possess subject matter expertise and provide practical legal and business advice on matters involving commercial finance, financial services regulations, (including Basel III, FATCA, anti-money laundering regulations and the CPA Rules), technology licensing/software, and privacy regulations.
• Draft and negotiate legal agreements in connection with a variety of complex transactions.
• Advise on existing contractual arrangements and questions of contract interpretation.
• Manage external legal expenditures and foster ongoing relationships with external counsel.
• Oversee major legal projects, including those related to significant organizational initiatives, business line reorganizations, regulatory compliance and matters affecting the broader credit union system.
• Lead and manage a team of legal counsel and professional staff, including recruiting, developing and motivating team members through clear direction and performance management.
• Provide enterprise leadership to the organization to assist in delivering on corporate strategy and initiatives.
• Proactively working with all stakeholders to support regulatory compliance including anti-money laundering, privacy and other compliance obligations.
• Documenting and reporting on compliance risk and compliance status, including instances of material non-compliance, to applicable management staff and board committees.
• Ensure all regulatory filings, disclosures and other governance/corporate filings are completed under applicable law.
• Advise the Board and its Committees as required.
• Operate in a multiple office environment, with the option to be remote or hybrid.

Education and Professional Skills/Knowledge

• LL.B. or J.D. degree (or equivalent).
• Good standing with a Canadian Law Society.
• 10+ years of corporate commercial law experience, with a focus on financial services/banking, preferably at a major law firm and/or in the financial services industry.
• Proven people-management experience leading legal professionals, including providing legal, business and relationship-building direction, coaching and recognition.
• Working knowledge of privacy, compliance and anti-money laundering programs as they relate to a financial institution.
• Familiarity with governance, control frameworks and best practice standards for compliance in the financial services industry.
• An understanding of IT, data management systems and personal information protection measures.
• Excellent leadership, communication, influencing, training and presentation skills, as well as the ability to interact effectively with varied teams and professionals across the organization.
• Ability to craft innovative, business-oriented solutions and assist in executing them.
• Possess a willingness to tackle matters of first impression and matters outside of areas of expertise.
• Ability to operate independently and reliably under tight timeframes in a fast-paced, rapidly changing environment.

LI-Hybrid

Central 1 is an equal opportunity employer and committed to building an inclusive workforce by creating an environment where everyone feels like they belong and has the opportunity to be successful. We welcome all applicants to join our diverse workforce and we will provide an accessible candidate experience including, but not limited to accommodations to interview sites and alternate formats upon request to our Recruitment team

• Provide strategic and enterprise legal advice to the Board and Executive to support the development and implementation of Central 1’s strategy and associated initiatives.
• Possess subject matter expertise and provide practical legal and business advice on matters involving commercial finance, financial services regulations, (including Basel III, FATCA, anti-money laundering regulations and the CPA Rules), technology licensing/software, and privacy regulations.
• Draft and negotiate legal agreements in connection with a variety of complex transactions.
• Advise on existing contractual arrangements and questions of contract interpretation.
• Manage external legal expenditures and foster ongoing relationships with external counsel.
• Oversee major legal projects, including those related to significant organizational initiatives, business line reorganizations, regulatory compliance and matters affecting the broader credit union system.
• Lead and manage a team of legal counsel and professional staff, including recruiting, developing and motivating team members through clear direction and performance management.
• Provide enterprise leadership to the organization to assist in delivering on corporate strategy and initiatives.
• Proactively working with all stakeholders to support regulatory compliance including anti-money laundering, privacy and other compliance obligations.
• Documenting and reporting on compliance risk and compliance status, including instances of material non-compliance, to applicable management staff and board committees.
• Ensure all regulatory filings, disclosures and other governance/corporate filings are completed under applicable law.
• Advise the Board and its Committees as required.
• Operate in a multiple office environment, with the option to be remote or hybrid