Associate General Counsel

About Us:
We’re a carbon neutral food company on a purposeful journey to Raise the Good in Food through better nutrition, safer food and workplaces, more humane animal care, and environmental sustainability efforts that protect our planet. We care about our communities and commit to reducing food insecurity in Canada. Join us on the journey. Let’s build a better future, together.

We’re passionate about food. For more than 100 years, we’ve made delicious, healthy protein that Canadians love under iconic national and regional brands, like Maple Leaf®, Schneiders®, and Greenfield Natural Meat Co.® We’re on a journey to become the most sustainable protein company – not just in Canada – but on earth.

We are carbon neutral.
We are one of the only food companies in Canada to set science-based targets.

We’re a global food company with approximately 10,000 team members. We operate sites in 20+ locations across Canada. We also have locations in the U.S. and Mexico and do business in Asia.

A diverse and inclusive work environment:
Championing diversity and inclusion is a critical component to advancing our collective purpose and vision and living the Maple Leaf Leadership Values. We believe in building, investing in, recognizing, and rewarding remarkable people who value an inclusive workplace, embrace all forms of diversity, and commit to including every voice in our collaborative environment. We’re so much stronger when we know we’re accepted and valued for who we are and what we each bring to the workplace.

We embrace a strong, values-based culture

Our eight Leadership Values are our north star. They guide the decisions we make for all our stakeholders: our consumers, our customers, our people, our communities, our shareholders, and the environment.

• Doing What’s Right
• Shared Value
• High Performance
• Diverse and Inclusive Teams
• Disciplined Decision Making
• Intense Curiosity
• Our Accountability
• Transparency and Humility

We thank all applicants for their interest in exploring employment opportunities with Maple Leaf Foods; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Applicants may be subject to a background check and must meet the security criteria designated for the position.

Championing diversity and inclusion is a critical component to advancing our collective purpose and vision, living the Maple Leaf Leadership Values, and delivering winning results. Accommodation is available upon request for applicants with disabilities in the recruitment and assessment process and when hired; please contact our Talent Attraction Team at [email protected].

Disclaimer:  Please note that salaries posted on sites other than the MLF Careers Page are not a reflection of Maple Leaf Foods and are an estimated salary range provided by that particular job board.  Maple Leaf Foods offers competitive wages and an attractive total rewards package, which will be discussed during an interview with our Talent Team.

We use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of our recruitment process. AI does not make hiring decisions; all decisions are made by human reviewers.

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 The Opportunity:

As the Associate General Counsel, you will lead Maple Leaf Foods’ commercial contracting process and operations, including the standards and tools that deliver consistent, high-quality, and timely commercial legal support. You will also facilitate, expedite, and guide contracting, negotiation, and escalation to the General Counsel, including cross-functional leadership of Grocery Code of Conduct compliance.

Any MLF team member interested in being considered for this role are encouraged to apply online by October 29. Applications received beyond that date are not guaranteed consideration.

Reason for Vacancy: Incremental Headcount

Snapshot of a Day-in-the-Life:

• Commercial Contracting: Serve as the legal counsel for commercial matters alongside other lawyers, reviewing and negotiating commercial contracts, matters, and disputes. Advise clients on range of contracts including customer, supplier, technology, and services agreements.
• Commercial Process and Legal Operations Leadership: Own contracting intake, triage, approval routing, knowledge management and Icertis from a legal standpoint. Introduce practical AI and automation. Accountable for designing, implementing and maintaining processes, standards, playbooks, knowledge management, training, and service levels that govern the quality, consistency, and timeliness of commercial legal support across the enterprise, and for prioritizing commercial contracting across the portfolio.
• Litigation Advisory: Oversee key commercial disputes, including instructing and supervising external counsel.
• Enterprise Risk Governance: Continue to develop and maintain a practical ERM framework, lead periodic enterprise risk assessments and synthesize decision-useful reporting for senior leadership and the Board. Identify, assess, and prioritize principal and emerging enterprise risks, material exposure changes, and significant interdependencies.
• Grocery Code of Conduct Compliance: Provide cross-functional leadership of Maple Leaf Foods’ compliance with the Grocery Code of Conduct. Report to the General Counsel and senior leadership to foster fairness and transparency with commercial partners.

What You’ll Bring:

Required qualifications and professional standing

• Membership in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario, or eligibility to be admitted.

Required experience

• Substantial in-house and/or law firm experience in commercial contracting, including customer, supplier, technology and services agreements.
• Experience in legal operations.
• Experience working directly with senior business leaders, providing business-focused, practical and commercially sound legal advice.
• Experience leading enterprise-wide programs, projects or initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience leading or materially contributing to enterprise-wide risk management, governance, strategic risk assessment or another complex cross-functional risk program, including engagement with senior executives and/or Boards.
• Strong experience or interest in the use of AI in legal operations and practice.

Preferred experience

• Experience leading or coordinating the work of other lawyers.
• Consumer packaged goods, food or retail-facing industry experience.
• Experience developing or evolving an ERM framework, enterprise risk assessment, risk appetite or tolerance approach, or Board-level risk reporting.

What We Offer at Maple Leaf Foods:

• Being part of a high-performance, people-focused company that has an inspiring and unique vision to become the most sustainable protein company on earth, and a deep commitment to sustainable protein across North America.
• An inclusive company culture and a work environment that keeps our people safe, rewards excellence, and empowers everyone to learn and contribute their best. 
• Competitive Health and Wellness benefits that offer flexibility to meet your individual or family needs, including programs focused on improving mental health and wellbeing. These benefits start on your first day of employment.
• Defined Contribution Pension Plan with company matching that starts on your first day of employment.
• Learning and development opportunities, including workshops, ‘speaker series’ events, and resources that allow you to develop your skills and progress your career.
• Comprehensive tuition reimbursement program that supports continuous learning and development of our team members through investment in eligible degrees, diplomas, professional certification, or trades programs.
• Supporting our deep commitment to community impact, we offer up to two paid days annually to volunteer at a cause of your choice.