Paralegal Director/Shared Services Team Lead

Manulife seeks a senior-level Paralegal Director/Shared Services Team Lead based in Toronto to manage and lead a global team of paralegals, law clerks, and legal support specialists who service our investment transactional, governance, public company, and related groups, and to be an individual contributor supporting private investment transactions in the fixed income, private equity, commercial mortgage, derivatives and similar areas.

Specific people leadership responsibilities include:

• Manage and lead a professional and highly-engaged team with members located in Canada, US and Asia and servicing multiple global businesses

• Manage incoming requests for paralegal coverage from multiple sources

• Develop and mentor team members to enhance performance and support career advancement

• Monitor workloads and optimize allocations of resources

• Propose and champion process improvements; identify areas of concern

• Coordinate and provide subject matter training for both incumbents and new joiners; ensure appropriate balance of skill sets across team and cross-train team members

• Communicate with Legal team leaders to assist in assessment of needs and resource planning; manage or escalate issues as appropriate

Specific individual contribution responsibilities include:

• Support complex private equity and debt transactions, demonstrating ability to facilitate multiple moving pieces simultaneously

• Compile deal documents and other information including obtain signatures, prepare officer certificates, facilitate notarizations, upload materials and more

• Complete private equity fund subscription documents and liaise with Legal and Tax colleagues

• Coordinate preparation of “Know-Your-Client” documentation discreetly and confidentially

• Assist in transaction management by tracking deadlines, outstanding deliverables, and documentation for pre- and post-closing obligations

• Create and review documents relating to incorporation and governance of business subsidiaries; coordinate procurement of licenses and registrations

• Support strategic company projects and initiatives as needed

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree and/or Paralegal or Law Clerk Certification

• 15+ years’ experience in a large law firm or corporate legal department, with a minimum of 5+ years as a people manager

• Understanding of mechanics of private equity and debt transactions

• Knowledge of corporate, partnership and other business entity structures and governance, as well as related filing obligations

• Ability to work independently on multiple competing demands with limited supervision

• Flexibility to handle shifting individual and team priorities

• Professionalism and pride in work product; very strong focus on detail and accuracy; collaborative approach

• Excellent organizational and resource management skills

• Strong written and oral communication skills

• Strong sense of accountability and ownership of responsibilities

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Adobe and DocuSign

We bring a bold ambition and set of goals to drive transformation in our industry, a mission for “Decisions made easier. Lives made better,” a leadership team dedicated to your growth and success as well as our best, every day!

#LI-Hybrid

About Manulife and John Hancock

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. To learn more about us, visit https://www.manulife.com/en/about/our-story.html.

Manulife is an Equal Opportunity Employer

At Manulife/John Hancock, we embrace our diversity. We strive to attract, develop and retain a workforce that is as diverse as the customers we serve and to foster an inclusive work environment that embraces the strength of cultures and individuals. We are committed to fair recruitment, retention, advancement and compensation, and we administer all of our practices and programs without discrimination on the basis of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, religion or religious beliefs, creed, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), sexual orientation, genetic characteristics, veteran status, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status, disability, or any other ground protected by applicable law.

It is our priority to remove barriers to provide equal access to employment. A Human Resources representative will work with applicants who request a reasonable accommodation during the application process. All information shared during the accommodation request process will be stored and used in a manner that is consistent with applicable laws and Manulife/John Hancock policies. To request a reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact recruitment@manulife.com.

Salary range is expected to be between

If you are applying for this role outside of the primary location, please contact recruitment@manulife.com for the salary range for your location. The actual salary will vary depending on local market conditions, geography and relevant job-related factors such as knowledge, skills, qualifications, experience, and education/training. Employees also have the opportunity to participate in incentive programs and earn incentive compensation tied to business and individual performance.

Manulife offers eligible employees a wide array of customizable benefits, including health, dental, mental health, vision, short- and long-term disability, life and AD&D insurance coverage, adoption/surrogacy and wellness benefits, and employee/family assistance plans. We also offer eligible employees various retirement savings plans (including pension and a global share ownership plan with employer matching contributions) and financial education and counseling resources. Our generous paid time off program in Canada includes holidays, vacation, personal, and sick days, and we offer the full range of statutory leaves of absence. If you are applying for this role in the U.S., please contact recruitment@manulife.com for more information about U.S.-specific paid time off provisions.