Senior Counsel, Global Corporate Legal Affairs

Reporting to the VP & Chief Counsel, Public Company, the role of Senior Counsel, Global Corporate Legal Affairs will provide legal support for a broad range of matters related to Manulife’s public company, governance, and corporate law requirements.

Responsibilities for this role include:

• Facilitating the maintenance of a best-in-class governance framework (e.g., monitoring governance developments, benchmarking best practices and interacting with industry participants on governance matters)
• Monitoring emerging legal and regulatory developments in the area of corporate law and governance, proactively assessing their impact and recommending changes as appropriate
• Legal support for annual shareholder meeting process and related matters (e.g., proxy circular drafting and coordination; legal planning and oversight; materials production and coordination)
• Legal support for matters involving Manulife’s Board of Directors, including:
  • Board materials preparation and review
  • Board meeting process review and facilitation (e.g., advise on agenda preparation, meeting facilitation, act as point of escalation for Board support team)
  • Charter and governance framework oversight, monitoring and administration
• Legal support for Manulife’s Shareholder Services function
• Legal research and memorandum drafting
• Acting as a liaison with other Manulife groups (e.g., Finance, Risk, Executive Compensation, Sustainability) on governance and Board-related matters

• Drafting, reviewing and/or overseeing corporate, public company and Board-related matters, such as:
  • Relevant regulatory filings globally
  • Internal corporate information and KYC requests
  • Contract review for relevant service agreements
  • Director compensation and director equity plan facilitation
  • Delegations of authority
  • Executive Officer indemnifications

Qualifications:

• Law degree and admission to the Bar.
• Minimum 4 years of experience in corporate law, corporate governance and/or securities matters, ideally gained in a large or mid-sized law firm and/or large public company.
• Experience with corporate secretarial function of a public company or exposure to board of director and committee meetings and annual meetings of shareholders would be an asset.
• Understanding of the Canadian financial institution and the Canadian and U.S. public company regulatory environments and familiarity with the Insurance Companies Act (Canada), Canadian securities laws and regulations, and applicable rules of the Toronto Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange would be an asset.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; strong drafting skills
• Well organized, with strong attention to detail
• Ability to identify legal problems and develop clear solutions
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate and build relationships
• Proven ability to work under pressure, in collaboration with others
• Ability to operate with tact and discretion

When you join our team:

• We’ll empower you to learn and grow the career you want.
• We’ll recognize and support you in a flexible environment where well-being and inclusion are more than just words.
• As part of our global team, we’ll support you in shaping the future you want to see.

#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.