Senior HR and Employment Counsel
Wealthsimple
Role Responsibilities:
- Monitor and maintain current knowledge of developments in employment laws and regulations across Canada and the US
- Create, review, and enhance global employment templates, including offer letters, employment agreements, non-disclosure agreements, sales commission plans, and other related documents.
- Draft and implement employee-related policies and procedures.
- Provide legal support for various aspects of the employee lifecycle, including hiring, performance management, compensation, employee relations, immigration and terminations.
- Work with the People Operations team to continuously improve employee training programs to ensure legal and regulatory compliance.
- Independently manage and provide legal support in employment-related disputes, including mediation and litigation.
- Manage legal support on a variety of other employment-related legal matters, as needed, across different jurisdictions.
- Oversee and directly build out the operational processes necessary to automate employee relations transactional work.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications and Experience:
- A law degree and a minimum of 6+ years’ experience practicing employment law, ideally with a mix of in-house and private practice roles
- Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail
- Strong communication skills with the ability to handle sensitive information discreetly and confidentially
- Collaborate with HR stakeholders to assess legal risks and develop strategies that enable growth and innovation in our employment practices
- Use AI and other tools to streamline legal workflows, improve contract processes and build scalable systems
- Rigorous analytical skills and ability to proactively issue spot and problem solve
- Ability to work independently while being a team player with a positive attitude
- Fluency in French is considered a plus but is not mandatory
Nice to Haves:
- Fluency in French
- Direct experience with U.S. employment law