JOB PURPOSE

Provides confidential executive administrative support to the Director, Office of the CEO and Corporate Secretary. Provides support to the CEO, Treasurer and Convocation.

In support of the Corporate Secretary function, responsible for the organization, receipt and maintenance of Convocation and other meeting materials on SharePoint and Diligent Boards, and responsible to administer Convocation meetings, bencher elections and the Annual General Meeting.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Requires a minimum 3-year college diploma or equivalent education or experience. Education in business administration or legal studies is an asset.
• Requires a minimum of 5 years’ experience in a progressively senior administrative / secretarial roles.
• Knowledge of office practices and legal terminology.
• Knowledge of Law Society mandate, organization and procedures.
• Convocation practices and bencher procedures and protocols.
• Exceptional organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with attention to detail and accuracy
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise discretion in handling sensitive information.

Client / Customer Service Planning

• Prioritizes the flow of materials and communications to and from the areas of responsibility, relieving the Director of details and administrative duties. Anticipates issues and matters to be addressed by the Director and makes plans to ensure appropriate and timely responses.
• Liaises with internal and external contacts, keeping parties informed of relevant matters. Responds to requests from benchers and other departments for information and acts as an information resource for the department.

Client / Customer Service Delivery

• Maintains the Director’s calendar, schedules appointments, coordinates and accepts meetings, and organizes travel arrangements.
• Reviews all incoming materials and requests, evaluating for priority, accuracy and completeness, determines their disposition and follows up to recommend action items.
• Screens incoming correspondence, telephone calls and visitors, and prepares draft responses, or responds directly in routine matters.
• Coordinates the scheduling of Convocation meetings, bencher information sessions, and other meetings supported by the Office of the CEO in cooperation with Facilities and Production staff. Books court reporters and coordinates security for the meetings.
• Prepares draft Convocation minutes and agenda.
• Organizes the receipt, and maintenance of meeting materials and records and their dissemination. Keeps complete and accurate records for the planning and execution of Convocation meetings, bencher special events, and the Annual General Meeting.
• Ensures the separation and distribution of public and in camera reports.
• Manages the External Appointments list and other bencher term appointments, bringing upcoming expirations of term to the Director’s attention. Assists the Director in the administration of virtual bencher and Treasurer elections. Works with Communications to advertise and promote bencher vacancies and amend notices. Organizes and uploads the bencher applications for review by the Director, Treasurer and benchers.

Special Projects / Initiatives

• Coordinates human and other resources; coordinates and delivers assigned projects.
• Prepares an annual bencher directory, including ensuring current and accurate addresses, home numbers and e-mail addresses, and maintains bencher and staff information for various legal publications.
• Maintains and ensures the accuracy and security of bencher information in the Law Society database.
• Plans and coordinates the logistics of the virtual Annual General Meeting, including determination of timelines for publication of notice and filing of motions and drafting of notices, Event Requisition form for room bookings, catering and Security, set up of meeting room and reception area, staffing for and proper registration of licensees, distribution of materials and coordinating with Production staff for webcast.
• Provides Membership information to Communications for inclusion in the Annual Report.

Financial Responsibility

• Maintains and orders office supplies for the department and ensures the efficient operation of all office equipment.
• Provides input into the development of the departmental budget and exercises signing authority within assigned limits.
• Monitors monthly department accounting reports, assists in the maintenance of the Director’s budget, and brings variances to the attention of the Director.
• Prepares invoices, cheque requisitions, purchase requisitions, expense forms for payment, and compiles statistics and reports of costs and expenditures.
• Manages relationships with vendors and venues in support of internal and external divisional initiatives.
• Confirms lay bencher attendance at meetings, hearings, etc. for remuneration of expense claims by the provincial government.

Team Membership

• Works closely with other staff in the CEO’s Office and other divisions in the development and administration of ongoing and new initiatives
• Provides back up in the absence of the Executive Assistants in other divisions.

The Law Society has introduced a Distributed Workforce Model to leverage flexibility and agility, and to maximize employee productivity and engagement.  Work arrangements will be determined by role and departmental requirements.  The working arrangement for this position has been classified as hybrid, where the employee will regularly flex their work location between home and office.  The specific application of this will be communicated to applicants contacted during the recruitment process.

The Law Society of Ontario is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from persons representing the diversity of our community. We are committed to creating an accessible, barrier-free and inclusive workplace and are committed to continuing compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Please make any requirement you may have for accommodation during the recruitment process known when contacted.

If you are unable to apply to this position due to the requirement for an accommodation of any kind, please email us at hr@lso.ca or call 416-947-3475. We appreciate all interest and will directly contact candidates under consideration.