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Job Description

City Solicitor

Competition Number : 24 / 267A

Posting Scope : Internal / External

Posted Date : February 6, 2025

Closing Date : March 6, 2025, 4 : 30 PM PST

Department : Legal Services

Posting Type : Continuous (Regular Full-Time)

Work schedule : Monday to Friday (35 hour work week)

Salary : Pay Band L4 ($219,336.692 to $249,921.093)

Job Code : 3132

Employee Group : This is an Exempt position

Number of Vacancies : 1

The City of Victoria is seeking a highly skilled and experienced City Solicitor to serve as the City’s chief legal advisor and lead our Legal Team. Acting as a key strategic partner, and reporting directly to the City Manager, our City Solicitor provides expert legal counsel on a wide range of municipal matters, including governance, land use, contracts, and litigation.

As City Solicitor, you will act as a trusted partner to Council and senior leadership. This dynamic and highly visible role offers the unique opportunity to shape policies, guide strategic decision-making, and play a pivotal role in legal negotiations that influence the city's growth and development. You will use your expertise to proactively address legal challenges and ensure that processes are well-structured and legally sound from the outset.

Our ideal candidate has extensive post-call experience providing advice and counsel to government organizations, with a preference for both municipal and in-house experience. Experience leading and managing a talented legal team will also be prioritized.

If you thrive in a dynamic, front-facing role where legal expertise meets strategic impact and are eager to make a lasting impact on the future of our community, this role offers both professional challenge and personal fulfillment. We look forward to reading your application.

Position Summary

Under the general direction of the City Manager, the City Solicitor serves as the City’s chief legal advisor responsible for delivering professional, competent, and effective legal services and advice to the City of Victoria. The in-house Legal Services Department, overseen by the City Solicitor, handles most of the City’s legal matters, excluding those related to labour law. Employment and labour relations legal services are provided by an external firm working directly with the City’s People & Culture Department.

Major Accountabilities

• Provide collaborative leadership and ensure that the City Manager, Council, Committees and senior staff receive timely and effective advice on a broad range of legal matters, including administrative, constitutional, local government, land use and development, property, and contract law.
• Provide leadership, guidance and support to the Legal Services team (currently four lawyers and a legal assistant) and manage external legal counsel retained to provide specialized legal services. Lead the recruitment, retention, and development of Legal Services staff.
• Proactively monitor and advise on legal risks related to City’s functions and operations.
• Prepare, review and deliver written and oral legal opinions to the City Manager, Council, committees of Council and senior executive staff. Attend all Council meetings and other committee meetings as required.
• Advise on governance matters, including procedural issues that may arise during Council or Committee meetings.
• Manage the City’s litigation and dispute resolution matters, including acting for the City in civil litigation, judicial reviews, and enforcement of City bylaws and other relevant offences, or direct legal counsel retained to represent the City.
• Direct the drafting and revising municipal bylaws and make recommendations for the enactment and repeal of bylaws to further the Council's policy objectives.
• Provide strategic drafting and negotiating advice on complex real estate transactions, contracts, leases and covenants, and participate in the negotiation of agreements.
• Review new provincial and federal legislation and make recommendations relating to the applicability of such legislation to the City.
• Liaise with the provincial government regarding legislative amendments benefitting the City as required.
• Develop and manage Legal Services work plan and budget.
• Support and identify process and procedural improvements that lead to making City operations more efficient and effective.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Qualifications

To apply for this opportunity, you will need to create an online profile or log back into our career portal at www.victoria.ca / jobs - only online submissions will be considered. All applications must be submitted online by 4 : 30 pm on the closing date noted on the posting. Please be prepared to provide proof of qualifications as outlined in your resume.

The City of Victoria is committed to integrating equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility into our programs, policies, spaces, and services. Our goal is to cultivate a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the community we serve and aim to become. Individuals who are Indigenous, racialized, immigrants, persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+, or facing any additional barriers are encouraged to apply. Accommodations will be available upon request throughout the application and selection process.

If you require assistance, please email us at careers@victoria.ca .

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