Counsel, Commercial and Aircraft Finance

Being part of Air Canada is to become part of an iconic Canadian symbol, recently ranked the best Airline in North America. Let your career take flight by joining our diverse and vibrant team at the leading edge of passenger aviation. Air Canada is Canada's largest airline, the country’s flag carrier and a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation network. Air Canada provides scheduled service directly to more than 180 airports in Canada, the United States and Internationally on six continents. It holds a Four-Star ranking from Skytrax. Air Canada’s Aeroplan program is Canada’s premier travel loyalty program, where members can earn or redeem points on the world’s largest airline partner network of 45 airlines, plus through an extensive range of merchandise, hotel and car rental partners. Through Air Canada Vacations, it offers more travel choices than any other Canadian tour operator to hundreds of destinations worldwide, with a wide selection of hotels, flights, cruises, day tours, and car rentals. Its freight division, Air Canada Cargo, provides air freight lift and connectivity to hundreds of destinations across six continents using Air Canada’s passenger and freighter aircraft. Air Canada’s climate-related ambition includes a long-term aspirational goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. We have an innovative legal team that continues to earn the respect and confidence of our internal colleagues, participating as true business partners to support Air Canada’s strategic objectives. When you join Air Canada and its Legal Department, you’ll become a vital part of a team of driven professionals that fly the flag every day, sharing the best of Canada with the world. Responsibilities: We are looking for a counsel to join our team of professionals in Montreal. The successful candidate will work on a variety of commercial transactions primarily focused on aircraft and other aviation equipment-related transactions. The successful candidate will have a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in a major law firm or an established in-house legal department and strong written and oral communication skills, possess good business judgment and be strategic, pragmatic and thorough with a solid ability to assess legal risk. The successful candidate will also possess strong drafting, negotiating and analytical skills, be self-motivated and someone who thrives on challenges, having responsibility and enjoys working in a dynamic and constantly evolving environment alongside a very cohesive team of professionals. The ideal candidate should have a strong commercial law background and possess particular experience in the drafting and negotiation of a variety of commercial agreements, including sale and purchase agreements, leasing agreements, and agreements for the procurement of “mission critical” goods and services. The successful candidate will be responsible for providing advice on contractual matters and other legal issues as well as drafting, reviewing and commenting on contractual and other documentation and will play an important role in negotiating and supporting the “client” at all phases of a project, from conception through the letter of intent to completion of the final transaction. Qualifications The candidate should have a track record demonstrating the following qualities or characteristics: drive for results and urgency and motivation towards achievement of goals; ability to understand, anticipate and meet “client” needs, effectively communicating and always remaining cognizant of related risks; strong desire to participate as part of a team; be strategic and creative and have the ability to consider, refine and merge different approaches to achieve workable solutions; inclination to take initiative and be proactive and resourceful; be supportive of innovation, and adaptable and flexible to work effectively in a context of rapid change and to grasp opportunities to learn and build knowledge; capacity to work autonomously and under pressure, displaying composure in difficult situations; thoroughness, tenacity and resilience to persevere towards goals, despite challenges and obstacles, maintaining enthusiasm through to the attainment of the goals; have a practical and business-oriented approach, recognizing the operational and commercial implications of any commercial arrangement. Demonstrate punctuality and dependability to support overall team success in a fast-paced environment. The successful candidate will be someone who is willing to go beyond a defined role, to tackle issues oneself as a means to increase overall effectiveness and who looks at the broad context to decide what action is called for to achieve the desired result. He or she will be prepared to pursue the tough option if it means doing the right thing for the business. She or he will consider the financial, operational or strategic impact of all actions and decisions and ensure that these factors are appropriately considered. The ability to convey messages and thoughts clearly, concisely, persuasively and in a focused manner; to listen and question appropriately in order to gain full understanding; to tailor the message appropriately to the listeners; and to share information, ideas and feedback in a timely manner are essential. Integrity (including a strong work ethic, high personal standards, discretion in handling sensitive and confidential information, dedication to follow through on commitments, and openness and honesty in communications as well as a respectful demeanor) is assumed. The successful candidate will be one who takes pride in her or his role as a representative of Canada’s flag carrier. Solid academic credentials and a proven track record must be demonstrated. Membership in the Bar of a Canadian Province or U.S. State is essential and common and civil law training is an asset. Based on equal qualifications, preference will be given to bilingual candidates. Intangible Benefits The selected candidate will often be required to work autonomously but will have the benefit of working closely and exchanging with other senior counsel and internal clients who have acquired a broad and deep understanding of all commercial aspects of the business. Demands are often as high as in private practice and workflow may be unpredictable and based on operational needs of the organization. The work is diverse and challenging and not monotonous. There are regular opportunities for exposure to new mandates; the range of available work is wide and quality is typically high. An international dimension is also present for one for whom an international practice, based in Montreal, is an attraction. Conditions of Employment: Candidates must be eligible to work in the country of interest at the time any offer of employment is made and are responsible for obtaining any required work permits, visas, or other authorizations necessary for employment. Prior to their start date, candidates will also need to provide proof of their eligibility to work in the country of interest. Linguistic Requirements Based on equal qualifications, preference will be given to bilingual candidates. Diversity and Inclusion Air Canada is strongly committed to Diversity and Inclusion and aims to create a healthy, accessible and rewarding work environment which highlights employees’ unique contributions to our company’s success. As an equal opportunity employer, we welcome applications from all to help us build a diverse workforce which reflects the diversity of our customers, and communities, in which we live and serve. Air Canada thanks all candidates for their interest; however only those selected to continue in the process will be contacted.