Legal Counsel - Contracts​/Commercial Law

Job Summary

Service Area: Corporate Services Department: Legal and Court Services Work Location: City Hall, 1 Carden Street Work Mode: Hybrid Job Type and Duration: Permanent, Full Time Vacancy Position Availability: 1 existing vacant position Salary Range: $ - $
Affiliation: Non-Union Posting Period: August 27, 2026 to September 30, 2026 11:59 p.m.

When you join the City of Guelph, you join a team of over 2000 employees who deliver services the community relies on every day. Together, we are bringing to life Guelph’s vision of an inclusive, connected, and prosperous city where we look after each other and our environment. As a single tier municipality, we offer a variety of occupations and career specialities within our organization.

Guided by the goals and objectives of the Future Guelph:
Strategic Plan and committed to the Corporate Values of integrity, service, inclusion, wellness and learning, the candidate will aid in the achievement of the Community Vision for an inclusive, connected, prosperous city.

What we offer

We offer competitive wages and comprehensive benefits to meet the needs of our diverse employees. Many of our positions offer:

• Paid vacation days, increasing with years of service
• Paid personal days;
• Defined benefit pension plan with OMERS, including 100-per-cent employer matching;
• Extended health and dental benefits, including Health Care Spending Account;
• Employee and Family Assistance Program;
• Parental leave top up program;
• Learning and development opportunities including tuition assistance
• Employee recognition programs.

Resumes are being accepted for the position of Legal Counsel – Contracts / Commercial Law within the Legal and Court Services Department. Reporting to a senior leader within the Legal Services department, the successful candidate will provide legal representation and advice to City Council and City Departments primarily in relation to complex contract and general commercial law matters.

Key duties and responsibilities

General

• Provide clear and concise advice to City Departments and City Council as required on a diverse range of general corporate and commercial matters, including business operations and municipal services.
• Assume leadership role, provide guidance and may lead individuals, teams or projects.
• Support planning and implementation of complex capital projects.
• Review, draft and negotiate sophisticated agreements in connection with commercial transactions (including procurement, RFPs, construction, infrastructure and IT projects) involving both public and private sector entities.
• Assist with the handover of finalized, negotiated contracts to City departments, and support ongoing management of such contracts throughout the contract lifecycle.

Negotiation and Advocacy

• Lead front-line negotiation and preparation of commercial contracts.
• Support, and in some cases lead, the negotiation and creation of partnerships, joint ventures and other strategic business structures in respect of targeted business pursuits.
• Assist the City’s project teams to avoid disputes or, where not possible, resolve them amicably, professionally and efficiently.
• Participate in mediations and arbitrations relating to commercial contract disputes.
• Support other internal counsel or external counsel with commercial contract litigation.

Advice and Legal Documents

• Conduct legal research and prepare memoranda and legal opinions on a variety of legal matters relevant to the municipality and the legal implications of matters of law on operational and strategic decisions.
• Interpret federal and provincial legislation / regulations and case law relevant to the City.
• Anticipate City department business issues, investigate underlying causes and develop and implement practical short- and long-term solutions to legal problems.
• Develop and continuously improve contract practices within City Departments.
• Deal with multiple internal and external stakeholders, including other levels of government.
• Prepare and review Council and Committee reports.
• Attend Council and Committee meetings and other public meetings, as required.

Knowledge and Expertise

• Stay abreast and provide advice relating to changes in…