General Counsel, Assisted Living Alberta

Alberta Health Services

  • Edmonton, AB
  • Permanent
  • Full-time
  • 11 days ago
Your Opportunity:Assisted Living Alberta (ALA) has an exciting leadership position available as General Counsel. Reporting to the Chief Administrative and Financial Officer, you are the key legal advisor to the CEO and executive team, providing strategic legal counsel on regulatory compliance, statutory requirements, and organizational governance. You are an accomplished business leader with extensive in-house legal experience who combines sharp legal expertise with a strong understanding of organizational needs. As a trusted advisor, you will guide both internal and external stakeholders, exercising sound judgment and anticipating future challenges. An excellent communicator, you build positive relationships with provincial and national representatives and stakeholders, including government departments. You oversee and coordinate input from other legal advisors, including those in Alberta Health and Justice and Solicitor General and external legal counsel as required. ALA is a newly established provincial organization under the oversight of Assisted Living and Social Services (ALSS) committed to transforming Alberta's continuing care system. This system includes both Continuing Care and Home & Community Care and is focused on providing wraparound supports to ensure all Albertans can access the care they need, when and where they need it - regardless of age, diagnosis, or duration of need. ALA's mission is to enable Albertans to live and age with dignity in environments that best support their health, independence, and well-being. By addressing systemic challenges such as long wait times, limited access for individuals with complex needs, and healthcare system pressures, ALA seeks to deliver timely, integrated, and innovative care solutions.Description:The General Counsel (GC) acts as a strategic advisor to the CEO, executive leadership team, and Board of Directors on all legal matters, including but not limited to, health law, labour relations and employment matters, corporate/commercial matters, contractual language, privacy and freedom of information policy, legal trends, risk, and general regulatory compliance. The GC assesses legal liability and provides risk management and mitigation strategies. You are responsible for maintaining the integrity and effectiveness of organizational governance and ensure compliance with all relevant policies and procedures, including those identified in the service agreement. You oversee internal legal counsel and appropriately engage external legal counsel to meet the legal needs of the organization. In addition to managing the flow of legal advice and recommendations throughout the organization to ensure consistency and compliance in all areas, the GC manages and oversees all litigation or potential litigation by or against the organization. You are skilled at developing and maintaining strategic and operational working relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, including but not limited to, Assisted Living and Social Services, Alberta Health, elected officials, Office of the Alberta Legislature, Office of the Ethics Commissioner of Alberta, Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta, educational institutions, auditors, and peer organizations. You ensure the organization meets its commitment to a standard of conduct that preserves and enhances public confidence in the integrity, objectivity, and impartiality of its clinical and business activities. The GC also acts as Corporate Secretary and Advisor to the Board. This position can be located anywhere in Alberta.
  • Transition Company: Assisted Living Alberta
  • Classification: General Counsel
  • Union: Exempt
  • Unit and Program: Executive
  • Primary Location: North Petroleum Plaza
  • Location Details: As Per Location
  • Negotiable Location: Provincial
  • Employee Class: Regular Full Time
  • FTE: 1.00
  • Posting End Date: 23-SEP-2025
  • Date Available: 06-OCT-2025
  • Hours per Shift: 7.75
  • Length of Shift in weeks: 2
  • Shifts per cycle: 10
  • Shift Pattern: days
  • Days Off: Saturday/Sunday
  • Minimum Salary: $69.77
  • Maximum Salary: $125.53
  • Vehicle Requirement: Not Applicable
Required Qualifications:The successful candidate must possess a J.D. or LL.B and be a member of good standing with the Law Society of Alberta. At least fifteen (15+) years of legal experience, preferably in an in-house healthcare legal department or law firm serving the healthcare sector or similarly complex service delivery environment. A combination of qualifications and experience may be considered. They will have expertise in navigating Canadian and Albertan health law, privacy legislation (e.g., HIA, PIPA, PIPEDA), and regulatory frameworks. Experience with public sector law, administrative and corporate law, and contracts relevant to healthcare.
Additional Required Qualifications:You have experience performing critical analysis, negotiation, and problem-solving, and are seasoned in providing clear and concise legal advice to non-legal audiences and excellent written and verbal communication skills with an aptitude for public speaking. You have proven track record of applying ethical decision-making principles, navigating complex/ambiguous situations with professional integrity as well as demonstrated leadership abilities, including comfort with decision-making and exercising sound judgement. You have a demonstrated ability to develop organization strategy and planning, lead strategic initiatives and manage change to achieve positive results. You have proven abilities to influence, negotiate, and mediate resolutions to complex situations, and are a strategic legal advisor with an in-depth knowledge of relevant provincial and federal laws, regulations and standards related to healthcare, privacy, employment and continuing care. In addition to your expertise in drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts, MOUs, and service agreements, you possess experience in developing, interpreting, and implementing organizational policies and procedures that support compliance, innovation, and operational excellence. You bring experience in crisis management, mitigating legal risks to the organization, and develops policies and procedures to manage legal exposure.
Preferred Qualifications:A graduate degree, such as a Master of Business Administration (MBA) or an equivalent advanced degree is preferred. Experience working within the healthcare, assisted living, or public sector environment, and familiarity with provincial and federal funding frameworks and healthcare system governance are strong assets. Familiarity with First Nations/Inuit/Metis rights, UNDRIP legislation as it relates to health care access, and Alberta's FOIP/ATIA legislation is preferred.

Alberta Health Services