Company Bio
Legal Aid Ontario employees are committed to making a difference in the lives of our clients.
As an integral partner in the Justice system, working at Legal Aid Ontario is more than just a job. It's an opportunity to help people who need it the most; to ensure each client receives the access to justice afforded to them under the law.
If you are looking for a new challenge in your already meaningful career with a team dedicated to justice, and innovation in a flexible and supportive work environment consider this opportunity below.
Primary function
The Board Governance Officer is accountable for enabling the effective governance, decision making, and statutory accountability of Legal Aid Ontario’s Board of Directors and Committees. Reporting to the Corporate Secretary, the role provides expert coordination, advisory, and procedural leadership in support of Board operations within a complex public sector and Ministry accountability environment.
The role serves as the central point of coordination between the Board, President & CEO, Executive Leadership Team, and organizational stakeholders, ensuring that Board agendas, materials, meetings, and follow up activities are efficient, compliant, strategically aligned, and supported by strong governance processes. The position also leads governance process modernization, including the exploration and adoption of digital tools and governance tools to enhance Board effectiveness.
Primary Location: Toronto - Provincial Office
Secondary Location: N/A
Reports to: General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Supervision: No direct reports; provides functional leadership and governance oversight, indirect reporting/oversight of GCO EA, other staff contributors
Key accountabilities
A. Board and Committee Meeting Planning & Execution
- Develop and manage the annual Board and Committee meeting schedule in consultation with the Corporate Secretary, President & CEO, executives, and business leads
- Maintain and communicate a Board governance calendar, raising organizational awareness of timelines, milestones, and submission deadlines
- Lead the agenda building process for Board and Committee meetings, including:
o Issuing calls for agenda items
o Designing agendas aligned with executive and organizational strategic priorities
o Mapping agenda items to the annual Committee and Board work plans
- Arrange and participate in agenda walk through meetings with Committee Chairs
- Provide draft agendas to the Chair and CEO for review and approval
- Coordinate dry run meetings (e.g., VP/executive pre briefs) and collect speaking points
B. Board Materials Governance & Quality Control
- Lead processes and procedures for Board material submission
- Create and maintain a material map to support vetting, approvals, and escalation processes
- Oversee the end to end collection, review, and submission of board ready materials, ensuring:
o Materials meet quality, clarity, and visual and governance standards (including formatting materials for cohesive visual presentation)
o Appropriate executive and internal approvals are obtained
o Deadlines are met
- Conduct an initial review of Board materials to identify gaps, risks, or inconsistencies prior to submission
- Coordinate the flow of materials through executive / VP meetings as required
- Compile, upload, and manage Board and Committee materials in the Board portal (e.g., Diligent)
- Troubleshoot Board portal and Board book issues, acting as the primary contact for directors
C. Board Meetings Administration & Logistics
- Prepare and distribute Board and Committee meeting packages; alert Directors when materials are available
- Generate PDF packages for executives where required
- Track meeting attendance, flag quorum risks
- Host and manage virtual meetings (e.g., Teams), including secure staff entry and logistics
- Organize in person meetings, including coordination with IT, refreshments as necessary, drafting approval notes for expenses where required under the Delegation of Authority policy
- Act as the primary contact for Directors on meeting logistics, travel, materials, follow ups, per-diem and expense reimbursement and portal access
D. Minutes, Records & Action Tracking
- Take (or coordinate) accurate, timely minutes of Board and Committee meetings
- Maintain complete and compliant records of Board materials and minutes in accordance with corporate and legislative retention requirements
- Develop, manage, and continuously improve mechanisms to track action items and decisions arising from Board and Committee meetings
- Follow up on outstanding agenda action items and decisions
- Coordinate post meeting debriefs with the executive team to identify follow ups
- Communicate assigned action items, deadlines, and expectations to senior leaders
- Ensure appropriate action is taken to implement Board decisions and keep the President & CEO and Corporate Secretary apprised of progress
E. Governance Compliance & Board Effectiveness
- Deploy and oversee, with Corporate Secretary and Associate Corporate Secretary,:
o Annual Board and Director attestations
o Conflict of interest disclosures and reviews
o Board and Committee annual self evaluations
- Coordinate Board onboarding, orientation, and off boarding activities for Directors
- Support the organization and delivery of:
o Board strategic retreats
o Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and training sessions for Directors
- Administer Board and Committee expenses, per diems, and honoraria where applicable
- Update and maintain the Board level policy manual
F. Stakeholder Engagement & Strategic Support
- Serve as a key liaison between the Board and senior management, facilitating clear, timely, and appropriate communication
- Communicate with senior leaders to gather information, provide feedback, and ensure deadlines are met
- Interact professionally and confidently with Board members, exercising discretion, judgment, and political acumen
- Influence outcomes and drive compliance without formal authority, balancing governance discipline with business realities
G. Technology, AI & Continuous Improvement
- Explore, evaluate, and support the implementation of AI enabled and digital governance tools to improve efficiency, quality, and Board experience
- Identify opportunities to streamline Board processes, materials, workflows, and reporting
- Support continuous improvement of Board governance practices in line with public sector best practices
Required skills & experience
Know-How
a) Professional / Technical Knowledge
- Advanced knowledge of public sector board governance and corporate secretariat practices
- Strong understanding of Ontario agency governance, including accountability relationships to the Ministry of the Attorney General and government directives
- Expertise in:
o Board and Committee agenda development and annual work planning
o Governance compliance (director attestations, conflicts of interest, evaluations)
o Board records management and material retention requirements
o Director onboarding and continuing education
- Proficiency with Board portal platforms (e.g., Diligent) and emerging governance technologies, including AI enabled efficiencies
b) Advisory / Coordination Know How
- Expert ability to coordinate complex Board and Committee workflows across senior leaders, Chairs, and Directors
- Designs, implements, and enforces standardized governance processes without direct line authority
- Leads end to end planning for Board and Committee cycles, including schedules, material submission processes, approvals, and follow up tracking
- Provides trusted governance advice to the Corporate Secretariat and executive leaders
c) Human Relations / Influence Skills
- Regular interaction with:
o Board Chair and Committee Chairs
o Board members appointed through public sector processes
o President & CEO and Executive Leadership Team
o Senior leaders across Legal Aid Ontario
- Requires a high degree of political acuity, discretion, and judgment
- Exercises influence without formal authority to ensure governance discipline, quality of materials, and adherence to timelines in a high visibility environment
d) Problem Solving
i) Thinking Environment
o Legislative and governance frameworks applicable to Ontario agencies
o Board by laws, policies, and directives
o Ministry and Treasury Board accountability expectations
- Work is largely non routine, requiring interpretation and application of governance principles rather than reliance on precedent alone
ii) Thinking Challenge
- Designs Board and Committee agendas that balance:
o Strategic priorities of the President & CEO
o Fiduciary, oversight, and risk responsibilities of the Board
o Operational realities and time constraints
- Anticipates and resolves issues such as:
o Competing executive priorities
o Incomplete or under developed Board materials
o Quorum risks, scheduling conflicts, or technology issues
- Identifies governance risks and recommends process improvements to mitigate them
e) Accountability
- Operates with a high degree of independence in planning and executing Board and Committee governance processes
- Guided by established governance frameworks and best practices, with matters of significant risk escalated to the Corporate Secretary, President & CEO as appropriate
- Acts as LAO’s subject matter expert for Board operations and governance processes
f) Magnitude / Scope of Impact
o Effectiveness and credibility of LAO’s Board and Committees
o Quality and timeliness of Board decision making
o Compliance with public sector governance and accountability obligations
- The role supports governance of an organization responsible for province wide legal aid services and substantial public funding
g) Nature of Impact
- Errors or deficiencies may lead to:
o Governance failures or reputational risk
o Delayed or compromised Board decisions
o Non compliance with records retention, ethics, or accountability requirements
- Effective performance strengthens:
o Board engagement and strategic focus
o Executive Board alignment
o Confidence of the Ministry and public stakeholders in LAO governance
Working Conditions
- Standard office environment with periodic evening commitments for Board and Committee meetings
- Work cycles include peak periods aligned with Board schedules and strategic planning initiatives
- High level of confidentiality, accuracy, and sustained concentration required
Qualifications
- University degree in Law, Public Administration, Business, Governance, or a related field
- 5–10+ years of progressively responsible experience in governance, corporate secretariat, board affairs, or public sector administration (level adjusted for Coordinator/Advisor vs Manager)
- Direct experience supporting a Board of Directors and Committees, preferably in a public sector, crown agency, regulator, healthcare, education, or broader public sector environment
- Strong knowledge of:
o Board governance principles and best practices
o Public sector accountability and decision making environments
o Records management and information governance
- Demonstrated experience working with Board portals (e.g., Diligent or similar)
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including minute taking
- High degree of discretion, judgment, and professionalism
To apply, submit a cover letter & résumé.
Only those candidates selected for an interview will be notified.
Final candidates for this position will be required to undergo a criminal record check.
Please note that all applicants are encouraged to provide a valid email address for communication purposes. Applicants may receive written correspondence regarding this job posting directly to the email address provided on their resume or to the one used to set up their Candidate Profile when applying on Njoyn. As an applicant, it is your responsibility to ensure that you check your email regularly.
First time applying to LAO? You will need to create a profile AND then apply for the position. Already have an Njoyn account? Just sign in and select "my jobs" to apply.
Once you have successfully applied you will receive a confirmation email.
Trouble applying? For telephone support please call 1-877-427-7717 or email support:
[email protected]
Equity Statement
Building a diverse workforce that represents the communities we serve while promoting a safe culture and work environment that dismantles systemic barriers, welcomes fresh perspectives and embraces differences as a priority is a core value at LAO. LAO encourages applicants from equity-seeking groups, including but not limited to individuals who are First Nations, Inuit or Métis, Black and racialized, as well as persons with disabilities, women and members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
We recognize the value of equity, diversity and inclusion and are committed to addressing systemic barriers, and prioritizing, attracting and retaining diverse staff. All interested and eligible people will be considered, with due consideration to all protected grounds under the Ontario Human Rights Code.
Legal Aid Ontario values integrity, respect, responsiveness, excellence, independence, accountability, openness and consistency. Our recruitment process reflects our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. Accommodations are available throughout the recruitment process as well as during employment at LAO. Please direct any accommodation requests to our recruitment team.
