Executive Assistant

Permanent Full Time

We are looking for an Executive Assistant, Legal.

This role will require being in the office up to 5 days/week, depending on business need. 

The Executive Assistant provides administrative support to the Executive Vice President & General Counsel. The incumbent must be detail oriented, proactive and adaptable, and be able to work independently in a fast-paced environment and to exercise discretion while managing confidential information.

 Based in Toronto, this role is to ensure that the time and tasks of the Executives are well organized, planned and prioritized to optimize his/her efforts.

 This role serves as the first point of contact, controlling activities to ensure they are organized and prioritized, and completed effectively and efficiently. The incumbent is responsible for organizing schedules and correspondence to ensure the smooth operation of the Executives’ offices, to independently follow-up on action items, maintain calendars, coordinate travel arrangements, maintain files, prepare correspondence and other presentation materials, prepare and act as a reviewer of expenses.

What you will do:

• Complete a broad variety of administrative tasks for the Senior Executives; including but not limited to: managing an extremely active calendar of appointments; completing expense reports; arranging complex and detailed travel plans, itineraries and agendas; and compiling documents for all meetings
• Determine priorities while dealing with conflicting deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Evaluate and revise priorities & schedules when unexpected situations arise, using initiative, independent judgment and tact
• Assist in the coordination and preparation of presentations or events involving external venues, or internal meeting room setup, equipment, catering, etc.
• Represent the Executives when dealing with customer inquiries, and internal and external inquiries and visitors. External contacts include Board Members, investors, senior government, vendors and industry officials
• Assist in the preparation and distribution of correspondence, documentation, reports and presentations.
• Update job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities and liaise with the internal and external executive administration community through effective teamwork and communication
• Coordinate and manage special projects, assignments and other duties as required.
• General office duties including supplies and equipment maintenance for the Executives and the general executive offices
• Support visiting Executives as needed

What you will bring

• Minimum 5 years+ experience in an executive support role
• Formal qualifications in business administration would be highly desirable.
• Experience supporting a legal team or team of attorneys is preferred

• Experience with legal document management systems (e.g., iManage) is considered a strong asset.

• Exceptional calendar management skills, including coordinating global travel arrangements
• Proven ability to provide regular support from a remote basis while executive(s) are travelling to global offices
• Demonstrated strong organizational capabilities with the ability to handle multiple priorities from multiple executives and fluctuating workloads while adhering to strict deadlines
• Excellent decision-making, analytical and problem-solving skills
• Demonstrated customer service mindset
• Ability to build and manage trusting relationships with all business partners
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal
• Ability to effectively deal with all levels of management
• Demonstrated business professionalism, respect for confidentiality and appropriate handling of sensitive information
• Demonstrated business judgment, flexibility, initiative, creativity with a positive professional attitude and image
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Self-starter with the ability to work independently as well as part of a team
• Exceptional Microsoft Office Skills (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel)

The base salary for this position is between $60,600 - $85,600 annually. This represents base salary only and does not represent other variable compensation components of our total compensation ( i.e. annual bonus, commission etc). If you are selected to move forward in our recruitment process, your recruiter will be able to discuss additional details of our total rewards program with you.

Career opportunities will be open a minimum of 5 business days from the date of posting, closing dates will vary depending on the search activity. All applications received will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Grow with Great-West Lifeco

Great-West Lifeco Inc is a Canadian headquarter, international financial services holding company with interests in life insurance, health insurance, retirement and investment services, asset management, and reinsurance businesses. We operate in Canada, the United States, and Europe under the brands: Canada Life, Empower and Irish Life. At the end of 2024, our companies had over 32,250 employees, 106,000 advisor relationships, and thousands of distribution partners – serving approximately 40 million customer relationships.

Great-West Lifeco trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) under the ticker symbol GWO and is a member of the Power Corporation group of companies.

What we offer:  

We’re committed to supporting our employees through every stage of their career. Here’s what you can expect as a full-time or part-time permanent team member: 

Career Development: Opportunities for career advancement, access to industry-leading learning programs and up to $2,000 annually towards education reimbursement. 

Health & Wellness: Flexible health and dental benefits, plus a $5,000 mental health benefit to support your well-being. 

Time Off: In addition to regular vacation and personal days, we support community involvement with a volunteer day.  

Financial Security: Company-matching pension plan, share ownership program and additional investment options. 

Rewards and Recognition: Employee recognition programs, service milestone celebrations, employee discounts and more!  

Emphasis on Community: We provide a workplace where employees feel connected and supported through Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), mentorship programs, social clubs and events.  

Learn more about Great-West Lifeco.  

We’re committed to removing barriers and ensuring equal access to employment. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation during the application process may contact  talentacquisitioncanada@canadalife.com. All information provided will be handled in accordance with applicable laws and Great-West Lifeco policies.  

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