Senior Counsel, Environmental, Social and Governance

Job Summary

Job Description

What's the opportunity?

As Senior Counsel, Environmental, Social and Governance, you will be a key legal advisor to RBC and its subsidiaries on a broad range of complex environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters – with a focus on climate change – of increasing strategic and reputational significance. As a member of the ESG Law Team, you will provide thought leadership, support and collaborate within the Law Group, and advise our business and functional partners on all aspects of ESG matters, including strategy, disclosure, metrics, risk management, and governance. You will also closely monitor legal, regulatory, and market developments and trends and advise on ESG oversight requirements of regulators and expectations of institutional investors and markets.

What will you do?

• Key legal advisor, as part of the ESG Law Team, supporting the RBC Law Group and our business and functional partners, including Climate Strategy and Governance, Sustainability and Impact, Enterprise Strategy, Human Resources, Group Risk Management, and Finance as well as various RBC working groups, on a broad range of complex ESG matters of increasing strategic and reputational significance to RBC.
• Providing strategic legal advice and thought leadership on various aspects of ESG matters, including development of products and services in various business segments, communications, disclosure, development of position statements and policies, as well as monitoring legal, regulatory, market, and industry developments and trends and participating as needed in the development of responses to regulatory initiatives and proposed legislation.
• Reviewing and advising on ESG-related disclosure, including key annual ESG reporting as well as sustainability rating agency surveys and other disclosure documents as may be developed from time to time.
• Monitoring ratings and reviews by proxy advisors and ESG rating agencies for impacts on corporate governance practices and disclosure.
• Providing strategic legal advice on RBC’s climate change governance, strategy, risk management, and metrics, including financed emissions, and all related disclosure documents.
• Key legal advisor supporting engagement with stakeholders on ESG-related matters, including attending engagement meetings and drafting responses to shareholder proposals and reports to the Board of Directors and its committees as required.

Must-have

• LLB, called to the Bar of a Canadian province, membership in applicable law society or bar association with 5-10 years legal experience.
• ESG-related experience, including regulatory developments, legal issues and risks, disclosure, market and industry trends and best practices, and/or experience in securities law, continuous disclosure, litigation, regulatory or competition law.
• Strong written, oral communications and presentation skills.

Nice-to-have

• Experience in financial institution, regulator or public company in-house law department.
• Understanding of and experience with various ESG reporting frameworks and standards as well as ESG-related financial products and services, marketing and communications.

What’s in it for you?

We thrive on the challenge to be our best, progressive thinking to keep growing, and working together to deliver trusted advice to help our clients thrive and communities prosper. We care about each other, reaching our potential, making a difference to our communities, and achieving success that is mutual.

• A comprehensive Total Rewards Program including bonuses and flexible benefits, competitive compensation.
• Leaders who support your development through coaching and managing opportunities.
• Work in a dynamic, collaborative, progressive, and high-performing team.
• Opportunities to do challenging work.
• Flexible work/life balance options.

Job Skills

Business, Business Perspective, Coaching Others, Customer Service Management, Decision Making, Environmental Social And Governance (ESG), Financial Regulation, Group Problem Solving, High Impact Communication, Legal Disclosures, Legal Practices, Organizational Change Management, Strategic Advice, Sustainability, Time Management.

Additional Job Details

Address: ROYAL BANK PLAZA, 200 BAY ST:TORONTO

City: TORONTO

Country: Canada

Work hours/week: 37.5

Employment Type: Full time

Platform: CHIEF LEGAL & ADMIN OFFICE GRP

Job Type: Regular

Pay Type: Salaried

Posted Date: 2025-01-15

Application Deadline: 2025-04-30

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the application deadline date above.

Inclusion and Equal Opportunity Employment

At RBC, we embrace diversity and inclusion for innovation and growth. We are committed to building inclusive teams and an equitable workplace for our employees to bring their true selves to work. We are taking actions to tackle issues of inequity and systemic bias to support our diverse talent, clients, and communities.

We also strive to provide an accessible candidate experience for our prospective employees with different abilities. Please let us know if you need any accommodations during the recruitment process.

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