Executive Advisor, Office of the Chief Executive Officer (Hybrid, Toronto)

Law Society of Ontario • Toronto, ON

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Executive Advisor to the CEO is a senior, trusted advisor and strategic partner to the Chief Executive Officer of the Law Society of Ontario (LSO). The position plays a central role in enabling the CEO to lead the organization effectively and with maximum impact — ensuring the CEO is consistently well-informed, thoroughly prepared, and strategically supported across all dimensions of organizational leadership, including governance, regulatory operations, and strategic planning. As an integral member of the CEO's Office, the Executive Advisor works in close partnership with the executive leadership and their divisions to coordinate information, facilitate preparation of materials and briefings, and ensure the CEO is positioned to lead and prioritize effectively. The role is one of coordination, advisory support, and facilitation to the CEO office. The Executive Advisor works with the Executive Assistant, CEO's Office, in the day-to-day functioning of the CEO's Office.

Requirements

• University degree in law, public administration, business administration, political science, or a related field.
• A minimum of eight (8) to ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in a senior advisory, policy, legal, regulatory, or organizational leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience functioning as a trusted senior advisor to executive leadership, with a background in senior policy advisory, executive leadership support, or senior management roles.
• Experience working within a complex, multi-stakeholder organization — experience in the legal, regulatory, public sector, or professional association environment is a significant asset.
• Proven track record in coordinating and managing information flows, briefings, and materials on behalf of a senior executive leader.
• Experience working in or with governance environments, including boards, committees, or elected/appointed governing bodies.
• Comprehensive understanding of the legal profession, legal regulation, access to justice issues, and the broader justice sector in Ontario.
• Knowledge of the Law Society of Ontario's mandate, governance structure, regulatory framework, and strategic priorities.
• Familiarity with Ontario government policy processes and legislative frameworks relevant to the legal profession.
• Understanding of equity, diversity, and inclusion principles as they apply to professional regulation and access to legal services.
• Strategic Thinking: Anticipates issues, synthesizes complex information, and identifies options and implications to support sound CEO decision-making.
• Issues Management: Effectively identifies, analyzes, resolves and communicates problems that arise during project or organizational activities.
• Analytical Excellence: Interprets multi-dimensional information from diverse sources and produces clear, well-reasoned analysis and recommendations.
• Organizational Awareness: Understands the formal and informal dynamics of a complex organization and applies this awareness to advance the CEO's priorities effectively and respectfully.
• Judgment and Discretion: Demonstrates impeccable judgment in managing sensitive, confidential, or politically charged matters; knows when to act independently and when to escalate.
• Communication Excellence: Produces and reviews high-quality written materials; communicates with clarity, precision, and credibility to diverse audiences.
• Relationship Management: Builds trusted working relationships at all organizational levels and with external stakeholders; earns confidence through professionalism, reliability, and respect for others' roles.
• Adaptability: Operates effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment; manages multiple priorities and shifting demands with composure.
• Client Focus: Centres the CEO's effectiveness and the LSO's public interest mandate in all work and decision-making.
• Influence Without Authority: Achieves coordination and results through collaboration, credibility, and relationship-building rather than positional authority.
• Initiative and Accountability: Self-directed; takes ownership of complex files and proactively advances solutions without requiring close direction.
• Integrity: Models ethical conduct, professional transparency, and consistent alignment between words and actions.
• Collaborative Leadership: Works across organizational lines to support consensus, surfaces issues constructively, and advances shared objectives.
• Commitment to Continuous Improvement: Seeks opportunities to strengthen processes, products, and ways of working within the CEO's Office.

Nice To Haves

• A graduate degree (LLB/JD, MPA, MBA, or equivalent) is strongly preferred.
• Experience working within a complex, multi-stakeholder organization — experience in the legal, regulatory, public sector, or professional association environment is a significant asset.

Responsibilities

• Work across all Divisions and with Executive Directors and the Corporate Secretary to facilitate and drive the flow of information, issues, and materials to and from the CEO, ensuring the CEO's agenda and priorities are clearly understood and supported across the organization.
• Coordinate the preparation, assembly, and review of briefing notes, issue papers, and decision-support materials for the CEO, drawing on content and expertise from the relevant Divisions.
• Track follow-up on commitments, decisions, and action items arising from CEO meetings and engagements, working with Executive leadership to support timely completion and accountability.
• Support the development, monitoring, and coordination of the CEO's Annual Work Plan and organizational priorities, including coordination across Divisions during strategic planning processes.
• Facilitate effective cross-divisional communication on matters requiring the CEO's awareness or decision, ensuring relevant issues are surfaced with appropriate context and background.
• Build and maintain trusted working relationships with Executive Directors and their teams, serving as a reliable point of contact within the CEO's Office.
• Provide the CEO with well-researched analysis, background, and options on complex organizational, regulatory, and policy issues, drawing on information from across the organization and the broader sector.
• Monitor emerging issues — internal and external — that may affect the LSO's mandate, reputation, or operations, and proactively brief the CEO with timely context and proposed considerations for response.
• Assess and help prioritize competing demands on the CEO's attention, ensuring that high-impact matters are surfaced with appropriate information and supporting analysis.
• Support the CEO in preparing for Executive Committee, Convocation, and other governance meetings by synthesizing materials, identifying key considerations, and anticipating questions.
• Participate on behalf of the CEO at internal board committee meetings and external meetings, briefings, and events as delegated. With a depth of insight, facilitate management of issues and decision support with political acuity and discretion in the interests of the CEO; provide thorough decision papers, follow-up on relevant items and escalate matters to enable execution of the CEO’s plans and decisions.
• Provide advice and support drafting speeches, announcements and materials on cross-divisional initiatives, governance matters, regulatory trends, and sector developments as required by the CEO translating executive decisions into clear, actionable communication.
• Prepare and coordinate materials to ensure the CEO is thoroughly briefed and well-prepared for meetings, events, and engagements with the Treasurer, Convocation members, Ministry officials, government representatives, legal profession stakeholders, and community partners.
• Draft and coordinate CEO correspondence, speaking notes, and written communications — working in collaboration with relevant Divisions to ensure accuracy, strategic alignment, and consistency with the LSO's positions and values.
• Manage sensitive and confidential communications with discretion, providing the CEO with appropriate context and recommended approaches for complex or politically sensitive matters.
• Liaise with relevant Divisions to support the CEO's engagement with key relationships and to ensure the CEO's communications needs are met in a timely and coordinated manner.
• Provide advice to the CEO on internal communications matters as needed, coordinating with the appropriate Division to ensure effective messaging.
• Ensure the CEO is appropriately prepared for scheduled engagements — working with the Executive Assistant to confirm that briefing materials, logistics, and background information are in place.
• Coordinate and prepare the CEO's contributions to organizational reports, Board materials, and presentations, ensuring quality, accuracy, and strategic coherence.
• Lead or support special projects and initiatives on behalf of the CEO, including participation in task forces, working groups, and organizational reviews as directed.
• Support the development and reporting of key performance indicators (KPI’s) gathering existing and new KPIs across the organization.
• Maintain strict confidentiality and exercise sound judgment in managing sensitive organizational, personnel, and stakeholder information.
• Support effective information management within the CEO's Office to enable informed and timely decision-making by the CEO.
• Support the CEO in fulfilling obligations to Convocation and its committees, including coordinating the preparation of CEO reports, governance updates, and materials for Convocation meetings.
• Liaise with the Treasurer's Office and the Corporate Secretary to ensure effective coordination between the CEO's Office and the LSO's governance bodies, and to facilitate the CEO's governance responsibilities.
• Monitor governance-related trends and best practices relevant to professional self-regulatory organizations and brief the CEO on implications for the LSO.
• Coordinate the CEO's participation in sector-wide bodies, inter-regulatory working groups, and other external governance initiatives.
• Assists the CEO in preparing and monitoring the Office of the CEO’s annual operating budget.

Benefits

• Defined contribution pension plan
• Health and dental benefits plan
• Robust Employee and Family Assistance Plan (EFAP)
• Access to resources needed to support professional growth, mental health and well-being.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive