Wenco International Mining Systems (www.wencomine.com) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Construction Machinery (HCM).
We are a global mining technology leader headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, delivering advanced software, hardware, and data solutions that enable safer, more efficient, and sustainable mining operations. With offices across North America, Australia, Latin America and South Africa, we partner with leading mining companies worldwide to drive digital transformation and operational excellence.
The Vice President, Legal will play a key leadership role within the company’s global Legal and Compliance function. Reporting to the General Counsel, the VP Legal will tackle complex legal and compliance matters across our rapidly expanding global operations. This position often works in the unknown and requires agility and a passion for solving tough problems in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. The successful candidate will bring strategic insight, sound judgment, and a drive for operational excellence to help scale the legal and compliance function in alignment with the company’s global growth objectives. This role offers the chance to do truly interesting work every day. Strong commercial law experience, humility and confidence are essential.
This is a hands-on leadership role, combining legal excellence, business acumen, and people management. Some international travel may be required.
Key Deliverables and Responsibilities
Leadership & Strategy
- Lead and mentor a team of legal and compliance professionals.
- Support the General Counsel in setting the strategic direction for the Legal and Compliance function globally.
- Provide accurate, relevant and timely advice to the Board of Directors, its parent company, executive and management on a variety of legal matters, including commercial, intellectual property, data protection and privacy, employment law, export control, compliance, corporate governance and other areas affecting the Company’s operations.
- Oversee the legal and commercial aspects of mergers, acquisitions, investments, and other strategic transactions, including due diligence, risk assessment, structuring, negotiation, and post-acquisition integration to support the company’s growth objectives.
- Partner with senior leadership on risk management, governance, and corporate initiatives.
- Serve as a trusted advisor to business units and management on legal, regulatory, and commercial strategy.
- Develop, manage, and oversee the annual legal department budget, including forecasting, cost control, and allocation of resources to ensure efficient and strategic use of legal spend in alignment with company priorities.
Legal Oversight
- Oversee, develop and continuously improve the delivery of legal services for operational efficiency.
- Prepare, review, and negotiate a wide range of complex commercial, licensing, technology agreements.
- Provide guidance on employment, commercial and corporate governance matters across regions.
- Manage Company’s intellectual property portfolio, and provide guidance on protection of patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets, including management of external counsel for the same.
- Oversee all litigation and dispute matters, including evaluating potential legal claims, developing strategies for resolution, and coordinating with external counsel as required to ensure the company’s interests are effectively represented and protected.
Compliance & Governance
- Oversee and continuously strengthen the Company’s global compliance and governance framework, including programs related to export controls, data privacy, anti-bribery, and modern slavery.
- Advise the executive team and business units on compliance, regulatory, and governance matters, ensuring alignment with evolving international standards and local requirements.
- Assist in timely responses to regulatory inquiries or audits.
- Champion a culture of integrity, accountability and ethical conduct across all regions and business functions.
- Lead initiatives to streamline and modernize compliance processes through automation, training, and technology-enabled solutions.
Team Management
- Lead and inspire the global legal team, fostering a high-performance culture focused on collaboration, accountability, and professional growth.
- Provide mentorship and guidance to develop team capabilities and ensure alignment with the Company’s evolving business priorities and growth trajectory.
- Partner with cross-functional leaders to deliver proactive, solutions-oriented legal support that enables strategic and operational objectives.
- Oversee engagement with external legal counsel and consultants, ensuring quality, cost-effective service delivery, and prudent management of the external legal budget.
- Establish clear expectations for legal and compliance responsibilities across the organization, supporting management and employees in understanding their roles in upholding legal and ethical standards.
Experience and Knowledge
- Juris Doctor (J.D.) or LLB from an accredited law school
- Admission to the Bar in British Columbia or another Province in Canada
- Minimum 12+ years legal experience at recognized law firm or previous in-house counsel experience, with minimum 2 years in a leadership or management role.
- Strong knowledge of technology, intellectual property, contract and employment law, and regulatory compliance.
- Experience with compliance, including privacy and data law requirements, preferably across multiple jurisdictions.
- Experience with M&A transactions, including responsibility for commercial strategy, negotiation, and integration is preferred.
- Previous experience in a company with global operations (multi-national, cross-border).
Nice to Have:
- Experience in minetech industry
- Contract management lifecycle management software
- Experience with ISO certifications
Skills and Abilities
- Deep understanding of business, commercial, and technology law, with the ability to translate legal concepts into practical business solutions.
- Demonstrated experience drafting and negotiating a wide range of agreements, including employment and complex B2B contracts.
- Proven ability to manage complex, high-impact legal matters and deliver sound, forward-looking advice to senior leadership.
- Inspirational leadership and exceptional interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust, influence stakeholders, and lead through critical thought and collaboration.
- Experience in export control, regulatory compliance, or corporate governance is an asset.
- This role may require some travel (<15%)
Wenco advances the efficiency and safety of the world’s surface mining equipment through our fleet management systems. We are committed to providing a stable yet exciting work place environment for individual employees to build and grow their career with the Company.
Wenco is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Disclaimer
The information in this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job. It is not intended as an employment contract. Job descriptions are subject to change, which may not necessarily affect compensation.
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As our team experiences high volumes of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. To be considered, please ensure a resume is attached.
