Paralegal - Burnaby, BC

Location: This hybrid role requires 3 days on-site at our Burnaby office and 2 days remote per week.

Salary: $80,000 – $100,000
Actual compensation within the range will be based on experience
We also offer quarterly variable compensation package (bonus) + benefits

About Specsavers

Welcome to Specsavers – where we’re not just about eyewear and eyecare, we’re a purpose-driven organization committed to changing lives through better sight. As a certified Great Place to Work®, we take pride in our optometrist-owned and -led business model, providing quality eyecare and affordable eyewear to Canadians across the country.

Our journey began 40 years ago in the UK, with visionary optometrists Doug and Mary Perkins. Today, we support over 2,700 healthcare businesses, passionately caring for more than 44 million patients and customers worldwide.

At Specsavers, we believe that access to quality eyecare should be a right, not a luxury. That’s why we go above and beyond to transform the eyecare experience in Canada. With our advanced clinical equipment and an extensive range of affordable and high-quality eyewear, we’re here to make a real difference in the lives of our customers.

But that’s not all – we’re also dedicated to fostering a positive, inclusive and supportive work culture. We strive to create an environment where our partners thrive while benefiting from the collective support and resources of our dedicated teams.

If you’re passionate about making a difference, providing incredible care, and being part of a values and purpose-driven organization, join us on our journey to revolutionize the way Canadians experience eyecare. Together, we can change lives through better sight.

What You’ll Do

Purpose of the role

The purpose of this role is to provide essential paralegal support for the continued success of Specsavers’ launch in Canada. As a key member of the Specsavers Canada Legal team, you will be responsible for drafting and managing franchise documentation, including franchise agreements, employment agreements, shareholders agreements, and associated resolutions. You will also collaborate with key business partners, assist with corporate governance, and take on a variety of paralegal tasks as needed to support the business.

Key Responsibilities

• Drafting and preparation of Franchise Disclosure Documents for each prospective franchisee and monitoring any applicable deadlines for signature.
• Drafting corporate resolutions and other ancillary documents.
• Proactively liaising with colleagues in other legal teams and departments in the production of franchise documentation.
• Incorporation of new store entities with Corporations Canada and attending to company administration.
• Filing of Annual Returns for Franchise Stores and group entities.
• Organizing and monitoring the portfolio of franchise documents in the internal databases, and updating databases with relevant information regarding shareholdings, special conditions and communicating new franchise/shareholding details to the business.
• Updating the franchise disclosure document templates as required and managing updates to other agreement templates.
• Issuing documents for signing via DocuSign electronic signing platform and liaising with signatories as necessary (inclusive of both internal and external parties).
• Drafting of other types of documents/agreements such as NDAs, Statutory Declarations, Estoppel Notices and other relevant legal documents.
• Support with acquisition deals (including the preparation of relevant transaction documents and assisting with due diligence).
• Assist other departments in the business in relation to any legal documentation and accessing databases of corporate and Partnership information.
• Preparing standard operating procedure guidelines for various workflows (including the lifecycle of the franchise disclosure process).
• Other paralegal tasks as required from time to time.

What We’re Looking For

• Experience working in a corporate and/or franchise paralegal function
• Previous experience of producing large quantities of documents from precedents/templates
• Strong time management and organizational skills
• Self-starter – proactive and able to work autonomously on tasks
• Ability to work and communicate with legal and non-legal individuals at all levels
• Strong legal drafting skills
• Accuracy and attention to detail
• Proficient in using computer systems, including the Microsoft 365 suite of applications (Word, Excel, etc.)

Nice to have

• Paralegal diploma an asset
• Experience with Canadian franchising law
• Experience with Canadian corporate governance
• Familiarity with filing documents with Corporations Canada

Our Fellow ‘Speccies’ Enjoy

• Generous vacation allotment and 1 paid volunteer day
• 1 extra paid day off and an eyecare voucher on your birthday
• RRSP matching
• Quarterly performance bonus
• Healthcare spending account
• Health and dental benefits effective on your first day
• Team and company social events

Behaviours We Value

• Collaborative: We work together as one Specsavers to deliver our purpose
• Curious: We question, explore, and seek out diverse perspectives to develop our knowledge and understanding
• Courageous: We challenge the status quo, we experiment with good ideas, and we are brave, bold, and fast in our decision making
• Compassionate: We care, support, and help each other
• Commercial: We treat money wisely and make decisions that are good for our customers, our partners, our people, and good for the long term

We hope that in applying with us, you value these things as well!

Our Hybrid Work Model

Be part of the dynamic culture! Our workplace thrives on a hybrid model, combining in-office collaboration and flexibility. Join us in office, three days a week to contribute, connect and excel in our vibrant environment.

Equal Opportunity Employer

At Specsavers, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We believe that a diverse team enriches our work environment and enables us to achieve our goals. We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage candidates of all backgrounds and abilities to apply. If you believe you can contribute to our mission and vision, we welcome your application, even if you don’t meet every qualification listed. We value the unique skills and perspectives each individual brings to our team.