Director, Legal

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We are a leading global real estate investor, developer and manager. We combine our capital with our capabilities to create real estate that strengthens economies and communities. By prioritizing people, partnerships and places, we generate meaningful returns for OMERS members, enhance value for our capital partners and create a brighter world for our customers.

Join us to accelerate your growth & development, prioritize wellness, build connections, and support the communities where we live and work.

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Why join us?

Oxford Properties Group is continuing to build out its real estate investment capability in the United States. We are looking for a highly motivated lawyer to join our team in New York as a Director, Legal.  In this role, you will support the Oxford real estate investment and development teams in the pursuit and execution of complex investments in private and public markets, focusing on mergers and acquisitions, debt financings, credit investments, developments, joint ventures and asset acquisitions and dispositions.  You will also support the asset management teams in the operation and leasing of a national portfolio of office, industrial, residential and life sciences assets.

As a member of the Oxford legal team, reporting to the Senior Director, Legal, you will be involved in all legal aspects of the investment process, including the identification and origination of investments, due diligence, negotiation of purchase agreements, development documents, loan agreements, joint venture agreements and related governance agreements, structuring, regulatory review and approvals, and closing mechanics. The Director, Legal will liaise with and instruct external legal and other professional advisors, as well as internal investment, finance, compliance and tax teams.

The Director, Legal will be a key legal partner to the Oxford real estate team in the United States, and a key member of an engaged, high-reaching team—part of a world-class, winning culture that prioritizes people development and focuses on long-term growth. We welcome a strong team player to be part of a collaborative team culture which cherishes mutual respect and cognitive diversity.  Our focus is investment results and mitigation of risk, and our mission is to help secure the financial future for the beneficiaries of our pension plan.

As a member of this team, you will be responsible for:

• Providing transactional legal support on Oxford real estate investment and development pursuits, including working with the investment, private credit and development teams through the due diligence and investment process and liaising with external legal counsel and other professional advisors.

• Overseeing the negotiation of a wide range of investment, loan and development documents, including preliminary transaction documents, purchase agreements, joint venture documents, loan documents, development documents and related governance agreements.

• Providing legal advice with respect to the structuring of investment transactions and compliance with applicable local laws and regulations as well as pension, corporate and tax legislation.

• Supporting asset management professionals with respect to assets under management including financings, re-financings, recapitalizations, sales, developments, joint ventures and governance.

• Providing advice on a variety of legal matters, including ongoing operational matters, such as review of contracts, leases and development agreements, structuring and governance.

• Developing and building relationships with external law firms and other professional advisors and directing them in the provision of legal advice.

• Liaising with Oxford legal, investments, tax, finance, development, compliance and other areas within the OMERS enterprise and leading cross-functional teams and initiatives.

To succeed in this role, you will have:

• A strong transactional real estate background and experience with executing investment, financing and development transactions in the United States.

• Qualifications and training to practice law in United States, with a minimum of 5 years experience in an in-house and/or law firm environment.

• Experience in real estate including significant transactional, finance, asset management and corporate structuring and governance experience, with strong negotiation and drafting skills and business acumen.

• Exposure to the pension industry and regulatory framework is an asset.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with sound judgment and the ability to lead transactions and projects and interact with a broad range of professionals.

• An intellectually curious and open-minded demeanor with the desire to lead teams, make decisions and influence others.

• A strong work ethic, integrity and a positive attitude, with a strong foundation to support the business and provide practical, timely legal advice and guidance. 

• Ability to work in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, effectively prioritizing multiple projects simultaneously under time-sensitive deadlines, and adapting quickly to changing priorities.

• Strong project management skills with an emphasis on being detail-oriented and organized.

• Some travel to North American locations will be required.

The annualized base salary ranges for the primary location and any additional locations are listed below. The base salary that is ultimately offered to the successful candidate will consider a wide array of factors including but not limited to the individual’s skill set. 

You may also be eligible to receive an annual Incentive Award pursuant to our Short-term Incentive plan and our Long-Term Incentive plan (if applicable), and to participate in our group benefits and retirement plans – details on these elements of compensation are included within OMERS & Oxford offer letters.

Oxford's purpose is to strengthen economies and communities through real estate.

Our people-first culture is at its best when our workforce reflects the communities where we live and work — and the customers we proudly serve.

From hire to retire, we are an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment and selection process that extends all the way through your employee experience. This sense of belonging and connection is cultivated up, down and across our global organization thanks to our vast network of Employee Resource Groups with executive leader sponsorship, our Purpose@Work committee and employee recognition programs.