Alberta Innovates is Alberta’s leading provincial innovation agency and one of Canada’s most comprehensive research and innovation organizations. As a Crown corporation of the Government of Alberta, it plays a central role in advancing the province's innovation ecosystem by providing funding, expertise, business support, applied research, and strategic partnerships that accelerate the development and commercialization of new technologies and solutions. Alberta Innovates works across sectors, including health, energy, agriculture, environment, and emerging technologies to drive economic diversification, improve quality of life, and strengthen the province's long-term competitiveness. With a mandate that spans the full innovation continuum, from early-stage discovery through to scale-up and market adoption, Alberta Innovates works in close partnership with industry, academia, entrepreneurs, and government to help transform ideas into real-world impact and build a globally competitive, innovation-driven economy.

 

Reporting to the President and Chief Executive Officer and serving as a trusted advisor to the Board of Directors, the General Counsel, Corporate Secretary & Chief Privacy Officer is accountable for establishing and leading a comprehensive legal, governance, and privacy framework that protects the organization’s interests and ensures compliance across a complex public-sector environment. This is a pivotal enterprise-wide leadership role, providing strategic counsel to the CEO, Board, and senior leadership on complex legal, regulatory, governance, and risk matters, while enabling informed, legally sound decision-making. The General Counsel will lead the legal strategy across a broad and evolving portfolio, including commercial transactions, intellectual property, research and technology commercialization, privacy, and public-sector accountability, while guiding the organization through increasingly complex considerations related to emerging technologies, data governance, and public-private collaboration.

 

The ideal candidate is a seasoned legal executive with a law degree and membership in good standing with a Canadian law society, complemented by 15+ years of progressive experience in both private practice and senior in-house roles within complex, multi-stakeholder organizations. They bring deep expertise in corporate and commercial law, governance, regulatory compliance, intellectual property, and risk management, along with a proven ability to lead high-performing teams and influence at the executive and Board level. A strategic, solutions-oriented leader, the successful candidate combines exceptional judgment, business acumen, and communication skills with the credibility and presence to build trusted relationships and navigate complexity with confidence in a dynamic, high-accountability environment.

 

To Apply

 

To fill this position, Alberta Innovates has partnered with leadership advisory firm Odgers. Applications are encouraged immediately and should be submitted online.

We thank all those who express an interest, however only those chosen for further development will be contacted.