Senior Legal Counsel, Major Projects

At Stantec, we bring together diverse backgrounds, skills, and expertise to create a caring culture where everyone can thrive. Through teamwork and collaboration, we’re building a stronger, more resilient organization.

About the role

Stantec is seeking an experienced lawyer to serve as a strategic legal advisor for complex alternative project delivery and other strategic project pursuits across North America. In this role, you will partner with project leaders, business leaders, risk management, and external partners from project pursuit to delivery and close-out of complex and/or high-value projects, with a focus on alternative project delivery (APD) models such as Design-Build, Progressive Design-Build, Public-Private Partnerships, Integrated Project Delivery, and Alliance. This is a strategic role combining legal expertise with strong commercial judgment to enable project success while protecting Stantec’s interests and proactively managing project risks.

Responsibilities

• Contract Review & Negotiation
  • Lead the review, negotiation, and drafting of contracts and other legal documentation such as teaming agreements, joint venture agreements, design services agreements, and subconsultant agreements.
  • Identify legal and commercial risks and recommend appropriate protections and mitigations.
  • Develop a deep understanding of Stantec’s business and the specific proposed project opportunity to support the team in reviewing scope documents, commercial terms, risk allocation, change management process, and payment terms.
  • Partner with the project team to escalate significant legal or commercial risks to senior legal leadership, as appropriate.
• Project Pursuit Support
  • Provide guidance during proposal development and contract formation.
  • Partner with pursuit teams to evaluate legal and commercial risks and opportunities and support go/no-go decisions.
  • Participate in client, contractor, partner, and owner negotiations throughout pursuit and award phases.
• Project Delivery and Close-Out Support
  • Provide legal advice regarding potential claims, disputes, and project-related conflicts and recommend strategies for practical resolution.
  • Assist with contract interpretation and issue resolution during project execution.
  • Support project teams on issues that arise during project delivery, including investigating issues and problems and drafting notices and formal correspondence.
• Business Partnership and Guidance
  • Serve as a trusted advisor to project leaders and business leaders.
  • Build and strengthen relationships with project teams by cultivating a deep understanding of Stantec’s business and proactively providing valuable risk management practices.
  • Provide targeted training for project staff and other support teams.
  • Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives related to alternative project delivery.
  • Support the review and development of resources, templates, and reference materials.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of legal experience, including substantial alternative project delivery experience.
• Member in good standing of a provincial/state bar.
• Proven ability to advise teams on strategic legal and commercial matters.
• Exemplary drafting skills with attention to detail.
• Proactive, can-do, and collaborative attitude.
• Highly developed business sense.
• Excellent communicator with a practical approach.
• Familiar with technical aspects of design and construction.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities.

Pay

Locations in CO, HI, IL, MD, and various CA, NJ, VA areas: $168,000.00 - $252,000.00 annually. In compliance with pay transparency laws, pay ranges are provided for positions in locations where required. The final agreed-upon compensation is based on individual education, qualifications, experience, and work location. At Stantec, certain roles are bonus eligible. Actual compensation for part-time roles will be pro-rated based on the agreed number of working hours per week.

Benefits

Regular full-time and part-time employees (working at least 20 hours per week) have access to:

• Medical, dental, and vision plans.
• Wellness program, health saving accounts, and flexible spending accounts.
• 401(k) plan and employee stock purchase program.
• Life and accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D) insurance.
• Short-term/long-term disability plans.
• Emergency travel benefits.
• Tuition reimbursement and professional membership fee coverage.
• Paid family leave.
• Ten paid holidays per calendar year.
• Vacation accrual between 10 and 20 days per year.
• Paid sick leave (and if more generous, in accordance with state and local law).

Temporary/casual employees have access to 401(k) plans, employee stock purchase program, and paid leave, in accordance with state and local law. The benefits listed above may not apply to union positions, as benefits for such positions are governed by applicable collective bargaining agreements.

Schedule

Full-time.

Primary location: United States | CO | Denver. Other locations: United States | TX | Houston.