Senior Legal Counsel - Global Commercial and Operations

Ready to build a rewarding career in an industry that is transforming the future?

Who We Are

We are Vale Base Metals – a global supplier of the critical minerals transforming the future.

With industry-leading reserves of copper and nickel in Canada, Brazil, and Indonesia, and state-of-the-art infrastructure in the U.K., Canada, and Japan, VBM delivers a secure and responsible supply of high-quality products to customers across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.

Global demand for critical minerals is growing exponentially. From energy to aerospace, batteries to magnets, robotics to artificial intelligence, a secure and responsible supply of critical minerals is fundamental to power modern technologies. And at Vale Base Metals, we are transforming our business to provide a secure and responsible supply of these minerals.

Join our diverse team of 13,000 talented individuals committed to providing mineral security to a world in transition. We invite you to put your skills to work, driving meaningful and enduring change while enjoying a rewarding career.

The Opportunity

We are seeking Senior Counsel, Global Corporate & Operations to join our Legal team in Toronto, Ontario.

Reporting to the Deputy General Counsel, Corporate, this role will provide strategic legal support across a broad range of commercial, corporate, operational, and business development initiatives. The successful candidate will partner closely with leaders across Commercial, Marketing & Sales, Business Development, Strategy, Treasury, Sustainability, Exploration, Innovation, Technology, and Operations.

This role offers significant autonomy and ownership, with responsibility for leading files, managing stakeholder relationships, and providing practical legal advice across a diverse portfolio of matters. It represents an exceptional opportunity for a commercially minded lawyer seeking broad business exposure and the ability to contribute meaningfully to strategic decision-making across the organization.

The successful candidate will bring strong transactional and commercial legal expertise while demonstrating the flexibility, curiosity, and adaptability required to support evolving business priorities in a dynamic global environment.

Key Accountabilities:

Commercial & Marketing Support

• Advise on nickel, copper, and other metals purchase and sales transactions and related commercial arrangements.
• Draft, negotiate, and implement commodity sales and marketing agreements.
• Support strategic customer relationships and commercial negotiations.
• Provide practical legal advice that balances risk management with business objectives.

Corporate & Strategic Transactions

• Support mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, partnerships, and other strategic corporate transactions.
• Provide legal support for financing, treasury, credit risk, and insurance matters, including debt arrangements, project financings, guarantees, letters of credit, surety bonds, insurance programs, and other financing structures.
• Draft, review, and negotiate transaction documentation.
• Assist business leaders in evaluating opportunities and transaction structures.
• Conduct legal analysis and provide strategic recommendations to support business decision-making.

Innovation, Technology & Growth Initiatives

• Support innovation, technology, and commercialization initiatives across the business.
• Provide legal support for emerging business opportunities, including waste-to-value and tailings commercialization initiatives.
• Draft and negotiate technology-related agreements, including software, SaaS, information technology procurement, licensing, and strategic partnership arrangements.
• Support initiatives involving new products, technologies, and commercial opportunities.

Exploration & Project Development

• Support exploration agreements and project development arrangements.
• Draft and negotiate exploration-related contracts and commercial agreements.
• Provide legal guidance on project development activities across the Vale Base Metals portfolio.

Corporate Governance & Operational Support

• Provide legal support across business operations by identifying legal issues, assessing risk, developing options, and recommending solutions based on legal and business considerations.
• Support matters relating to commercial operations, procurement, environmental compliance, health and safety, sustainability, and corporate compliance.
• Assist with corporate governance requirements and corporate approval processes.
• Support regulatory compliance and corporate integrity initiatives.
• Manage relationships with external legal counsel and advisors.
• Contribute to legal reporting, budgeting, and operational planning activities.

About You

The ideal candidate is a collaborative and commercially minded legal professional who thrives in a dynamic business environment. They are comfortable navigating ambiguity, managing complex matters, and building strong relationships across diverse stakeholder groups. They take ownership beyond their immediate area of expertise, demonstrate sound judgment, and bring a practical, solutions-focused approach to legal and business challenges.

Success in this role will be demonstrated through the ability to:

• Build trusted partnerships with leaders and stakeholders across the organization.
• Provide practical, strategic legal advice that effectively balances risk with business objectives.
• Navigate complex and evolving issues with confidence and sound judgment.
• Take initiative and ownership of a broad range of matters, including those outside established areas of expertise.
• Demonstrate intellectual curiosity and a commitment to continuous learning and professional growth.
• Adapt quickly to changing priorities in a fast-paced and evolving business environment.
• Collaborate effectively across functions to support business goals and drive successful outcomes.
• Approach challenges with a pragmatic, solution-oriented mindset.

This role offers exposure to a diverse range of legal matters and strategic business initiatives across the organization. The successful candidate will enjoy working on complex and impactful projects, embracing new challenges, and partnering with stakeholders to support the company's growth and long-term success.

Education:

• Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) or Juris Doctor (J.D.).
• Member in good standing with a Canadian Law Society.

Experience:

• Approximately 7 to 10 years of post-call legal experience.
• Strong experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating complex commercial agreements.
• Demonstrated experience supporting corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, partnerships, financings, and other strategic business initiatives.
• Experience advising on commercial, marketing, commodity sales, project development, and exploration-related agreements.
• Experience negotiating and supporting technology, software, SaaS, procurement, and innovation-related agreements.
• Knowledge of corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and operational legal matters.
• Experience gained in-house, at a leading law firm, or through a combination of both environments.
• Experience within mining, natural resources, energy, infrastructure, forestry, or other asset-intensive industries is considered an asset.

Skills:

• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to balance legal risk and business objectives.
• Excellent drafting, negotiation, and contract management skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with sound legal and business judgment.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and complex matters in a fast-paced environment.
• Exceptional interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across all levels of the organization.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to translate complex legal concepts into practical business advice.
• Highly adaptable, resourceful, and comfortable working in ambiguous or evolving situations.
• Demonstrated ability to lead matters independently while effectively leveraging internal and external subject matter experts.
• Strong project management and organizational skills with attention to detail and a focus on execution.
• Curiosity and a growth mindset, with a willingness to learn new areas of law, business, and industry.
• High level of integrity, professionalism, and accountability.
• Ability to work effectively within cross-functional and global teams.

What We Offer You

• Competitive compensation including a variable annual incentive plan
• Participation in a competitive Defined Contribution Pension package
• Comprehensive benefits package (company paid core coverage, health and dental coverage, flex accounts, disability plans and optional insurances)
• Leave for all of life’s reasons (vacation, personal, sick, parental)
• Work culture dedicated to safety, diversity & inclusion, and career growth
• Employee Family Assistance Program
• Virtual Healthcare online
• Online training and career development opportunities

Why Toronto

Toronto is Canada's largest city and a global centre for business, innovation, and professional services. As home to Vale Base Metals' corporate offices and leadership teams, Toronto provides unique opportunities to collaborate with stakeholders around the world while supporting strategic initiatives that advance the responsible production of critical minerals essential to the energy transition.

Include to Transform

At Vale Base Metals, we are committed to ensuring an inclusive work environment where people can act like owners, being their authentic selves and empowering them to deliver results. Vale Base Metals encourages everyone to express their ideas and opinions and values the plurality of individual profiles. We want our people to feel that all voices are heard, all cultures respected and that a variety of perspectives are not only welcome – they are critical to our success. We treat each other fairly and with dignity regardless of race, gender, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, or any other personal consideration that makes us different.

Vale is an equal opportunity employer seeking to increase diversity across our operations and improve equal opportunity at Vale and in the mining industry.

In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, accommodation is available throughout our recruitment process for applicants with disabilities.

Accommodation is available throughout our recruitment process for applicants with disabilities.

Vale uses artificial intelligence to screen, assess, and/or select applicants for this position.

Apply by: Friday, Aug 28, 2026

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