Director, Board Governance

OUR COMPANY BACKGROUND & CULTURE
UPP is the first pension plan of its kind in Ontario’s university sector, proudly serving over 41,000 members across five universities and fourteen sector organizations. Our purpose is to bring greater retirement peace of mind to the university sector by investing with integrity and serving members with care. As a sector-wide plan designed for growth, our doors are open to all Ontario universities.
Together, we’re a team of progressive thinkers and agile doers operating within a fast-paced culture of collaboration and respect. We believe in bringing smart and capable people together to create, solve, and grow with a clear shared vision and values of integrity, inclusivity, ingenuity, and impact. Our culture is intentionally welcoming and purposefully rooted in equity, diversity, inclusion, and reconciliation (EDI&R). We believe diverse teams, perspectives, and lived experiences contribute to better decisions and a better workplace.
As a pension plan, UPP approaches investing through a long-term lens to generate and safeguard value. Our commitment to investing responsibly accounts for material risks that impact our investment portfolio to generate sufficient risk-adjusted returns to meet the pension needs of our members.
Join us in building a bright future for our members, our organization, and each other.
THE ROLE
Reporting to the General Counsel and Board Secretary, the Director, Board Governance plays a key role in supporting the effective functioning of UPP’s Board of Trustees. The Director works closely with UPP’s leadership to administer the Plan’s governance model and, at the Board’s discretion, assists in the discharge of its duties and responsibilities.
The Director serves as a trusted governance advisor to both the Board and UPP management, collaborating regularly with the Executive Leadership Team on governance processes, problem-solving, and continuous improvement. All functions are carried out in a respectful and collegial manner that fosters an effective and cooperative relationship between the Board and management.
To ensure the smooth operation of the Secretariat function, the Director oversees the Senior Paralegal, Board Governance, and coordinates closely with the Chief of Staff and the CEO’s Executive Assistant, who provides administrative support such as posting materials to the Board portal (Diligent). Seamless collaboration between the Secretariat, Joint Sponsors, the Board, the CEO, and UPP’s executive leadership is critical.
As a young and evolving organization, UPP’s governance functions are still being built and refined. The Director will play an important role in developing and embedding good governance practices, with significant growth potential in both responsibilities and seniority as UPP matures.
This role is based in Toronto’s financial district with a hybrid work model (approximately two days per week in office) and may require occasional travel within Ontario.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
**The Director will**:

- Act as a key governance advisor to UPP’s leadership and the Board, providing expertise on governance matters.
- Lead and oversee the planning, coordination, and execution of Board and Committee meetings, materials, and processes.
- Supervise, train, and develop the Senior Paralegal, Board Governance, while ensuring the efficient operation of the Secretariat, including document management and Board communications.
- Coordinate closely with the CEO’s Office, Chief of Staff, and Joint Sponsors to facilitate seamless governance interactions.
- Support the continued development and refinement of governance frameworks, policies, and processes to align with best practices.
- Ensure that all governance activities are conducted in a respectful, collaborative, and collegial manner.
- As UPP grows, the Director will have the opportunity to expand their role and influence, helping shape the governance function within a purpose-driven and dynamic organization.

Governance
- Acts as the primary point of contact on Board operations for the Board Chair, Trustees, President & CEO (the CEO), management, and others.
- Supports the General Counsel and Board Secretary (Executive Lead to the Governance Committee) in the provision of strategic governance advice and Board management.
- Facilitates open and effective communication between the Board Chair, the Board, and management.
- Ensures Board governance policies are effectively implemented, related reporting and disclosure obligations are met, and supports the overall integrity of UPP’s governance framework.
- Keeps the Board Chair, Board, and management informed and up to date on evolving governance practices and developments, particularly for jointly-sponsored pension plans.
- Monitors and reports on progress against annual Board Effectiveness Action Plans.

Board Operations/Board and Committee Meetings
- Develops and maintains a collegial and respectful working relationship with UPP management, particularl