Tell us a bit about yourself
My name is Caolán McGroary, and I am Legal Counsel supporting the Commercial team at Interac. This coming February will mark my five year anniversary with the organization. I made the move to Canada in the summer of 2012 for an initially planned three month trip – but here I am now over ten years later living in Hamilton with my fiancé (soon to be wife) and our dog. Given that I am getting married in Ireland this coming Summer, a fun fact about me is that I totally underestimated the amount of work involved in organizing a wedding.
You recently shifted roles – can you tell us about your career path at Interac?
I predominantly worked in hospitality before deciding to make the switch to the world of FinTech in 2018. Despite my minimal corporate experience, Interac took a chance on me and I was hired as a Compliance & Enforcement Specialist. Since then, I was further promoted to Senior Specialist, followed by further promotion to Compliance & Enforcement Manager. In early 2022, I transitioned to the Legal team to begin my articling program, a prerequisite to becoming a lawyer in Ontario. Upon completion of said program, I was called to the Law Society of Ontario in November 2022 and was subsequently offered the role of Legal Counsel by Interac which I graciously accepted.
As someone who has held five varied roles during my five years at Interac, I can attest that there are many opportunities to continuously develop your career.
What was your favourite part of your last role, and what are you looking forward to in your new role?
I have really enjoyed the ability to build and continuously foster relationships at Interac both professionally and personally. I’ve had the unique opportunity to work with almost all business units across the organization during my time here, so I can attest to how great the people here are across the board. Now that I’m on the Legal team, I am excited to have the opportunity to continue working on some of the new, innovative solutions Interac is developing for market.
What advice do you have for other people trying to navigate their own career path at Interac?
When I first joined the organization, it was always my plan to eventually take the Ontario Bar and become a lawyer. Knowing this, I was always open and transparent about my goals and objectives with my leaders. The support I received over the years from them and from my peers was critical to my success, whether it was accommodating time off for exams or studying so that I could accomplish my goals. Thankfully, it all paid off when I was called to the Law Society of Ontario and I have been a practising lawyer ever since. Based on my experience, I would definitely advise anyone looking to advance their career at Interac to be clear and open about their objectives with their leaders.
What’s your favourite part about working at Interac?
It may be a bit of a cliché, but for me it’s the people, with a particular shout-out to the multitude of mentors who assisted me in getting where I am today. If I had to pick something else, it would be the culture. During my time at Interac, I have seen significant progress in aligning with the ethos of what a FinTech organization represents, whether it means the flexibility of the hybrid working model or the ability to work internationally for periods of time throughout the year. I also highly value the work being done on the Diversity and Inclusion program to further build upon the open and inclusive working environment at Interac.
What makes Interac a unique place to work?
The variety of the work I do and the opportunity to contribute to innovative solutions that make the lives of Canadians a little bit easier.
I also love our hybrid working model, which gives me the flexibility to live in Hamilton. Saving a couple of hours on the commute everyday has been a big boost to my mental health and work/life balance.
