STPD - Transaction Legal - Vice President - SMBC - #2158842

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Here at SMBC Group, we want to help you find the next step in your career so read on to discover if this opportunity is the one for you. We like to recognise potential in our people, so we welcome your application even when your experience doesn't perfectly align with the job description. Whilst we'll always strive to be better, we're proud of our inclusive culture, and encourage our applicants and colleagues to be their authentic, unique selves.

Purpose of the Role

The Legal Counsel will be a member of the Structured Finance and Group Affairs team within STPD-Legal Group. The role will involve drafting, reviewing and advising on a broad range of finance documentation, and supporting and advising on the structuring and execution of such transactions in accordance with internal requirements and policies and external regulations.

The Legal Counsel will have a particular focus on supporting a wide range of structured finance and credit risk transfer transactions, including lender financing (e.g., back-leverage facilities), portfolio acquisitions and disposals (including by way of synthetic risk transfer), significant risk transfer transactions, margin loans and other structured funding and credit risk mitigation arrangements.

The Legal Counsel will act as legal adviser to the Bank to help manage contractual, legal, regulatory risks and developments and assist with the legal implications of the Bank's strategic vision, goals and values. The individual may also be involved in projects as a representative of such Legal team.

"The anticipated salary range for this role is £96,000-£144,000, with the final offer determined based on the candidate's skills, experience, role scope, location, and relevant market factors. In addition to base salary, the role may be eligible for a discretionary incentive award and a competitive benefits package, including core benefits such as pension provision."

Background and Organisational Context

The person should be a qualified banking lawyer with experience from a reputable law firm and/or financial institution, and with strong interpersonal skills who will act as a legal advisor to all levels of the Bank in the EMEA region as well as for SMBC group globally where required on matters of a legal nature. Experience in structured finance matters (such lender financing, portfolio acquisitions/disposals, significant risk transfer transactions, margin lending and/or other structured funding or risk mitigation arrangements) is preferred as the person will primarily support business activities in these areas.

The person will be liaising with stakeholders of a broad range of seniority across various groups in the Bank as well as customers of the Bank where required in relation to a broad range of transactional documentation and legal issues, as well as representing the STPD-Legal Group in important bankwide projects and committees where relevant.

Scale and Scope

The person will be an integral member of the STPD-Legal Group and must be capable of handling complex work.

The person will work closely with STPD-Legal Group team members and stakeholders across the Bank to ensure that the Bank's strategy and objectives are satisfied and that legal risks are minimised where possible.

The person will understand the commercial dynamic of the Bank and will therefore need to possess the necessary maturity and experience.

Key Accountabilities and Responsibilities

• Reviewing, drafting and negotiating new and existing structured finance and general finance documentation, including lender financing (e.g. back-leverage facilities), portfolio acquisition and disposal documentation (including synthetic structures), credit risk transfer documentation (including significant risk transfer transactions), margin loan documentation, and related term sheets and mandate documents for business stakeholders across the EMEA region with and without support from external legal counsel;
• Advising on legal, structuring, due diligence and execution issues in connection with such transactions, and liaising closely with business promotion groups and operational and back office teams on such matters;
• Coordinating and undertaking legal due diligence in respect of portfolio acquisitions, disposals and risk transfer transactions, including managing external counsel and assessing diligence findings;
• Monitoring and advising on regulatory matters and market developments relevant to structured finance, synthetic securitisation and credit risk mitigation transactions;
• Providing legal advice to any other part of the SMFG group if requested, including Tokyo Head Office in relation to matters of English law and review/ drafting documentation for overseas offices where governed by English law;
• Drafting and/or reviewing Bank wide standard documentation and drafting other miscellaneous documents required by the Bank internally or externally;
• Dealing proactively with questions of a legal nature which arise throughout EMEA Region as a result of the Bank's customer relationships, operations, regulatory obligations and corporate governance;
• Ensuring that company policy is followed in legal matters (but not to check credit department approvals unless specifically asked);
• Proactively identifying and escalating important legal issues and risks to the relevant level of management;
• Proactively contributing to the development of the Bank (including contributing to new product initiatives) and actively working for the elimination of legal risk;
• Supporting general finance work undertaken by STPD-Legal Group as and when required, such as, for example, confidentiality agreements, engagement letters and release/reliance letters; and
• Being a member of or deputising for members of various SMBC BI and EMEA Region committees or projects which the STPD-Legal Group are involved in.