Senior Legal Counsel - Banking (SVP Level)
We are partnering with a leading international financial institution to appoint a Senior Legal Counsel (Banking) at Senior Vice President level. This is a high-impact role supporting global banking operations across diverse and complex markets.
About the Role
Reporting directly to the Head of Legal, you will play a key role in advising on a wide range of banking matters, supporting the rollout of innovative products and strategic initiatives globally. This includes work across deposits, lending, structured transactions, foreign exchange, and emerging areas such as digital assets.
This is an opportunity to join a dynamic and purpose-driven legal team operating at the heart of global finance, where your work will directly support international connectivity and financial inclusion.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead legal support for the development and rollout of new banking products across multiple jurisdictions
- Partner closely with front office and global markets teams to provide pragmatic, commercially focused legal advice
- Identify legal and regulatory risks and deliver effective mitigation strategies
- Advise on structuring banking arrangements and strategic partnerships
- Support expansion into new markets and jurisdictions
- Act as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders across the organisation
- Take ownership of complex legal matters while knowing when to escalate appropriately
Candidate Profile
Qualifications
- Qualified lawyer in the UK, US, or another common law jurisdiction
Experience
- 6-12 years' post-qualification experience
- Strong in-house or private practice experience within banking or financial services
- Familiarity with wholesale banking products such as lending, derivatives, trade finance, FX, deposits, and guarantees
- Exposure to emerging products (e.g. digital assets or stablecoins) is advantageous
Key Skills
- Strong commercial judgment with the ability to balance risk and opportunity
- Excellent negotiation and stakeholder management skills
- Ability to communicate complex legal concepts clearly and effectively
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced, evolving environment
- Proactive, solutions-oriented mindset with strong problem-solving capabilities
- High level of ownership and accountability
- Clear and concise drafting skills
- Strong interpersonal skills; additional languages are a plus