Associate Legal Counsel - Esg & Investment Stewardship

Vanguard; England; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

In-office 3 days/week

No visa sponsorship

Job summary

Vanguard seeks an Associate Legal Counsel to join the Europe Legal function, supporting ESG regulatory work across Vanguard’s funds and enterprise. You’ll work with the Product and Investment Services Legal team to advise on governance, disclosures, and regulatory implementations.

You will deliver day-to-day legal support on ESG and Stewardship matters, draft reports, monitor regulatory changes, and foster strong cross-functional partnerships.

Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer with at least two years' PQE in asset management or financial services.
• Experience interpreting regulations affecting the asset management sector.
• Experience responding to consultations and implementing regulatory changes.
• Ability to work on complex legal issues in a high-volume, fast-paced environment.
• Strong communication, negotiation and drafting skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal and regulatory advice on ESG requirements across UK/EU regulations.
• Review disclosures and annual reports with ESG obligations.
• Assist with regulatory change projects and horizon scanning.
• Prepare concise outputs for stakeholders and advise on Stewardship disclosures.
• Build relationships with business functions and deliver practical legal guidance.

Skills

Regulatory compliance

ESG expertise

Legal research

Drafting & advising

Stakeholder management

Regulatory monitoring

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

Have impact!

We are looking for an Associate Legal Counsel to be a part of our solutions-oriented Legal team supporting and advising on regulation relating to sustainability topics pertinent to Vanguard’s funds and enterprise as well as assisting in providing legal support to our Investment Stewardship function.

You will be a member of the Product and Investment Services Legal team within the broader Europe Legal function, reporting initially to the head of the team and working closely with another team member with a similar core remit.

Product and Investment Services Legal supports our Product, Investment Management and Investment Stewardship functions in Europe covering all fund launches & funds maintenance legal support, our Investment Stewardship (Stewardship) function as well as legal advisory support (in partnership with Compliance) of our investment management function.

The role will work in close partnership with another member of the team with a similar core remit, supporting ESG and Stewardship initiatives, including regulatory implementation projects, disclosure and reporting obligations, legal research, horizon scanning and ad hoc day-to-day legal advisory and research work.

Join us and help protect the millions who trust us with their futures!

In this role you will

• Provide legal and regulatory advice on ESG requirements, supporting the implementation of UK and EU regulations across products, governance, risk and control frameworks
• Review and drafting of disclosures for BAU periodic disclosures and reports concerning specific ESG obligations
• Advise on and review annual and other reports, including the Annual Stewardship Code Report, Investment Stewardship Report, Pension UK template, SRD II and other sustainability reports containing Stewardship disclosures
• Support regulatory change project working groups and/or workstreams implementing regulations, including advising on SRD II and other regulatory policies & disclosures
• Conduct legal and regulatory research and prepare concise outputs for stakeholders
• Assist with horizon scanning and regulatory monitoring activities and prepare impact assessments on emerging regulatory developments
• Provide day-to-day legal advice on ESG and Stewardship matters, including support on BAU queries relating to live regulation
• Build and maintain effective relationships across business functions and deliver practical legal advice to key stakeholder
• Develop and maintain knowledge and awareness of the investment industry, regulatory and/or policy changes with potential impact on Vanguard’s European group companies and operations
• Use legal technology and AI-enabled tools appropriately to support research, horizon scanning and delivery efficiency
• Support the wider Product & Investment Services Legal team and the wider OGC Legal team as needed
• Participate in special projects and perform other duties as required

What it takes

• Qualified lawyer with minimum two years’ PQE gained either in-house within an international asset management organisation and/or in private practice or consultancy, advising on financial services legal and regulatory matters
• Credible technical skills and experience interpreting regulation applicable to the asset management sector
• Experience in responding to consultation papers and implementing compliance with regulatory change projects, including advising businesses and other stakeholders directly on new and live regulations
• A demonstrated ability to work on complex legal issues and to function in a high volume / fast-paced environment with multiple and diverse responsibilities, managing a varied and changing caseload
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to build effective stakeholder relationship, negotiation, analytical and drafting skills, strong attention to detail and the ability to work on a variety of legal issues and to tight deadlines

Special Factors

• Vanguard is not offering visa sponsorship for this position
• This is a hybrid position and would require you to work in the office 3 days per week (Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday)

Why Vanguard?

Vanguard is a different kind of investment company. It was founded in the United States in 1975 on a simple but revolutionary idea: that an investment company should manage its funds solely in the interests of its clients. This is a philosophy that has helped millions of people around the world to achieve their goals with low-cost, uncomplicated investments. It's what we stand for: value to investors.

How We Work

Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.