EMEA Commercial Counsel (Vendor Contracts & Employment)

SSQ; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

SSQ, a leading wealth management group, is seeking a senior Legal Counsel – Commercial EMEA who combines sharp contract expertise with practical employment law awareness. The role covers vendor contracts, third‑party engagements and cross‑border advisory across the EMEA region, with external counsel support as needed.

You will work with senior leadership, procurement and HR to shape the legal framework for fast growth, including regulatory data, IP protections, and TUPE/secondments.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years PQE in multi‑jurisdictional commercial contracting.
• Some employment law knowledge preferred.
• City law firm training and some in‑house experience (secondment) advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate vendor contracts, technology and SaaS agreements, outsourcing arrangements, NDAs, and MSAs.
• Act as primary contact for third‑party vendor engagements across the EMEA region.
• Advise on procurement strategies and risk allocation in supplier contracts, including data/IP/liability/SLA protections.
• Develop and maintain standard contract templates and playbooks across the business.
• Partner with Technology, Operations, and Finance to support digital transformation and vendor consolidation.
• Provide guidance on regulatory requirements (DORA, GDPR, outsourcing) relevant to third‑party risk.
• Support HR and employment lifecycle matters across EMEA, including contracts of employment and terminations.
• Monitor changes in employment law across key EMEA markets and advise on compliance.
• Advise leadership on diversity, equity, and inclusion obligations and risks.

Skills

Commercial contracts

Vendor negotiations

Third-party risk

Employment law knowledge

In-house experience

Job description

SSQ, a leading wealth management group, is seeking a senior Legal Counsel – Commercial EMEA who combines sharp contract expertise with practical employment law awareness. The role covers vendor contracts, third‑party engagements and cross‑border advisory across the EMEA region, with external counsel support as needed.

You will work with senior leadership, procurement and HR to shape the legal framework for fast growth, including regulatory data, IP protections, and TUPE/secondments.