Head of Sustainability and Climate Risk, ESG Audit

HSBC; London; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Head of Sustainability and Climate Risk to innovate and lead in legal market engagement. This role offers the chance to drive significant change in how external legal spend is managed, moving towards cost-effective arrangements and innovative pricing structures. You will lead a talented team, collaborate with senior leadership, and leverage data analytics to enhance performance and value delivery. Join a forward-thinking organization that values diversity and inclusion, and offers a competitive pay and benefits package, including private healthcare and a contributory pension scheme.

Benefits

Private Healthcare

Enhanced Maternity and Adoption Pay

Contributory Pension Scheme

Professional Development Opportunities

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in legal operations or external legal management.
• Strong commercial acumen with cost efficiency track record.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic shift to Effective Fee Arrangements for legal services.
• Manage Law Firm Relationship Managers and Pricing teams.

Skills

Legal Operations

Procurement

Cost Efficiency

Negotiation

Leadership

Commercial Acumen

Education

Degree in Law or related field

Job description

Head of Sustainability and Climate Risk, ESG Audit

Brand: HSBC

Area of Interest: Audit

Location: London, GB, E14 5HQ

Work style: Hybrid Worker

Date: 13 Mar 2025

Position: Head of Sustainability and Climate Risk, ESG Audit (3395) GCB3 – Global Internal Audit – UK Nationwide

Some careers open more doors than others!

If you’re looking for a career that will unlock new opportunities, join HSBC and experience the possibilities. Whether you want a role that could take you to the top, or simply take you in an exciting new direction, HSBC offers opportunities, support and rewards that will take you further.

As an HSBC employee in the UK, you will have access to tailored professional development opportunities and a competitive pay and benefits package. This includes private healthcare for all UK-based employees, enhanced maternity and adoption pay and support when you return to work, and a contributory pension scheme with a generous employer contribution.

We are currently seeking an innovative and high calibre professional to be the Head of Legal Market Engagement team. You will have the opportunity to drive meaningful change in the legal industry, ensuring HSBC maximizes the value of its external legal spend while fostering innovation and accountability among its external legal partners.

As the Head of Legal Market Engagement, you will play a fundamental role and lead within HSBC’s Legal function, responsible for driving a strategic and commercial approach to the bank’s external legal spend. You will lead a team of Law Firm Relationship Managers, Pricing and Legal Project Managers.

In this role, you will:

1. Lead HSBC’s strategic shift from traditional hourly billing to Effective Fee Arrangements (EFAs) that promote cost certainty, efficiency, and value.
2. Design and implement innovative pricing structures with law firms and ALSPs, ensuring optimal financial outcomes for the bank, whilst developing and maintaining HSBC’s Legal Market Engagement Framework.
3. Oversee HSBC’s panel of law firms and ALSPs, ensuring they meet performance and innovation targets.
4. Hold firms to account against a defined set of commercial, operational, and service expectations and lead negotiations on panel agreements, ensuring competitive pricing and strong service delivery.
5. Manage and develop a team of Law Firm Relationship Managers, Pricing and Legal Project Managers, fostering a high-performance culture.
6. Collaborate with HSBC’s legal leadership, procurement, and finance teams to align external legal strategy with broader business objectives.
7. Drive data-led decision-making, leveraging analytics to assess law firm performance, cost trends, and value delivery.

To be successful in this role you should meet the following requirements:

1. Extensive experience in legal operations, procurement, or external legal management within a financial institution, law firm, or professional services environment.
2. Strong commercial acumen with a proven track record of driving cost efficiencies and structuring alternative fee arrangements.
3. Strategic thinker with the ability to influence and negotiate at senior levels, both internally and externally.
4. Leadership experience, managing diverse teams and fostering a culture of performance, collaboration, and innovation.
5. Knowledge of legal market trends, law firm pricing models, and the evolving role of ALSPs in corporate legal functions.

The base location for this role is based in the UK with a hybrid working pattern. (offices include, London, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Sheffield)

Being open to different points of view is important for our business and the communities we serve. At HSBC, we’re dedicated to creating diverse and inclusive workplaces. Our recruitment processes are accessible to everyone - no matter their gender, ethnicity, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or age.

If you’d like to apply for one of our roles and need adjustments made, please get in touch with our Recruitment Helpdesk:
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