Legal Director - RegCom

IQ-EQ; London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player seeks a skilled legal expert to lead the contracting process for its Funds business. This role is pivotal in managing legal risks while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. You'll collaborate closely with clients and internal teams, providing essential legal guidance and support. Join a forward-thinking company that values sustainability and inclusivity, offering a dynamic environment where your expertise can thrive. If you're passionate about making a difference in the investment sector, this opportunity is designed for you.

Benefits

Hybrid working approach

Learning and development programs

Diversity and Inclusion initiatives

Employee support programs

Qualifications

• 2.1 or above degree required; qualified solicitor in England and Wales.
• 5+ years post-qualification experience in financial services or law firm.

Responsibilities

• Lead contracting process for Funds business, ensuring legal risk management.
• Provide legal advice on compliance obligations and fund operations.

Skills

Contract negotiation

Legal risk management

Stakeholder management

Regulatory compliance

Commercial awareness

Attention to detail

Problem solving

Education

Degree from a recognised university

Qualified solicitor in England and Wales

Tools

Legal documentation software

Compliance management tools

Job description

We’re a leading Investor Services group offering end-to-end services in administration, accounting, reporting, regulatory and compliance needs of the investment sector worldwide.

We employ a global workforce of 5,500+ people across 25 jurisdictions and have assets under administration (AUA) exceeding US$750 billion. We work with 13 of the world’s top 15 private equity firms.

Our services are underpinned by a Group-wide commitment to ESG and best-in-class technology including a global data platform and innovative proprietary tools supported by in-house experts.

Above all, what makes us different is our people. Operating as trusted partners to our clients, we deliver intelligent solutions through a combination of technical expertise and strong relationships based on deep client understanding.

We’re driven by our Group purpose, to power people and possibilities.

Job Description

Responsibilities

The primary purpose of this role is to take a lead and expert role on the contracting process for the Funds business (both G10 and Sapia, where acting as Manager) from onboarding and beyond, with the aim of ensuring that legal risk is adequately managed according to the regulatory risk environment and the business’s operational needs.

This role will be part of the RegCom funds senior team making decisions on an ongoing basis about strategy, people, processes and clients. This is likely to involve hands-on issue resolution and taking responsibility for delivering projects outside the requirements of the specific job function.

Tasks

1. Lead with clients as the point-person for contracting, including issuing proposals, reviewing and negotiating contracts between the Manager and clients.
2. Maintain close relationships with commercial team to respond to RFPs appropriately and discuss strategy and structuring with clients.
3. Member of, with a view to providing advice on legal risk to the ACE (Acceptance, Continuation, Exit Committee).
4. Provide legal advice to the Fund Operations and management team on the set-up, onboarding and compliance of AIFs and managed accounts.
5. Review fund documentation from the Manager’s perspective, including offering documents, prospectuses, LPAs.
6. Draft and/or review documentation that the manager is required to enter into, including management agreements, delegation agreements, advisory agreements.
7. Update and maintain template database.
8. Provide ongoing transactional support to the Fund Operations team, review any documentation required for the activity of the client fund/accounts.
9. Provide legal advice on compliance obligations including AIFMD, MiFID II to the operational team, compliance team, and other stakeholders.
10. Lead a contract review process to identify any existing gaps in contractual and legal risk, including reporting to Boards on results.
11. Member of the AIF Oversight Committee and advise members of legal risk.
12. Develop and maintain a full and complete understanding of operational and compliance matters within Fund Management.
13. Manage issues and disputes with clients, liaising with Group Legal, insurers, and external counsel where appropriate. Provide advice on litigation risk to Boards.
14. Liaise with legal counsel at IQEQ Fund Management in Ireland and Luxembourg to share best practice.

Key competencies for position and level (see Group Competency model)

1. Communication and stakeholder management.
2. Strong client focus and commercial awareness.
3. Gains trust and respect through demonstrating subject matter expertise and solution focus.

Key behaviours we expect to see

1. Excellent judgement and attention to detail.
2. Positive attitude to problem solving.
3. Ability to learn the business.
4. Manage stakeholder expectations.
5. Determined, focused, energetic.

Qualifications

Required Experience

1. 2.1 or above degree from a recognised university.
2. Qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales.
3. At least five years of post-qualification experience in a combination of top-tier law firm/ in-house financial services organisation.
4. Working knowledge of the asset management and/or alternative asset industries, in particular private funds.
5. Experience advising regulated boards.
6. Strong commercial contract negotiation experience including outsourcing agreements, SAAS, data and tech agreements and strong understanding of GDPR, DORA, and evolving reg-tech sector.
7. Knowledge of the UK and European regulatory landscape as it pertains to AML, AIFMD, UCITS and MiFID.

Preferred Experience

1. Experience in senior leadership position.
2. Experience working directly with FCA.
3. Experience in multinational organisation.

Additional Information

OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU AND THE ENVIRONMENT

As a forward-looking business, sustainability is integral to our strategy and operations. Our sustainability depends on us building and maintaining meaningful, long-term relationships with all our stakeholders – including our employees, clients, and local communities – while also reducing our impact on our natural environment.

There is always more we can, and should do, to improve – whether in relation to our people, our clients, our planet, or our governance. Our ongoing success as a business depends on our sustainability and agility in a changing and challenging global landscape. We’re committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable and diverse culture for our people, led by our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion steering committee.

Our learning and development programmes and systems (including PowerU and MyCampus) enable us to invest in growing our employees’ careers, while our hybrid working approach supports our employees in achieving balance and flexibility while remaining connected to their colleagues. We want to empower our 5,500+ employees - from 94 nationalities, speaking 41 languages across 25 countries - to each achieve their potential. Through IQ-EQ Launchpad we support women managers launching their first fund, in an environment where only 15% of all private equity and venture capital firms are gender balanced.

We’re committed to growing long-term relationships with our clients and supporting them in achieving their objectives. We understand that our client’s sustainability and success leads to our sustainability and success. We’re emotionally invested in our clients right from the beginning.