Senior Counsel

QBE North America; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid Working

Paid family leave

401(k) with company match

Well-being program

Tuition Reimbursement

Employee Networks

Job summary

QBE North America is seeking a Senior Counsel to serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, providing practical, commercially focused legal guidance on complex regulatory, corporate and risk matters. This hybrid role in the New York area partners with Privacy, Data & Cyber, HR, Employee Benefits, Finance and Procurement to balance legal risk with business goals, lead strategic transactions, and drive compliant, value‑add initiatives.

A J.D.

Qualifications

• J.D. and active license to practice law.
• 7+ years of relevant legal experience in a law firm, corporate legal department, or combination of both.
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage complex legal matters and advise sophisticated business stakeholders.
• Experience drafting, negotiating, and advising on commercial agreements, transactions, and legal risk issues.

Responsibilities

• Advise senior leaders on complex legal, regulatory, and compliance matters.
• Anticipate emerging legal risks and develop business-focused solutions.
• Partner with stakeholders across Privacy, Data & Cyber, Human Resources, Employee Benefits, Finance, Treasury, Procurement, and business operations on strategic initiatives.
• Build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support business goals and drive effective outcomes.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives including strategic transactions and corporate projects.
• Support development and execution of risk management and compliance programs.

Skills

Business Law

Commercial Acumen

Communication

Contract Management

Critical Thinking

Collaboration

Legal Consulting

Legal Risk

Litigation Management

Managing Performance

Negotiation

Process Improvements

Regulatory Compliance

Strategic Thinking

Team Management

Education

J.D.

Job description

Primary Details

Time Type: Full timeWorker Type: Employee

Senior Counsel

• Location: USA – New York, Madison, Chicago
• Work Arrangement: Hybrid working expectations
• The salary range for this role is: $160,000-$300,000K

The Opportunity

T this role serves as a trusted advisor to senior leaders by providing practical, commercially focused legal advice on complex legal, regulatory, and compliance matters. The position offers broad exposure to strategic transactions, finance, human resources, regulatory compliance, emerging technology, commercial contracting, and other enterprise initiatives, while supporting QBE's strategic priorities through effective risk management and business-focused solutions.

Your new role

Strategic Business Partner

• Advise senior leaders on complex legal, regulatory, and compliance matters, balancing legal risk with business objectives.
• Anticipate and identify emerging legal risks and develop practical, business-focused solutions.
• Partner with stakeholders across Privacy, Data & Cyber, Human Resources, Employee Benefits, Finance, Treasury, Procurement, and business operations on strategic initiatives.
• Build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support business goals and drive effective outcomes.

Finance, Investments & Employee Benefits

• Advise Finance and Treasury teams on investment activities, capital management initiatives, financing arrangements, and related legal matters.
• Partner with Human Resources and Employee Benefits teams on employee benefit plans, ERISA compliance, executive compensation matters, and service provider arrangements.

Transactions, Commercial Matters & Corporate Projects

• Draft, negotiate, and advise on a wide range of commercial agreements, strategic transactions, and business initiatives.
• Lead or support acquisitions, divestitures, reorganizations, investments, financing activities, and other enterprise projects.
• Manage complex legal projects from planning through implementation, coordinating cross-functional teams to achieve successful results.

Risk Management & Regulatory Compliance

• Support the development and execution of legal strategies that effectively manage and mitigate enterprise risk.
• Evaluate legal and regulatory developments affecting the insurance industry and advise stakeholders on business impacts.
• Promote legal risk awareness and a strong culture of compliance throughout the organization.

Leadership & Continuous Improvement

• Mentor junior attorneys and legal professionals, fostering collaboration, development, and knowledge sharing.
• Leverage technology, innovation, and process improvement initiatives to enhance legal service delivery and operational efficiency.

Preferred Areas Of Experience

• Investment, treasury, and corporate finance matters
• Employee benefits, executive compensation, and ERISA
• Mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and strategic transactions
• Commercial contracting and vendor management
• Privacy, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies
• Enterprise risk management and compliance programs
• Insurance, financial services, or other highly regulated industries

Required

• J.D. and active license to practice law.
• 7+ years of relevant legal experience in a law firm, corporate legal department, or combination of both.
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage complex legal matters and advise sophisticated business stakeholders.
• Experience drafting, negotiating, and advising on commercial agreements, transactions, and legal risk issues.

Preferred Experience

• In-house counsel experience.
• Experience supporting corporate functions such as finance, treasury, procurement, human resources, employee benefits, privacy, or compliance.
• Insurance, financial services, or other regulated industry experience.
• Experience advising senior executives and leading cross-functional initiatives.

Compensation Package

The salary range for this role is provided above. This is the national range for location(s) listed. The salary offer will be decided based on the role's complexity, its location, and the candidate’s professional background, including their education and experience. Beyond the base salary, regular full-time and part-time employees will also be eligible for QBE’s annual discretionary bonus plan based on business and individual performance. We encourage all candidates to apply, even if their salary expectations fall outside of this range, as we are committed to finding the right fit for our team.

QBE Benefits

We offer a range of benefits to help provide holistic support for your work life, whatever your circumstances. As a QBE employee you will have access to:

• Hybrid Working – a mix of working from home and in the office
• 22 weeks of paid leave for family growth, with 12 weeks available to all parents on a gender-equal basis
• Competitive 401(k) program with company match up to 8%
• Well-being program including holistic wellbeing coaching, gym membership, confidential counselling, financial and legal advice
• Tuition Reimbursement for professional certifications, and continuing education
• Employee Network and Community – QBE actively supports six Employee Networks, and many ways to give back to your community

Benefits | QBE US.

Why QBE?

What if you could have a positive impact – at work and in the world? At QBE, we’re enabling a more resilient future – for our customers, communities, environment, and for our people. We’re building momentum to achieve something significant and know our people are at the center of our success. Our industry offers interesting and varied careers where you can help people to protect what matters most. As part of the QBE team, you’ll get to spend every day working with people who are passionate, talented and kind. And our international scale means we’re big enough for your ambitions, yet small enough for you to make a real impact.

Join us now, so you can be part of our success – and we can be part of yours!

https://www.linkedin.com/company/qbe-north-america/

Commitment to Diversity

QBE is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to, among others, individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans. If you need an accommodation because of a disability to search and apply for a career opportunity with QBE, please inform our Talent Acquisition team to let us know the nature of your accommodation request and your contact information.

Equal Employment Opportunity

QBE provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race; color; gender; gender identity; sexual orientation; religious practices and observances; national origin; pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; protected veteran status; or disability or any other legally protected status.

Supplementary information

Skills: Business Law, Commercial Acumen, Communication, Contract Management, Critical Thinking, Intentional collaboration, Legal Consulting, Legal Risk, Litigation Management, Managing performance, Negotiation, Process Improvements, Regulatory Compliance, Strategic Thinking, Team Management

Equal Employment Opportunity

QBE is an equal opportunity employer and is required to comply with equal employment opportunity legislation in each jurisdiction it operates.