Senior Counsel, Retirement Plans Legal Support

Vanguard; Malvern (Chester County); On-site; USD 160,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Vanguard seeks a Senior Counsel, Retirement Plans Legal Support in Malvern, PA to serve as a strategic legal advisor on complex retirement plan matters, leveraging ERISA expertise to guide product development and regulatory compliance.

You will partner with Workplace Solutions, draft and negotiate agreements, interpret ERISA and related laws, manage outside counsel, and communicate complex concepts to senior stakeholders to align legal risk with business goals.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) and active bar admission in good standing.
• Minimum of five years of relevant legal experience.
• Deep expertise in ERISA and retirement plan law.
• Experience advising financial institutions, retirement plan service providers, asset managers, or recordkeepers preferred.
• Excellent judgment, analytical ability, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted legal advisor to Vanguard's Workplace Solutions business on retirement plan administration and related regulatory matters.
• Draft, review, and negotiate contracts involving recordkeeping, trust services, data privacy, and cybersecurity.
• Analyze ERISA, tax, securities, and related laws and explain implications for Vanguard’s business and clients.
• Partner with leaders to manage legal and regulatory risk while supporting business objectives.
• Research complex retirement plan issues, including qualified, nonqualified, 403(b), and Puerto Rico plans.
• Monitor developments in law and regulation to keep products compliant.
• Manage outside counsel and oversee legal spend.
• Communicate complex legal concepts clearly to internal and external stakeholders.
• Contribute to special projects aligned with Vanguard's mission.

Skills

Legal advisory

Regulatory analysis

Contract negotiation

Stakeholder management

Policy interpretation

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Tools

Westlaw

LexisNexis

Job description

Senior Counsel, Retirement Plans Legal Support

Join Vanguard and play a critical role in helping millions of investors achieve their retirement goals. As a strategic legal advisor on complex retirement plan matters, leveraging your ERISA and retirement plan expertise to guide business initiatives, support innovative products and services, and help navigate an evolving regulatory landscape. This is an opportunity to partner with senior stakeholders, solve sophisticated legal challenges, and make a meaningful impact on the future of retirement services.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted legal advisor to Vanguard's Workplace Solutions business, providing practical, business-focused counsel on retirement plan administration, product development, client relationships, regulatory requirements, and strategic initiatives.
• Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of agreements and other legal documents, and advise on contractual matters involving recordkeeping, trust services, data privacy, cybersecurity, and related matters pertaining to retirement plan services.
• Analyze and interpret ERISA, tax, securities, and other applicable laws and regulations, providing guidance on legal developments and their impact on Vanguard's business and clients.
• Partner with business leaders, cross-functional lines of defense, and stakeholders to develop solutions that appropriately manage legal and regulatory risk while supporting business objectives.
• Research and advise on complex retirement plan issues, including matters involving qualified plans, nonqualified plans, 403(b) plans, and Puerto Rico retirement plans.
• Monitor legislative, regulatory, and industry developments affecting retirement services and help ensure Vanguard's products, services, and practices remain aligned with applicable legal requirements.
• Manage matters handled by outside counsel, including directing work, evaluating legal advice, and overseeing legal spend.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders by communicating complex legal concepts in a clear, practical, and actionable manner.
• Contribute to special projects and other initiatives that support Vanguard's mission and business objectives.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) and active bar admission in good standing.
• Minimum of five years of relevant legal experience.
• Deep expertise in ERISA and retirement plan law.
• Experience advising financial institutions, retirement plan service providers, asset managers, or recordkeepers preferred.
• Experience with nonqualified plans, 403(b) plans, and Puerto Rico retirement plans is highly desirable.
• Exceptional judgment, analytical ability, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to influence and advise senior stakeholders.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities independently while maintaining attention to detail and meeting deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to build strong client relationships and deliver practical, business-oriented legal advice.

Sponsorship

Vanguard is not offering visa sponsorship for this position.

About Vanguard

At Vanguard, we don't just have a mission—we're on a mission. To work for the long-term financial wellbeing of our clients. To lead through product and services that transform our clients' lives. To learn and develop our skills as individuals and as a team. From Malvern to Melbourne, our mission drives us forward and inspires us to be our best.

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.