VP, Counsel - Registered Funds

LGBT Great; Newport Beach (CA); Hybrid; USD 205,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

PIMCO seeks a highly skilled Vice President, Counsel – Registered Funds to join its Legal team in Newport Beach. You will provide legal support for U.S. registered funds, including mutual funds, ETFs, and trusts, focusing on 40 Act compliance, governance, and regulatory matters.

The role involves advising on board materials, SEC filings, and fund disclosures, partnering with Compliance, Product Strategy, and Operations to enable compliant product initiatives in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from a leading law school with strong academic credentials.
• Approximately 4–8 years of relevant experience supporting U.S. registered investment companies, ideally at a top-tier law firm or in-house at an asset manager.
• Strong expertise in the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the regulatory framework governing registered funds.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal support for U.S. registered funds and collective investment trusts, ensuring compliance with the Investment Company Act of 1940, Securities Act of 1933, Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and related SEC rules and regulations.
• Advise on ongoing operation, governance, and regulatory oversight of mutual funds, ETFs, and closed-end funds.
• Review and support the preparation of registration statements, prospectuses, statements of additional information, shareholder reports, proxy materials, SEC filings, and other fund disclosure documents.
• Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of agreements related to fund distribution and operations, including authorized participant agreements.

Skills

J.D./Law degree

Regulatory expertise

Analytical mindset

Commercial acumen

Education

J.D./Law degree

Job description

PIMCO is a global leader in active fixed income with deep expertise across public and private markets. We invest our clients’ capital across a range of fixed income and credit opportunities, leveraging our decades of experience navigating complex debt markets. Our flexible capital base and deep relationships with issuers have helped us become one of the world’s largest providers of traditional and nontraditional solutions for companies that need financing and investors who seek strong risk-adjusted returns.

Since 1971, our people have shaped our organization through a high-performance inclusive culture, in which we celebrate diverse thinking. We invest in our people and strive to imprint our CORE values of Collaboration, Openness, Responsibility and Excellence. We believe each of us is here to help others succeed and this has led to PIMCO being recognized as an innovator, industry thought leader and trusted advisor to our clients.

Position Overview

PIMCO is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Vice President, Counsel – Registered Funds to join our high-performing Legal team. In this role, you will provide legal support across PIMCO’s U.S. registered funds platform, including mutual funds, ETFs, closed-end funds, and collective investment trusts, with a particular focus on the Investment Company Act of 1940, fund governance, disclosure, and regulatory compliance.

You will advise on a broad range of registered fund matters, including fund operations, SEC filings, distribution arrangements, Board governance, and product initiatives, while partnering closely with stakeholders across the Funds Business Group, Compliance, Global Wealth Management, Account Management, Product Strategy, and Operations. The role also includes preparing and reviewing Board materials, supporting trustee interactions, and providing practical, business-focused legal guidance on complex regulatory issues.

This is an excellent opportunity for a proactive and commercially minded 40 Act attorney to deepen their expertise and play a meaningful role supporting one of the industry's leading registered funds platforms.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide legal support for PIMCO’s U.S. registered funds and collective investment trusts, ensuring compliance with the Investment Company Act of 1940, Securities Act of 1933, Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and related SEC rules and regulations.

• Advise on the ongoing operation, maintenance, governance, and regulatory oversight of mutual funds, ETFs, and closed-end funds.

• Review and support the preparation of registration statements, prospectuses, statements of additional information, shareholder reports, proxy materials, SEC filings, and other fund disclosure documents.

• Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of agreements related to fund distribution, intermediary relationships, service providers, platform arrangements, fund operations, and ETFs, including fund participation agreements and authorized participant agreements.

• Advise internal stakeholders on legal, regulatory, governance, disclosure, structural, and operational considerations affecting registered fund activities.

• Prepare and review Board and committee materials, support Trustee and Director meetings, and assist with fund governance matters.

• Monitor regulatory developments affecting registered investment companies and provide practical guidance regarding implementation and business impact.

• Identify, assess, and help mitigate legal and regulatory risks, escalating issues appropriately and providing thoughtful, solutions-oriented advice.

• Partner cross-functionally with investment, product, operations, compliance, and distribution teams to support new product initiatives and evolving business strategies.

Qualifications & Professional Skills

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from a leading law school with strong academic credentials.

• Approximately 4–8 years of relevant experience supporting U.S. registered investment companies, ideally gained at a top-tier law firm and/or in-house at an asset manager, mutual fund complex, ETF sponsor, or financial institution.

• Strong expertise in the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the regulatory framework governing registered funds.

• Experience supporting mutual funds, ETFs, and closed-end funds, including governance, disclosure, compliance, and operational matters.

• Experience reviewing and advising on registration statements, prospectus disclosure, shareholder communications, SEC filings, and Board materials.

• Active Bar membership in good standing in any U.S. state.

• Working knowledge of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, Securities Act of 1933, Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and related regulatory requirements affecting registered funds.

• Experience supporting fund Boards and interacting with trustees/directors is preferred.

• Analytical and solutions-oriented mindset, with the ability to interpret complex legal and regulatory issues and provide commercially practical advice.

• High integrity and sound judgment, demonstrated through reliable, collaborative partnerships.

• Self-starter with strong ownership, comfortable navigating a fast-paced environment and managing competing priorities.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex legal concepts to non-legal stakeholders.

• Organized and team-oriented, with the ability to work effectively with colleagues across levels, functions, and business areas.

PIMCO follows a total compensation approach when rewarding employees which includes a base salary and a discretionary bonus. Base salary is the fixed component of compensation that is determined by core job responsibilities, relevant experience, internal level, and market factors. The discretionary bonus is used to award performance and therefore is determined by company, business, team, and individual performance.
Salary Range: $ 205,000.00 - $ 240,000.00

Equal Employment Opportunity and Affine Action Statement

PIMCO recruits and hires qualified candidates without regard to race, national origin, ancestry, religion (including religious dress and grooming practices), sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity and expression), age, military or veteran status, disability (physical or mental), any factor prohibited by law, and as such affirms in policy and practice to support and promote the concept of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action, in accordance with all applicable federal, state, provincial and municipal laws. The company also prohibits discrimination on other basis such as medical condition, or marital status under applicable laws.

Applicants with Disabilities

PIMCO is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We provide reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities, including veterans, in job application procedures. If you have any difficulty using our online system due to a disability and you would like to request an accommodation, you may contact us at 949-720-7744 and leave a message. This is a dedicated line designed exclusively to assist job seekers with disabilities to apply online. Only messages left for this purpose will be considered. A response to your request may take up to two business days.