Legal Counsel

NatWest Group; London; On-site; GBP 150,000 - 200,000

Job description

Join us as a Legal Counsel

• This is an excellent opportunity to join us as a Legal Counsel in our Secured Lending & Ulster Bank Northern Ireland (UBNI) legal team, where you’ll deliver the legal strategy and provide expert, accurate and cost-effective legal advice both to our Homebuying & Ownership business and more broadly in relation to secured consumer lending matters
• Your role will sit within our Retail & Wealth Legal team, so we’ll need you to have an understanding of associated legal and regulatory issues
• You’ll be recognised as a strategic thinker and an expert in your field, and you'll be exposed to stakeholders across the bank and externally

What you'll do

We’re looking for an experienced Legal Counsel to lead, manage and coordinate the delivery of legal advice, supporting our Retail Banking and Wealth businesses. You’ll work closely with stakeholders and legal and regulatory colleagues to ensure the timely, effective and efficient delivery of all issues, projects and initiatives, either directly or through a team.

Additionally, you’ll be:

• Making sure that legal advice is readily understandable to non-lawyers, delivered within relevant timescales, and manages and minimises legal and regulatory risks
• Delivering continuous improvement in operating practices and processes, including identifying efficiencies, improvements and opportunities to reduce costs
• Providing the communication of internal and external legal advice and helping to deliver transactions and projects to stakeholders in a commercial, user friendly and efficient manner
• Managing legal costs through the use of e-billing, auctions and other cost tools and driving a culture of disciplined cost management and controls

The skills you'll need

To be successful in this role, you’ll need experience of providing legal, regulatory and commercial advice in relation to transactions and projects in-house, or in a leading UK law firm. We’ll expect you to have in depth knowledge of general banking law and practice, expertise in the UK regulatory environment relating to secured consumer lending, particularly MCOB, and general consumer financial regulation. You'll also have and understanding of the UK consumer mortgage market and the ability to establish and maintain strong relationships across the bank.

You’ll also need:

• Knowledge of the retail banking and wealth business activities, the commercial environment within which they operate and associated legal issues
• Experience of working with leading law firms and other professional advisers and consultants
• The ability to keep up to date with and share relevant legal and market developments, as well as experience in leading and delivering change from a legal or regulatory perspective
• Experience of coaching others and developing high performing teams