Vice President, Lead Counsel 2 - SINGAPORE | Singapore, SG

Vice President, Lead Counsel 2 - SINGAPORE

Whether you're at the start of your career or looking to discover your next adventure, your story begins here. At Citi, you'll have the opportunity to expand your skills and make a difference at one of the world's most global banks. We're fully committed to supporting your growth and development from the start with extensive on-the-job training and exposure to senior leaders, as well as more traditional learning. You'll also have the chance to give back and make a positive impact where we live and work through volunteerism.

Shape your Career with Citi

Citi's Global Legal Affairs and Compliance (GLAC) empowers and protects Citi by providing legal, compliance, investigative, and security services to our firm. We manage compliance risk, provide legal analysis and advice, protect Citi's people and businesses, advocate for legal and regulatory outcomes that benefit our firm and our clients, and ultimately promote behavior that is consistent with Citi's mission and culture.

We're currently looking for a high caliber professional to join our team as Vice President, Lead Counsel 2 based in Singapore. The VP, Lead Counsel II (C13) is a senior level position responsible for providing legal guidance and thought leadership to the business. The overall objective of this role is to provide legal support, advice, and guidance to the business.

This role requires a pragmatic, proactive attorney with thorough understanding of the Business, combined with a solid conceptual / practical grounding in the laws and regulations for the geographies in which we operate. Provides input into strategic decisions, exercising sound legal judgement to develop proactive, risk-appropriate, and commercially practical business-oriented solutions.

In this role, you're expected to provide key legal support on Business Strategies & Initiatives, Managed Investments and Client Segments matters:

Key Business Strategies & Initiatives responsibilities include:

• Partnering with Cross Enterprise Legal and/or Wealth lawyers and business teams to implement regulation, working with Legal product teams and industry working groups to advocate for regulatory change;
• Serving as a key liaison between BS&I, Global Legal Services, Regulatory Advisory Legal and their respective businesses in connection with various initiatives;
• Leading on non-regulatory implementation projects, particularly cross-product projects, including the application of financial, ESG, consumer protection, data protection, and digital related regulations;
• Reviewing the regulatory pipelines with Regulatory Advisory Legal and/or Wealth lawyers and Business teams, including how upcoming regulation applies to Wealth;
• Implementing new data protection legislation (with extra-territorial impact) and also in relation to changes to existing legislation (such as GDPR);
• Reviewing all new business initiatives, digital and otherwise (such as data sharing of Wealth client data outside of Wealth, use of Whatsapp or WeChat, new process flows for account opening, prospecting and marketing initiatives);
• Coordinating Wealth Legal's collaboration and approvals for New Activity Committee and Project Delivery Review/Project Final Engagement meetings, including liaising with business teams and project managers to understand sticking points and escalations, and ultimately what is needed from Legal to get a business project over the line;
• Reviewing and advising on licensing requirements and updates in Wealth sales offices and booking centres, including regulator engagement and licensing;
• Review of the implementation of regulation, considering recent enforcements, regulator and industry body guidance, and providing advice on remediating internal policies and processes;
• Advising the business on the implementation of third-party software/technology provider contracts for Wealth, alongside technology lawyers;
• Considering third party legal tools, for example considering law firm cross border advice solutions, and working with lawyers and the business to assess feasibility and operational issues to using these tools;
• Coordinating with Litigation legal team to handle litigation matters and certain regulatory responses;
• Working with internal IT, business risk, compliance, information security and the business change team to implement digital and regulatory changes;
• Advising on the validity and enforceability of digital signatures in various jurisdictions;
• Updating Wealth privacy notices, cookies policies and similar technology and privacy related client documents across multiple jurisdictions;
• Working with marketing on new digital initiatives including advising on the global social media policies, marketing and financial promotion procedures.

Key Managed Investments Responsibilities include:

• Working as part of a team of lawyers who support the Wealth Managed Investments business, providing legal support, advice and guidance in respect of Managed Investments products and services and applicable regulations while advising on the regulatory change agenda;
• Advising on management of legal risk, reputational risk, responsible business practices and client experience as well as interpretation and implementation of applicable regulations and Citi policies re Managed Investments matters.
• This involves being Legal counsel to the:
  • Wealth Managed Investments business and its business initiatives.
  • Citi Investment Management (CIM) business, portfolio managers and traders on tailored portfolio management solutions for CIM clients.
  • Global Managed Investments business on issues arising from the distribution of third-party mutual funds.
• Co-ordinating input from Citi Legal colleagues e.g. global Managed Investments Legal colleagues in other regions, Banking & International lawyers, Regulatory Advisory Legal as well as lawyers covering other Citi businesses, as needed;
• Appropriately assessing legal risk when business decisions are made, demonstrating consideration for the firm's reputation and safeguarding Citi, its clients and assets by driving compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations, adhering to Policy, applying sound ethical judgement, conduct and business practices;
• Escalating, managing and reporting control issues with transparency, as well as effectively supervising the activity of others and creating accountability with those who fail to maintain these standards;
• Designing legal risk controls - partnering with and advising the business to co-ordinate, structure and jointly operationalize strong legal risk controls that are executed and monitored by the first line of defense.

Key Client Segment responsibilities include:

• Providing key legal support on Wealth Client Segment matters, participating in strategic initiatives, providing subject matter expertise and interpretations of relevant laws, rules, regulations, and industry practices, and advising business management on legal matters impacting the business.
• Collaborating across internal lines of business and control/support functions to achieve coordinated and efficient outcomes on matters of common interest; coordinate closely with the Legal team on a regional and global basis.
• Providing cross-border legal advice/support to wealth management initiatives as well as its products and services offered internationally working in close coordination with internal and external lawyers of different countries and jurisdictions and keeping updated on legal developments related to offshore wealth management services in different countries;
• Coordinating with Litigation legal team to handle litigation matters and certain regulatory responses and advising on client fraud events and data breach related matters;
• Negotiating and drafting documentation such as client agreements, general terms and conditions, client forms and side letters;
• Supporting the business on the review of all manner of client types and wealth structures such as client trust, estate, executor and corporate entities to confirm authority and due execution of transaction documents and addressing KYC/AML related aspects of such structures.

As a successful candidate, you'd ideally have the following skills and exposure:

• 6-10 years of relevant industry experience, preferably in financial services
• Banking or financial industry experience, including laws related to banking regulations
• Knowledge of international laws, regulations and practices while staying abreast of regulatory and legal environment, internal policies and industry trends that impact the business
• Experience with complex deals, demonstrated ability to analyze issues and develop legal solutions
• Effective communication and negotiation skills and ability to build and maintain trusted relationships
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational and relationship management skills
• Proven ability to apply sound judgement while managing assignments in a demanding, fast-paced environment
• Bar license in good standing to practice law

Education:

• Juris Doctorate or equivalent law degree

Working at Citi is far more than just a job. A career with us means joining a family of more than 230,000 dedicated people from around the globe. At Citi, you'll have the opportunity to grow your career, give back to your community and make a real impact.

Take the next step in your career, apply for this role at Citi today

Job Family Group:
Legal

Job Family:
Legal - Product

Time Type:
Full time

Citi is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Citigroup Inc. and its subsidiaries invite all qualified interested applicants to apply for career opportunities. If you are a person with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation to use our search tools and/or apply for a career opportunity review Accessibility at Citi.