Funding Legal Counsel

Prodigy Finance - who are we?

Prodigy Finance is a platform that delivers socially responsible financial services, making it possible for students from more than 150 countries to fulfil their dream of studying at the world’s top universities and schools by financing their international postgraduate studies whilst delivering competitive financial and social returns to alumni, institutional and private investors.

This borderless and innovative model enables education loan financing to students from across the globe whilst using predicted post-degree affordability rather than present-day salary. Since 2007, Prodigy Finance has extended over US$1.8 billion through the platform to fund over 35,000 students.

Prodigy Finance is fueled by impact investors and other privately qualified entities who invest in tomorrow's leaders whilst earning a financial and social return. Prodigy Finance’s borderless lending model enables students to apply for a loan based on their future earning potential and not just their current circumstances and credit history.

Why is this an amazing Opportunity?

As Prodigy Finance successfully progresses in scaling our business, we require an experienced Funding Legal Counsel to join our team. This role is perfect for someone who wants to supercharge their career by experiencing first-hand what it is like to be part of an energetic, extremely fast-growing company.

The sense of impact and reward will be huge. You will help build a product that makes a real difference in the world. Be a part of delivering socially responsible financial services to the masses; make it possible for students from more than 150 countries to obtain the finance to fulfil their dream of studying at the world’s top universities and schools.

We are a small, non-hierarchical team, which means that you will immediately be exposed to all aspects of our business. You’ll gain as much accountability as you can handle and have a huge influence on scaling the company.

Our team is very international and sociable; you will interact with the broader business regularly.

One of our goals is to build one of the top FinTech teams and cultures anywhere in the world. This means putting a lot of time into ensuring we only hire people with exceptional potential and creating the best working environment possible. If you want to work somewhere where you're learning from some of the best minds in FinTech, this would be a good fit.

If you are currently in the market for a new role or simply thinking about the next step in your career journey and think that this might be a good fit, we would love to hear from you.

Why join Prodigy Finance?

• Be a part of a pioneering global growth company.
• Experience the excitement and learn from being part of an incredibly fast-growing young company.
• Be pivotal in scaling the business by identifying smart solutions and partnering with tech at the heart of it.
• Enjoy the agility and flexibility offered by a startup culture. A sociable, relaxed and friendly work environment.
• We will help you make your mark. You will have a real impact on the business and experience a steep learning curve with huge opportunities to grow and develop.
• Gain an inside perspective on the functioning of a venture-backed Fintech startup, backed by top VCs, learn day-to-day management and build functional expertise.
• Build a platform that helps to make a very real difference in the world.

What will you do in the role?

As Funding Legal Counsel, you will be responsible for all legal aspects of Prodigy Finance's funding activities.

What are some of the roles and responsibilities of this role?

• Providing legal advice and support on structuring, negotiating and executing complex securitisation transactions with major banks, development finance institutions and junior funders, including secured corporate debt facilities and warehouse facilities via offshore special purpose vehicle structures, as well as syndication, security, and inter-creditor issues.
• Providing legal advice on, structuring, negotiating, executing and managing on balance sheet secured corporate debt facilities.
• Innovation in funding structures - a broad range of experience in capital-raising activities and structures, including blended finance and finance from individuals, family offices and large financial institutions.
• Providing legal advice and support on all equity-raising activities, including new capital, amendments to existing capital structure, convertible debt instruments and warrants when they arise.
• M&A transactions - Conducting due diligence, buying shares or assets, negotiating deals, and executing transactions when they arise.
• Monitoring the terms of existing facilities on an ongoing basis, including waivers, restructures and amendments.
• Providing legal advice and support on the Irish-listed bond programme, including ongoing reporting and disclosure issues.
• Appointing, managing, and overseeing legal counsel (UK, US, SA, and international) with respect to all finance transactions and managing external legal fees.
• Ensuring that internal policies and procedures are known, upheld and adhered to.
• Drafting and reviewing non-disclosure agreements, disclaimers, risk warnings, funding presentations and other preliminary pre-transaction documentation.
• Manage legal, regulatory, and reputational risk and work with the Head of Compliance to ensure compliance with funding activities with the FCA rules in the UK and any other relevant global jurisdictions.

What would the ideal candidate be great at?

• Confidence, independence, and the ability to take responsibility for decisions within broader capital markets, as well as finance and legal functions.
• Strong communication skills, quick thinking, innovative, and commercially aware.
• Proactive, show initiative, and be excellent at problem-solving to overcome obstacles and tackle the challenges that constantly arise in an innovative, growing business.
• Strong team player with the ability to establish a high degree of credibility within a multi-disciplinary organisation and earn trust at all levels of the business.
• Resilience, flexibility and energy are required to be able to work hard under stressful conditions to bring transactions through to completion and deliver outcomes against tight deadlines.
• Discretion and professionalism are important in this role.
• An interest in global financial markets and active following of financial trends and innovation is very helpful.

Qualifications and experience

• South African or English-qualified lawyer.
• Minimum five years of post-qualification legal experience at a law firm and/or within a finance team of a corporate or financial institution, preferably a lending institution.
• Experience at a senior level in banking and finance law.
• Experience in managing large multi-party finance transactions and keeping them on track by delivering against tight timelines.
• Being able to apply a sound knowledge of the law in a way that is commercial, innovative and solution-orientated.