Lead Counsel - Regulatory - Vice President

Citigroup; Belfast; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - GBP 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A financial services company in Northern Ireland is seeking a Lead Counsel - Regulatory - Vice President to provide expert legal advice on compliance with global financial regulations. The role requires experience in the financial sector, deep understanding of various regulations, and proven skills in legal analysis and relationship management. Along with a competitive salary, the position offers a hybrid work model and comprehensive benefits, including generous leave and health insurance.

Benefits

Generous holiday allowance

Discretionary annual performance bonus

Private medical insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Paid Parental Leave

Learning and development resources

Qualifications

• Relevant industry experience, preferably in financial services.
• Comprehensive knowledge of international laws and regulations.
• Ability to analyze issues and develop legal solutions.

Responsibilities

• Perform legal review and analysis of regulations.
• Provide legal guidance on netting and collateral arrangements.
• Collaborate with internal teams to manage risks effectively.

Skills

Legal advisory management

Regulatory compliance

Effective communication

Risk assessment

Relationship management

Education

Juris Doctorate or equivalent law degree

Bar license in good standing

Job description

Overview

Role Overview The Lead Counsel - Regulatory - Vice President is a senior level position responsible for serving as subject matter expert and key legal advisor to business stakeholders, functional partners, and the Legal Management Committee by providing counsel and thought leadership on all aspects of legal matters related to Regulations. The overall objective of this role is to provide legal support, advice, and guidance across Regulations and Citi Businesses and Functions. This role requires a pragmatic, proactive attorney with thorough understanding of Regulations, combined with a solid conceptual / practical grounding in the laws and regulations for the geographies in which we operate as it relates to Regulations. Provides input into strategic decisions, exercising sound legal judgement to develop proactive, risk-appropriate, and commercially business-oriented solutions. This is not a manager.

What You’ll Do

Within the Financial Services Regulatory Legal team, this position will primarily require you to:

• Perform legal review, analysis, and ongoing maintenance of global netting and collateral enforceability opinions across multiple jurisdictions.
• Serve as a primary subject matter expert, providing comprehensive legal advisory services to internal stakeholders on the enforceability and robustness of risk mitigation strategies (including close-out netting and collateral arrangements), and offering expert oversight, ensuring consistency, robustness, and regulatory compliance across multiple geographies and exposure types.
• Continuously monitor, analyze, and anticipate evolving global financial regulations (e.g., Basel III/ IV, derivatives reforms), including those related to netting, collateral, and capital requirements.
• Provide interpretation and strategic guidance on the impact of complex prudential regulations (e.g., Basel III/IV, CRR/CRD, EMIR, Dodd-Frank) on netting, exposure measurement, and capital adequacy to key internal stakeholders, ensuring robust and compliant application across various business activities.
• Manage and coordinate engagements with external legal counsel to procure up-to-date analysis aligned with prevailing market practices and evolving regulatory expectations.
• Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate legal, regulatory, and reputational risks through close collaboration with internal control and risk management teams, continuous monitoring of legal developments, and active participation in strategic internal projects.
• Drive capital optimization by providing legal guidance on the structuring and support for netting and collateral arrangements, aiming to maximize capital relief and enhance liquidity for business operations under relevant regulatory frameworks.
• Support other regulatory matters in respect of which the Risk Management function is a key stakeholder, including sovereign immunity assessment and obligor risk weight assessments under applicable capital rules.
• Foster robust cross-functional partnerships with Legal, Risk Management, Front Office Business Units (e.g., Trading, Sales), Operations, and Finance teams to seamlessly integrate enforceability determinations into capital calculation methodologies and operational processes.
• Appropriately assess risk when business decisions are made, demonstrating particular consideration for the firm's reputation and safeguarding Citigroup, its clients and assets, by driving compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations, adhering to Policy, applying sound ethical judgment regarding personal behaviour, conduct and business practices, and escalating, managing and reporting control issues with transparency, as well as effectively supervise the activity of others and create accountability with those who fail to maintain these standards.

What We’ll Need From You

• Relevant industry experience, preferably in financial services
• Banking or financial industry experience, including laws related to banking regulations
• Comprehensive 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 leadership, 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
• Juris Doctorate or equivalent law degree

What We Can Offer You

We work hard to have a positive financial and social impact on the communities we serve. In turn, we put our employees first and provide the best-in-class benefits they need to be well, live well and save well.

By joining Citi, you will not only be part of a business casual workplace with a hybrid working model (up to 2 days working at home per week), but also receive a competitive base salary (which is annually reviewed), and enjoy a whole host of additional benefits such as:

• Generous holiday allowance starting at 27 days plus bank holidays; increasing with tenure
• A discretionary annual performance related bonus
• Private medical insurance packages to suit your personal circumstances
• Employee Assistance Program Pension Plan
• Paid Parental Leave
• Special discounts for employees, family, and friends
• Access to an array of learning and development resources
• Citigroup is committed to ensuring our workplace is where everyone feels comfortable coming to work as their whole self every day.

Notes: 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, please contact Accessibility at Citi. View Citi’s EEO Policy Statement and the Know Your Rights poster.