Deputy General Counsel

Job description

Deputy General Counsel
RBWM UK
HSBC are looking to hire a Deputy General Council to work within the retail banking and wealth management function of the bank based in Birmingham.
Role Purpose:
Responsible for leading the team of lawyers (c. 15) in the UK who provide legal support to RBWM in the UK and Channel Islands (CI), including M&S Bank and First Direct, and provide legal and reputational risk oversight to the teams supporting Retail Banking and Wealth Management  across Europe. (see “Role Dimensions” for details).
 
Implement and communicate the strategic and operational objectives of the Global RBWM, UK and Global Legal function specific to UK RBWM, and identify, formulate and communicate local policies in line with these objectives.
To be the principal specialist legal adviser to the UK Head of RBWM and the executive committee, providing guidance and support to UK RBWM, the General Counsel for the UK and the General Counsel for Global RBWM, ensuring there is integrated legal support with other global business and function legal teams.
To contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the UK Legal Function by providing effective legal advice, guidance and support to senior management and other stakeholder.
To focus on prevention and future proofing UK RBWM from legal risks. To be forward looking in seeking to identify risks and making proactive recommendations to mitigate/eliminate such risks.
To lead and manage the RBWM legal team for the UK and CI, provide oversight to the RBWM legal teams in Europe and participate as a senior member of the Global Legal wider leadership group.
To actively participate as a member of the Global RBWM Legal leadership team and the UK RBWM executive committee, risk management committee and Product Control Committee, as well as other executive management meetings as required.
 
Principal Accountabilities: Key activities and decision making areas
In this role you will be expected to but not limited to:
Provide and manage counsel for assigned areas of responsibility, including matters that are complex or have potential for legal, financial and / or reputational impact.
Implement strategic legal policies, and set local policies that ensure that the UK & CI and Europe’s exposure to legal and regulatory risk in RBWM is managed in a commercially sensitive and practical manner.
Support the UK and Europe RBWM senior management in the execution of business and operational strategies and initiatives.
Support the broader UK and Europe Legal function in managing all material legal and regulatory issues involving the Group that arise.
Manage the legal aspects associated with Global RBWM Business or Country transactions, projects or initiatives for RBWM.
Participate in the key UK and Europe RBWM governance committees as required, eg UK RBWM Exco and Risk Management Committee and Product Control Committees as well as other Executive Management Meetings as required.
Oversee all material legal and regulatory issues involving the UK RBWM businesses that arise.
Participate in the key UK and Europe RBWM governance committees as required, eg Audit Committee, Executive Management Meeting, Risk Management Meeting.
 
 
 
In regards to customers and key stakeholders:
As the Deputy General Counsel you will need to be a trusted advisor to a number of key stakeholders both within the UK (for example the Head of RBWM UK and other members of the Exco and Risk / Product Committees) and importantly with other risk colleagues, notably compliance and operational risk.
Ensure that UK RBWM management, General Counsel UK and the General Counsel, Global RBWM, are appropriately advised of material legal and regulatory developments and their implications.
Provide high quality specialised legal and regulatory advice, guidance and support to the RBWM UK management, UK General Counsel and broader legal team and to the Global RBWM Legal team.
Recommend selection and supervise outside counsel as appropriate.
Ensure positive relationships are maintained with panel law firms and other appropriate external parties.
Ensure the General Counsel UK, Global General Counsel, Businesses and Regions, and the Global Legal Risk Management Meeting are appropriately advised of the legal and broader work being carried out with respect to the UK Banking Reform Act.

Desired profile

Major Challenges:
HSBC in an extremely diverse business which is operating in an increasingly regulated, litigious and complex global environment with little consistency between laws and regulations in different jurisdictions. 
 
It is the role of the Deputy General Counsel RBWM  UK,  to assist the  General Counsel UK and Global General Counsel RBWM in ensuring that the interests of the HSBC Group are protected against Legal Risk; being alive to the political, management, Legal, regulatory and reputational implications of decisions and courses of action at a global level; assisting UK General Counsel and Global RBWM Legal in the development of controls and systems and influencing the way in which the business is conducted in order to manage these risks.
 
The UK is one of HSBC’s two “home markets” and is key to the success of the Group.
 
The UK is in the middle of a significant amount of regulatory change.  The Deputy General Counsel RBWM UK will need to play a material part in advising the businesses in respect of the regulatory change and will be involved in connection with the creation of a ring fence bank in the UK.
 
Role context:
 
As DGC you will manage and lead the RBWM UK legal team, establishing regional policies and procedures to manage Legal and Regulatory risks. The diversity of HSBC’s business, its geographic spread and the constant changes internally and externally means the volume, complexity and diversity of matters, including confidential and commercially sensitive matters,  which the jobholder is required to manage and advise on is very large and increasing;
 
The role requires a detailed knowledge of the HSBC Group and a clear understanding of its culture.  It is essential that the jobholder has a very good working relationship with and is trusted by UK Executive management but also has respect and cooperation from the Global RBWM Legal Function.  He / She also needs to have close personal and working relationships with lawyers in the major panel law firms instructed by HSBC whose advice supplements that available internally
 
Knowledge and Experience:
 
The successful candidate will be an experienced banking lawyer who has a proven excellent track record with a good understanding of the businesses in the UK.
The successful candidate will also have proven experience of effectively leading a team of lawyers, ideally located in many different locations. 
The successful candidate will have a proven track record of establishing strong relationships with senior management/ executives.
The successful candidate will be recognised as a subject matter expert, have a good knowledge of the UK regulatory regime and of HSBC.
 
In addition, the successful candidate will have:
Strong leadership skills
Strong ability to prioritise
Strong communication and inter-personal skills
Lateral thinking/problem solving
Budget experience