Senior Negotiation Counsel

Job Description

Overview of CitiCiti, the world leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and a presence in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions worldwide. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial productsand services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management. Citi enables clients to achieve their strategic financial objectives by providing them with cutting-edgeideas, best-in-class products and solutions, and unparalleled access to capital and liquidity. Team OverviewCitis Legal Department in Belfast is a team of approximately 170 legal counsel/professionals, covering a range of products and services across Citis Europe Middle East and Africa region (known as "EMEA"). The Belfast Legal Department provides a range of services, support and legal advisory work to many business areas with a particular focus on Citis Institutional Client Group; incorporating transaction negotiation, master agreement negotiation, and oversightof compliance and regulatory requirements. Role OverviewAn opportunity has arisen in the Belfast Markets Legal Department for a legal counsel/legal negotiator role to support the negotiation of certain cross-product client agreements for Citis Markets business in Citis Institutional Clients Group - specificallythis will be non -ISDA/GMRA based documentation: primarily the Markets Terms of Business, Research Agreements, Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) and Transition Management Agreements. This role will involve working with Citis external clients as well as the Sales, respective business lines, client onboarding and client facilitation teams and Citi Product Legal Counsel in negotiating, drafting, reviewing and analysing legal documentation, co-ordinating, implementing and execution of a variety of documentation including, but not limited to: Transition Management Agreements, NDAs, Research Agreements, Terms of Business, and related amendments and various ancillary documentation across a widerange of counterparty types located in various EMEA jurisdictions in compliance with Citis policies and procedures. The successful candidate must also participate in the development, implementation and maintenance of appropriate templates and playbooks, addressinggovernance / control issues when they arise and escalating to senior legal where appropriate. The position will require an awareness of the impact of core regulation on the finance industry and underlying documentation. The successful individual will work closely with the team on reviewing/negotiating a broad range of standard legal agreements but mustalso be comfortable to use bespoke documentation driven by clients templates or dictated by the requirements of the relevant jurisdiction where the client is located. Key ResponsibilitiesThe position will involve a number of responsibilities including but not limited to:

• Negotiating/reviewing legal agreements with internal/external clients to reach agreement on the contents of the relevant product/commercial documentation, through telephonic or electronic negotiation.
• Close liaison with internal businesses/Product Legal/internal stakeholders in risk/tax/compliance in connection with the negotiation of the relevant documentation in the relevant business area. Convey strong commercial awareness and understanding of therelevant businesss priorities by ensuring prioritisation of file load is aligned with overall goals.
• Working closely with lawyers in other regions in ensuring global consistency of the documentation whilst addressing regional differences.
• Interpret key commercial concepts applicable to the relevant template agreements ((Transition Management Agreements, NDAs, Terms of Business, Research Agreements and other relevant documentation) and incorporate such into EMEA specific documentation, reflectingthe necessary regulatory and/or jurisdictional changes where required (relevant governing law and jurisdiction clauses, data privacy, FCA handbook, etc.).
• Apply in-depth understanding of how key legal risks differ depending on product and documentation envisaged in relevant jurisdiction(s) and advise the internal stakeholders (Risk and Business) accordingly.
• Ensure Citis internal policies and regulatory guidance are followed, and where deviations are necessary, ensure appropriate Risk/Business/other approvals are obtained.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of process improvements, through liaising with internal stakeholders such as Technology, Risk, Client Risk Facilitation, Client Onboarding, Regulatory Reform, CVA, Operations and Legal.
• Develop and maintain up-to-date playbook and other negotiation processes and manuals.
• Ensure key governance and risks and control checks are implemented during documentation process; proactively identify and escalate issues within the relevant Business/Legal.
• Understand impact of applicable regulations on the business area and ensure that agreements meet with such regulatory requirements.
• Problem solve in order to facilitate solutions to ensure technology systems and legal documentation can support client offerings in order to drive forward the client experience. Involvement with technology development discussions as and when potential solutionsare being requested from or offered to clients which may have systems and/or documentation implications.

Development Value

• The successful candidate, as part of the wider Belfast Markets Legal team, will undertake a broad variety of tasks many of which entail direct and regular interactions with senior stakeholders, both regionally and globally. Broadening experience of CitisICG products and services and client base.

Experience

• Experience of working in a legal/financial service organisation preferable.
• Experience in negotiation of financial markets trading or product agreements is preferable, or some previous experience of negotiating commercial contracts as a minimum.
• Proven track record in delivering results in a challenging and changing environment.
• ISDA/derivatives experience, banking, capital markets, funds distribution or securitisations background would be beneficial.
• Experience in using tech tools in Legal would be beneficial (drafting tools, workflow tools) and focus on efficiency and productivity improvements is essential.
• Awareness of key regulations (MIFID II, GDPR).
• Awareness of contractual interpretation and key commercial contractual principles, .

SkillsExcellent interper