Our European B2B Distribution business achieves excellent client outcomes and profitability, and in this role you will advise on and enable the rapid further development of this dynamic and growing offer in continental Europe. As Legal Counsel – B2B Distribution, Europe you will partner with leaders across our European distribution business to directly enable our mission; to take a stand for all investors, to treat them fairly, and to give them the best chance for investment success.

　　The European market offers a very attractive potential for future growth. With new investment and focus on Europe B2B we intend to maximise our success by being a trusted partner to our professional investor partners, delivering superior client outcomes by investing in our offer, distribution and brand.

　　As a German Qualified lawyer fluent in German and English, you may be based in either London or Frankfurt, and there will be occasional travel required between the two locations. You will report to the Senior Legal Counsel (Head of Distribution and Commercial Legal team) in London.

　　In this role you will:

　　Take the lead on supporting the German and Italian B2B sales teams and Vanguard’s MiFID entity in Germany. This will include advising on German regulation, corporate law and legal entity governance, providing strategic advice to the business, drafting and negotiating client and service provider contracts and complex cross-border regulatory analysis.

　　Provide legal and regulatory advice in connection with the planning, launch and ongoing development of model portfolio and investment services in Germany and Italy.

　　Work alongside the wider Distribution Legal team to enable a varied book of B2B distribution and corporate/commercial business. This includes: (i) the distribution of Vanguard's UCITS product range in Germany and Europe; (ii) commercial and vendor contracts; and (iii) strategic business enablement projects in support of a growing European business.

　　Liaise with OGC teams globally, together with colleagues in other areas of the Vanguard business.

　　Develop and maintain knowledge and awareness of the investment industry, regulatory and/or policy changes with potential impact on Vanguard’s Distribution business; advise on material regulatory developments.

　　Participate in special projects and perform other duties as required.

　　Experience & Qualifications

　　German qualified lawyer with first and second German bar exam (“erstes und zweites juristisches Staatsexamen“).

　　Fluency in German and English required, with understanding of Italian or other European languages an advantage.

　　Ideally a minimum of five years’ PQE spent working in-house for an international asset management organization and/or in a private practice law firm, handling a variety of financial services legal and regulatory matters.

　　Experienced in advising on German and European financial regulation in an asset management context, in the institutional space and cross border.

　　Experience in advising on corporate law and governance an advantage.

　　About You

　　You must be able to demonstrate that you can work on complex legal issues and function in a high volume and fast-paced environment with multiple and diverse responsibilities. You will be managing a varied and changing workload and collaborating across our business, so you will need excellent communication, stakeholder relationship management, negotiation, analytical and drafting skills. You should have strong attention to detail and the ability to work independently on demanding legal issues and to tight deadlines.

　　About Vanguard

　　Vanguard is an investment company unlike any other. It was founded by Jack Bogle in the US in 1975 on a simple but revolutionary idea: that an investment company should manage its funds solely in the interests of its clients. Jack helped bring investing to the masses with the index fund. Index funds do not pick individual shares or bonds to beat the market. They track the performance of the entire market. Or as Jack put it, "Don't look for the needle in the haystack. Just buy the haystack!”. We have stood for low-cost, uncomplicated investing ever since. Over the last 45 years people have come round to our way of thinking and more than 30 million investors worldwide now trust us with their money.

　　Inclusion Statement

　　Vanguard’s continued commitment to diversity and inclusion is firmly rooted in our culture. Every decision we make to best serve our clients, crew (internally employees are referred to as crew), and communities is guided by one simple statement: “Do the right thing.”

　　We believe that a critical aspect of doing the right thing requires building diverse, inclusive, and highly effective teams of individuals who are as unique as the clients they serve. We empower our crew to contribute their distinct strengths to achieving Vanguard’s core purpose through our values.

　　When all crew members feel valued and included, our ability to collaborate and innovate is amplified, and we are united in delivering on Vanguard's core purpose: to take a stand for all investors, to treat them fairly, and to give them the best chance for investment success.

　　How We Work

　　Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for most of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. Most teams work Tuesday-Thursday in the office, but for some jobs we need our crew to be in Monday-Friday. We will discuss the working pattern for your role during the interview process.

　　Our commitment to equal employment opportunity

　　Vanguard is an equal opportunity employer. Vanguard is committed to providing all crew members a working environment that is free from discrimination, prejudice and bias. Through this Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy, Vanguard reaffirms its commitment to equal employment opportunity for all applicants and crew members without regard to race, colour, national origin or ancestry, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, veteran or military status. In addition, Vanguard prohibits discrimination based on genetic information, as well as any other protected characteristic.

　　We will make reasonable accommodations if you need assistance completing this application or to otherwise participate in the application process. Please inform [email protected] if you need any help.

　　How We Work

　　Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.

　　Vanguard, one of the world's largest investment management companies, serves individual investors, institutions, employer-sponsored retirement plans, and financial professionals. We have a diverse and talented crew with a culture that promotes teamwork, along with an unwavering focus on serving our clients' best interests.

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