Legal Counsel Enterprise Supply Management

Provides legal advice and performs a variety of specialized legal activities in compliance with all relevant laws and regulations to protect the organization's reputation and business interests.

As the lead lawyer supporting Vanguard’s Enterprise Supply Management (ESM) team in Europe, you will:

• Advise on, draft and negotiate contracts with suppliers across various categories, including technology and business process outsourcing, while ensuring a balanced risk management approach;
• Help to enable the strategic initiatives of the dynamic and fast-growing Vanguard European business.

You will join the Distribution and Business Enablement Legal Team in London, while also being part of a broader ESM Contract Advisory team that has an additional six resources that work out of Vanguard’s main location in Malvern, Pennsylvania in the United States. You will also work closely with Vanguard’s US Finance Legal Team, who partner with ESM to help set Vanguard’s enterprise standards for vendor contracts.

The successful candidate will be able to operate in a fast-paced environment, lead multiple priorities and deliver outcomes with excellence. You will be joining two highly collaborative teams who value care, inclusion, curiosity and integrity. Join and use your talent to help bring value to investors!

Core Responsibilities

• Serve as a subject matter expert in managing high complexity strategic procurement transactions, negotiations, and supplier selection for products and services.
• Manage contracts and relationships for suppliers within categories, including, but not limited to: Banking and Market Data, Technology, Human Resources, Professional Services, and Facilities.
• Provide strategic advice to the business on outsourcing, supplier selection and supplier management.
• Identify and be knowledgeable of industry trends and ESM strategies to maximise value and recommend linkages to business needs.
• Drive engagements, resolve escalated and complex issues and involve stakeholders or SMEs as needed.
• Partner with ESM teams, business leaders, other legal SMEs and risk partners globally for each transaction.
• Interpret and communicate contract requirements, obligations, and risk exposures to key stakeholders, including sourcing professionals and business leaders.
• Advise on, develop and maintain contractual templates appropriate to the procurement needs and risk appetite of the business.
• Champion procurement process compliance.
• Educate key stakeholders about commercial, legal, policy and other considerations in support of the contract negotiation or supplier management process.
• Participate in special projects and perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer with 3 years’ plus PQE spent working in-house and/or in a private practice law firm, with transactional experience in corporate/commercial contracts.
• A demonstrated ability to work with confidence, independently, on complex legal issues and to function in a high volume/fast-paced environment with multiple and diverse responsibilities, managing and prioritising a varied and changing caseload.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, negotiation and drafting skills. Ability to escalate proactively.
• Experience working with software, hardware and other technology suppliers, including technology implementation and support services preferred.
• Knowledge of outsourcing (ideally in the regulated financial services context) and data privacy issues preferred.

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.

Special Factors

Vanguard is not offering visa sponsorship for this position.

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.