Legal Counsel, Debt in London

British International Investment (BII) is the UK’s leading development finance institution, wholly owned by the UK Government. Our primary mission is to address global development challenges through strategic investments that promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth. BII focuses on catalysing economic development, creating jobs, and building resilient economies in some of the world's most complex and underserved markets. We invest in businesses and projects that prioritise inclusive development, environmental sustainability, and innovation. Our approach is characterised by rigorous investment standards, high governance principles, and a commitment to delivering measurable development impact. Our team consists of highly skilled and passionate professionals dedicated to making a tangible difference globally. We foster a collaborative and intellectually stimulating work environment that values curiosity, innovation, and professional growth. Our culture balances high performance with a strong emphasis on wellbeing, ensuring our employees can achieve their full potential while contributing to our mission.

BII at a glance:

• Over 75 years supporting sustainable business growth in developing and emerging markets
• More than £9.9 billion in net assets
• 1,600+ businesses invested in
• 950,000+ workers in the businesses we support
• 650+ people in our diverse global team

Team and role overview:

The BII Legal team is divided into groups of lawyers supporting different types of investment (Debt, Equity, Funds and Project Finance), plus corporate and tax support. The Debt legal team advises on debt to be provided to corporates and financial institutions and risk participations, principally in the context of trade and supply chain finance. The team also supports investment teams on innovative and impactful, direct and intermediated, debt instruments as well as BII’s growing work in concessional financing. This role is based in London and reporting to the Deputy Chief Legal Officer – Debt.

Responsibilities:

• Advising BII on all stages of its debt investments, including structuring, negotiation, execution, syndication and mobilisation, and portfolio management.
• Working with investment teams to ensure that transactions are pursued in a timely manner and legal risks are identified and appropriately managed.
• Project-managing broader elements of transactions (such as taxation, E&S and business integrity matters) to ensure that relevant input is obtained and BII’s core requirements (including BII’s Policy on Responsible Investing) are met.
• Managing external counsel.
• Interpreting due diligence reports and other advice from external counsel on legal risks and applying them to the commercial context to solve problems.
• Explaining legal issues and risks concisely to investment professionals and internal decision-making bodies where necessary.
• Reviewing documentation prepared by external counsel (and in some instances drafting documentation) for a broad range of debt transactions.
• Building and sharing know-how and best practice, including training and precedents.
• Assisting with miscellaneous matters, such as non-disclosure agreements and engagement letters.

The candidate:

The successful candidate will:

• Have a commercial mind-set and be constantly seeking solutions;
• Be able to assess risks and make well-reasoned, independent and transparent decisions under time pressure;
• Be able to explain legal issues and risks concisely to investment professionals, recommend appropriate courses of action and resolve problems;
• Be a self-starter, able to work independently (without the back-up traditionally associated with large companies, particularly law firms), be ‘hands-on’ and keen to get involved in all areas of the business when required;
• Have very good interpersonal skills able to work effectively across cultures, with occasional travel;
• Understand that working for a development organisation such as BII requires a trade-off between rewarding work and remuneration;
• Be motivated by BII’s development mission and demonstrate some commitment to development or social goals;
• Demonstrate an intellectual interest in the concept of impact investing and the role concessional/blended finance can play in the delivery of impact.

Technical skills:

A lawyer qualified in England or New York with at least five years’ post-qualification experience in the banking practice of an international law firm and/or the legal department of an international financial or development finance institution. Experience representing large international financial institutions making debt investments, such as corporate lending (essential) and preferably financial institutions finance (including an understanding of capital adequacy/Tier II requirements); trade and supply chain finance (including borrowing base and receivables financings); risk participation structures (first loss/funded/unfunded); and debt capital markets and structured finance (e.g. green/social bonds, securitisations). Experience reviewing, negotiating and drafting standard LMA English law facility agreements, common terms agreements and intercreditor agreements and a solid understanding of market standard risk allocation for cross-border transactions. Experience with “mobilisation” documentation, eg LMA participation agreements, desirable. An understanding of the risk tolerances and expectations of international lenders making cross-border loans around the world. Familiarity with sustainable financing as well as “know your customer”, anti-money laundering and anti-bribery and corruption policies preferable. Candidates should be strongly motivated by BII’s development mission and ideally demonstrate some commitment to development or social goals through previous executive or non-executive activity.

Our cultural values:

We look for team members who aspire, as we do, to work at our best and to be:

• Impact-led, commercially rigorous
• Tenacious in the face of challenges
• Collaborative and caring

British International Investment is committed to diversity and inclusion and welcomes all applicants regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation or educational background. Please provide a cover letter with your application.