International Institutional Client Contract Specialist – Associate in London

Description

The EMEA and APAC Client Services team are dedicated to the successful onboarding and ongoing service delivery to our global clients, who invest through segregated mandates and JPM registered funds, both directly and indirectly.

The Contract Specialist Team (CST) is an integral part of the Client Service Team, providing essential support in drafting and negotiating legal agreements with clients contracted through JPM legal entities in EMEA and APAC.

CST is also responsible for control, governance, training, and oversight of client contractual documents.

This role will focus on agreements with EMEA and Asian domiciled clients, collaborating closely with multiple Client Service teams.

Job responsibilities

• Negotiation and Escalation Process Ownership
• Serve as a key partner to the Client Account Management teams and Legal, focusing on drafting, negotiating, and executing new and existing client legal agreements, primarily supporting EMEA and APAC clients.
• Review and analyse investment management agreements, relevant schedules, RFPs, and other documents (e. g., NDAs).
• Aid in contract negotiations for key strategic relationships.
• Identify non-standard terms in agreements, collaborate with the Legal department and other stakeholders to assess risks, and escalate approval requests to relevant stakeholders.
• Review client-drafted agreements and work with Legal and Business heads to resolve complex issues.
• Attend client meetings and calls as needed to assist with contractual negotiations.
• Support Client Account Management and Client Onboarding Teams and other internal teams with contractual documentation queries.
• Chair Escalation Forum’s, record and communicate risk acceptances, and follow up on agreed actions.
• Ensure adherence to the legal agreement negotiation process and proper filing of final documentation with all internal stakeholder sign-offs.
• Proactively work to onboard business in a timely manner to maximize revenues while minimizing risk exposure.
• Coordinate all stakeholders, internal and external, from initial onboarding request through to handoff to client services for BAU servicing.
• Manage successful and accurate negotiation of appropriate documentation with clients, ensuring timely implementation of all contractual obligations with relevant JPM stakeholder teams, including non-standard servicing items.
• Documentation Ownership
• Act as the business owner of legal agreement templates for various client types, including intercompany delegation agreements.
• Document and update procedures/best practices for negotiations.
• Develop and maintain industry knowledge of regulations and client base and maintain country-specific checklists for mandatory clauses.
• Create and update contract language and templates as required by business needs, regulatory changes, or client feedback.
• Obtain a robust understanding of J. P. Morgan legal agreements and risk positions on negotiated clauses.
• Produce negotiation guides, procedures, and training materials for legal agreements.
• Review all legal agreement negotiation forms, lists of issues, and red-lined agreements before distribution to Legal.
• MIS, Analysis, and Technology Ownership
• Produce prioritization reports, monitor resource capacity, and effectively manage stakeholder/client expectations.
• Generate Clause Escalation metrics with regional/tiering breakdowns.
• Responsible for MIS reporting for control forums and senior management, including data collation, production, and analysis.
• Participate in the design, testing, and release of automated internal contract management tool functionality to aid negotiations.
• Demonstrates curiosity and adaptability in adopting new technologies, including AI, to help drive continuous improvement and innovation.
• Serve as the administration owner for the clause library and templates, ensuring data integrity.
• Business Initiatives and Global Relationships Ownership
• Work on projects impacting contracts (e. g., repapering, contract updates, contract reviews) to plan and execute necessary details.
• Support ad-hoc business and regulatory initiatives.
• Collaborate with colleagues in US, EMEA, and APAC locations to align and standardize procedures and approval processes.
• Educate various stakeholders on the content of agreement materials and business impacts.
• Required qualifications, capabilities and skills
• In-depth knowledge of asset management business, financial instruments, and client service structures.
• Extensive experience in negotiating Distribution Agreements, Investment Management Agreements, or similar legal agreements.
• Highly articulate with strong written and verbal communication skills, able to convey J. P. Morgan's contractual positions in a client-friendly manner.
• Strong ability to partner with stakeholders across the business to achieve effective solutions.
• Excellent facilitation and meeting management skills, capable of discussing complex/technical concepts.
• Strong analytical and organizational skills with a high level of attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently within a team environment, demonstrating flexibility and adaptability to changing business demands.
• Flexibility to join early/late calls to liaise with clients/stakeholders across time zones.
• Proficiency in standard office computer applications, specifically Excel, Word, MS Project, and Power Point. Spreadsheet skills and analysis are critical.
• Effective time management skills, able to balance multiple projects simultaneously in a deadline-oriented environment.
• Continuous process improvement and risk control mindset.
• Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to consider multiple alternatives and identify pros/cons.
• Professional presence required to liaise with a wide variety of clients and internal stakeholders.