Structured Derivatives Lawyer (Vice President) (London)

Nomura is a global financial services group with an integrated network spanning approximately 30 countries and regions. By connecting markets East & West, Nomura services the needs of individuals, institutions, corporates and governments through its three business divisions: Wealth Management, Investment Management, and Wholesale (Global Markets and Investment Banking). Founded in 1925, the firm is built on a tradition of disciplined entrepreneurship, serving clients with creative solutions and considered thought leadership.

The relevant individual will work in the Transaction Legal team, providing transactional advice to the structured solutions businesses and Risk Solutions business teams. The Transaction Legal team contains lawyers who work across different Global Markets businesses, including structured notes, structured products (including structured funding, repackagings, securitised products and structured solutions), structured lending, QIS and funds. As a department, we provide an intellectually stimulating environment that values collaboration, continuous learning, and professional growth. Our lawyers are encouraged to view transactions holistically, working in partnership with the front office teams to provide legal and transactional advice from the structuring stage to execution.

Working at Nomura allows our lawyers to gain a deep understanding of commercial drivers, and develop relationships across different stakeholders in the bank. As a key member of the team, you will have the opportunity to apply your legal experience whilst making a significant impact on the bank’s business. The size and nature of the legal department at Nomura allows for exposure to senior legal management and the ability to influence change in the department. The department has a strong charity and diversity focus, with lawyers encouraged to participate in internal networks or charitable initiatives.

This is a unique role to work across 2 different front office areas. The Risk Solutions business involves loan-linked hedging and deal contingent transactions, and the structured solutions business involves other types of structured derivatives, including TRS, hedging products, derivatives solutions for structured notes, repackagings and securitised products. The candidate will have a core knowledge of derivative products, their associated documentation and their application in structured products, structured lending and hedging solutions. They will have experience of derivative products in the credit and rates business lines. They will have strong analytical skills in order to understand complex and bespoke structures, be able to work collegiately with the business and corporate stakeholders to help risk manage complex transactions, have the confidence to take on new challenges and will be a strong team player.

The candidate would:

• Work closely with the Risk Solutions business on structuring, negotiation and execution of loan-linked hedging, deal contingent trades, novations and other hedging arrangements;
• Work closely with the Structured Solutions business on structuring, negotiation and execution of different structured derivative products, including TRS, structured repos and repackagings.
• Core experience in structured derivatives transactions (including drafting and negotiation of structured confirmations and the application and adaptation of Industry Definitions in credit and rates business lines);
• Have a good understanding of the structured products that utilise derivatives including structured notes, repackagings and securitised products;
• Analyse and advise internal stakeholders on legal risks;
• Facilitate and execute transactions from structuring stage to execution, working in partnership with the front office business;
• Work on projects within the Legal department, having access to senior legal management and representing the Legal department on various internal projects, both within EMEA and across regions.

The candidate would have the following qualities:

• Experience of working in a law firm transactional department, or in-house legal department advising on derivatives and executing structured transactions;
• Strong communication and organization skills;
• Strong analytical and advisory skills;
• The ability to manage different priorities and manage different stakeholders’ expectations;
• The desire to improve processes or methods of working, and influence change.
• Understand clients’ needs and issues, and provide solutions utilizing Nomura Group company’s resources, earn the clients’ trust;
• Acquire a wide range of knowledge as an employee of Nomura, instead of focusing only on one’s own area of expertise; play a part in improving the company’s services level and corporate value;
• Take on new challenges for improvement and cultivate a corporate culture of challenge by driving change in business operations;
• Ensure views are not biased, accept different opinions and perspectives, and collaborate with other members to create common values;
• Provide appropriate guidance to others and act in a manner that places emphasis on the performance and growth of the organization;
• Improve further the understanding and awareness of corporate philosophy, professional ethics, compliance risk management, and code of conduct, and make decisions and take actions from a management position.

Nomura is committed to an employment policy of equal opportunities and is fundamentally opposed to any less favourable treatment accorded to existing or potential members of staff on the grounds of race, creed, colour, nationality, disability, marital status, pregnancy, gender or sexual orientation. If you require any assistance or reasonable adjustments due to a disability or long-term health condition, please do not hesitate to contact us.

The UK Government have taken steps to reduce net migration to the UK by limiting the number of overseas workers from outside the EEA coming to the UK for employment. Please note that whilst we are able to consider applications from overseas workers from outside the EEA (who require a Tier 2 (General) visa) we can only employ them if we can provide evidence that there are no other suitable candidates for this vacancy from inside the EEA.

Nomura is an Equal Opportunity Employer.