Legal Counsel – Wholesale | S3 | Legal & Corporate Governance

Overview

IT STARTS HERE Santander (www.santander.com) is evolving from a global, high-impact brand into a technology-driven organisation, and our people are at the heart of this journey. Together, we are driving a customer-centric transformation that values bold thinking, innovation, and the courage to challenge what’s possible. This is more than a strategic shift. It’s a chance for driven professionals to grow, learn, and make a real difference. Our mission is to help more people and businesses prosper. We embrace a strong risk culture and expect all professionals to take a proactive and responsible approach toward risk management. We’re shaping the way we work through innovation, cutting-edge technology, collaboration and the freedom to explore new ideas.

THE DIFFERENCE YOU MAKE

The Treasury & Structured Finance Legal team is looking for a Legal Counsel based in London.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will provide legal advice and support to the CFO Division of Santander UK and other business divisions of the Santander UK Group in relation to:

• the negotiation and execution of a range of derivatives and securities lending transactions to support the bank’s own liquidity management and its commercial banking hedging proposition plus advising/acting on a range of wider wholesale funding matters;
• focus on secured loan linked hedging across a range of asset classes (including commercial lending, real estate finance, social housing, project finance and private credit);
• advising on the regulatory framework applicable to derivatives and securities lending, monitoring legal and regulatory developments in that space and participating in internal and external working groups;
• involvement in strategic bank-wide projects relevant to the Treasury team and its operations and in the optimisation of the legal function’s output, including through the use of digital solutions/AI.

What You’ll Bring

Our people are our greatest strength. Every individual contributes unique perspectives that make us stronger as a team and as an organisation. We’re enabling teams to go beyond by valuing who they are and empowering what they bring.

The following requirements represent the knowledge, skills, and abilities essential for success in this role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Qualified solicitor 2 years + PQE (required)
• A solid understanding of derivatives, securities lending/repos, trading infrastructure and their associated regulatory framework (required)
• Experience of secured lending, including facility agreements and intercreditor agreements and derivative/hedging agreements linked to those structures is preferred. Those with general banking or securitisation experience, with a desire to widen their understanding of derivatives would also be suitable for this position.
• Good knowledge and understanding of the regulatory framework applicable to UK financial services, industry trends and best practice (required)
• Experience working as part of a transactional environment (either in private practice or in house) (required)
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills (required)
• Reputable commercial, pragmatic and enthusiastic approach in undertaking tasks (required)
• Commercially minded with an ability to adapt to a varied workload (required)
• Numeracy skills with good experience of Excel and PowerPoint (preferred)

WE VALUE YOUR IMPACT

At Santander, your contribution matters. We recognise the difference you make every day, and we make sure you feel valued, supported and rewarded in return. Here, recognition goes beyond pay. It’s about the pride you feel in your work, the impact you have on customers and communities, and the opportunities you have to grow and thrive — personally and professionally.

• 30 days’ holiday plus bank holidays, which increases to 31 days after 5yrs service, with the option to purchase up to 5 contractual days per year
• £6,000 car allowance per year
• Company funded individual private medical insurance
• Protection for you and your family, with company-funded death-in-service benefit and income protection insurance, and the option to take advantage of discounted rates for additional life assurance and critical illness cover.
• Share in Santander’s success by saving or investing in our share plans.
• As a Santander UK employee, you are able to request staff versions of our products like our Edge Current Accounts and Credit Cards with no fees, as well as apply to many other deals and discounts in Santander products and services
• Competitive rewards that reflect the real impact you make and the value you bring.
• Wellbeing that goes beyond work — access to wellbeing partners across physical, mental, social and financial pillars, discounted gym and fitness access, weekly online classes, flexible healthcare and mental health support.
• Support for every life stage — from menopause and pregnancy to parenthood and beyond, with enhanced family leave, childcare options and tailored wellbeing support.
• Time to give back through volunteering opportunities that let you make a difference in the communities we serve.
• Global growth opportunities to shape your career, learn new skills and explore what’s possible across our international network.

Ready to be recognised? It starts with you.

LOCAL COMPLIANCE

At Santander, we’re proud to be an inclusive organisation that provides equal opportunities for everyone — regardless of age, gender, disability, civil status, race, religion or sexual orientation. We’re committed to creating a recruitment experience that’s accessible, fair and welcoming for all candidates. We want our people to thrive — at work and at home — while delivering the best outcomes for our customers and supporting each other to grow.

To make this possible, our roles are site-based with a hybrid working pattern, where colleagues are expected to attend the office at least 12 days per month (pro-rata for part-time roles).

When applying, please consider the travel distance, time and cost to your chosen office location(s). We welcome applications on the understanding that, should you be offered this role, there may be no relocation package available. Santander will pay the employer mandatory government fees that are required to pay in connection with visa sponsorship. You may be liable for your own personal employee immigration and relocation costs.