Legal Counsel | S3 | Legal & Corporate Governance, Treasury & Structured Finance Legal | London TSQ

Legal Counsel role based in London within the Treasury & Structured Finance Legal team, providing legal advice and support to the CFO Division of Santander UK and other business divisions of the Santander UK Group.

Responsibilities

• Negotiate and execute a range of derivatives and securities lending transactions to support the bank’s liquidity management and commercial banking hedging proposition, and advise on wider wholesale funding matters.
• Focus on secured loan‑linked hedging across a range of asset classes (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.
• Involve in strategic bank‑wide projects relevant to the Treasury team and its operations, and optimise the legal function’s output, including through the use of digital solutions and AI.

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor with 2+ years PQE (required).
• Solid understanding of derivatives, securities lending/repos, trading infrastructure and their regulatory framework (required).
• Experience of secured lending, facility agreements, intercreditor agreements and derivative/hedging agreements linked to those structures is preferred; general banking or securitisation experience with a desire to widen understanding of derivatives also suitable.
• 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 to undertaking tasks (required).
• Commercially minded with the ability to adapt to a varied workload (required).
• Numeracy skills with good experience of Excel and PowerPoint (preferred).

Benefits

• 30 days holiday plus bank holidays, increasing to 31 days after 5 years of service; 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: company‑funded death‑in‑service benefit, income protection insurance and discounted rates for additional life assurance and critical illness cover.
• Share plans – opportunity to save or invest in Santander’s share plans.
• Employee access to Santander products such as Edge Current Accounts and Credit Cards at no fee, and other deals and discounts.
• Competitive rewards reflecting the impact and value you bring.
• Wellbeing support across physical, mental, social and financial pillars, including access to apps, discounted gym and fitness access, weekly online classes, flexible healthcare and mental health support.
• Support for every life stage, including enhanced family leave, childcare options and tailored wellbeing support.
• Time to give back through volunteering opportunities.
• Global growth opportunities to shape your career across Santander’s international network.

Equal Opportunity

At Santander, we are 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 are committed to creating a recruitment experience that is accessible, fair and welcoming for all candidates.

Right to Work in the UK

All candidates must have the right to work in the UK to commence employment with Santander.

Hybrid Working Pattern

Roles are site‑based with a hybrid working pattern, with colleagues expected to attend the office at least 12 days per month (pro‑rata for part‑time roles).