Legal Counsel - Pension Derisking

Our purpose is to give everyone real confidence to put their money to work. With a heritage dating back more than 175 years, we have a long history of innovation in savings and investments, combining asset management and insurance expertise to offer a wide range of solutions. 

Our two distinct operating segments, Asset Management and Life, work together to provide access to balanced, long-term investment and savings solutions.

Through telling it like it is, owning it now, and moving it forward together with care and integrity; we are creating an exceptional place to work for exceptional talent.

We will consider flexible working arrangements for any of our roles and also offer work place accommodations to ensure you have what you need to effectively deliver in your role.

Legal Counsel, Pension Derisking

We are looking for an experienced pension risk transfer lawyer to join as permanent member of the M&G Legal team, focusing on advising our growing pensions de-risking business on all aspects of insured risk transfer arrangements.  The ideal candidate will have strong transactional experience of not just buy-in/buy-out transactions, but also associated solutions, and will have a strong interest in the development of innovative de-risking solutions tailored to the complex needs of corporate and institutional clients.

Key Responsibilities

The role encompasses a broad range of legal skills, covering legal advisory, transaction structuring and execution, drafting and negotiating transaction documentation, regulatory work and supporting the company’s strategic projects.

Job & Personal Skills:

This full-time role will cover legal advisory, structuring, product building, transaction execution and supporting key corporate and regulatory change projects.

Key competencies:

• A deep understanding of the pension sector, specifically the de-risking market, with  experience and knowledge across the market
• Strong experience in advising on bulk annuity transactions, and the de-risking of defined benefit pension schemes.  Experienced in drafting and negotiating transaction documents.  Ideally this will be experience of acting for insurance companies/ other pension product providers, but helpful to have experience acting for sponsoring employers/ trustees
• Experience of with longevity swap transactions and funded and longevity reinsurance transactions
• Proven capability in managing external counsel in and capable of building and developing relationships with key internal stakeholders
• Capable of acting as business partner to the relevant business teams

Personal qualities:

• Strong drafting and analytical skills and attention to detail
• Brings strong judgement and is decisive
• Intellectually curious with a desire to learn and develop their skills
• A willingness to challenge/debate and offer own views
• Tenacious, willing to go beyond the job description
• Transparent and a good communicator. Works most effectively when collaborating within the team and across other functions
• Resilience and strength of character that enables effective communication across all levels of the organisation
• Flexible with the ability to adapt to changing priorities and fluid deadlines.

Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer (there is no requirement that the candidate must be English qualified) (Essential)

Knowledge & Experience

• Pensions de-risking lawyer working in the pensions team of a law firm and/or in-house team of an insurer/other market player in the de-risking space. (Essential)
• Strong academic credentials

Location: London

Experience Level: Manager / Expert

Recruiter: Helen Simons

What we offer:

At M&G, we’re committed to helping you thrive and supporting your wellbeing, both at work and beyond. Our benefits are designed to help you balance your professional and personal life, while planning confidently for your future. Our UK benefits include:

• As a savings and Investments firm we are proud to offer a valuable pension scheme of 18%, with 13% made up of Employer Contributions and 5% Employee Contributions. We also offer Share Save and our Share Incentive Plan, together with access to financial wellbeing and support services - to help give you real confidence to put your money to work.

• Enjoy 38 days annual leave including bank holidays, with the opportunity to purchase up to 5 extra days and additional flexibility through our Time Off When You Need It policy – to balance your work and personal commitments.  

• Our market leading Inspiring Families policy includes comprehensive support and paid parental leave covering maternity, adoption, surrogacy, and paternity leave - as supporting families is a core aspect of our inclusive culture.

• Health & Protection cover including Private Healthcare, Critical Illness cover and Life Assurance for you, with family options - for peace of mind.

To explore more about life at M&G and our full benefits offering, visit Life at M&G

We have a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture at M&G, underpinned by our policies and our employee-led networks who provide networking opportunities, advice and support for the diverse communities our colleagues represent. Regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, nationality, disability or long term condition, we are looking to attract, promote and retain exceptional people. We also welcome those who take part in military service and those returning from career breaks.

M&G is also proud to be a Disability Confident Leader, and we welcome applications from candidates with long-term health conditions, disabilities, or neuro-divergent conditions. 

If you need assistance or an alternative means of applying for a role due to a disability or additional need, please let us know by contacting us at: [email protected]