Legal Counsel

A top environmental commodities trading firm is looking for a

Legal Counsel

Position based in Brussels

JOIN THE FASTEST-GROWING FINANCIAL MARKET

AND HELP CORPORATIONS TRANSITION TO A LOW-CARBON ECONOMY!

Our mission at Vertis is to inspire and empower businesses to make the transition to a low-carbon economy. We have been a pioneer in the carbon markets since 2001 and our drive is relentless to move the world towards a greener future.

We provide our clients with direct access to markets for buying & selling renewable energy certificates and the financialization of these assets provides a strong incentive for organizations towards carbon neutrality.

We are a market leader in EU ETS and one of the fastest-growing trading companies in Europe. We are at a pivotal moment in our growth and looking for the next generation of carbon and renewable energy certificate traders. This is an opportune time to establish your career in this niche market.

The role: As Legal Counsel, you will become a member of a team of professionals working for a pioneer in environmental commodities trading. The role will encompass a wide variety of legal and commercial issues and transactions, varying in nature, complexity, and value. The role requires knowledge of UK law, and/or national laws of the EU, however much of the work is done in English and international in scope. The position requires a proactive individual capable of practical problem-solving, adaptability, strategic forward-looking thinking, and exercising independent judgment.

We think you might be good for the role if:

• Legal degree, at least 5 years experience in contract negotiation and/or corporate law

• Good knowledge of contract and corporate law; knowledge of private international law, the acts on investment firms and commodity dealers, and/or on prevention and combating of money laundering and terrorist financing is an advantage

• Knowledge of the legal environment of an international MIFID-regulated financial firm or [environmental] commodity markets

• Confident and impactful communication with people at all levels and backgrounds in English (verbally and in writing)

• Precision in legal drafting and business communication

• Ability to assess legal risks in the context of the deal and the wider business, and balance these with commercial needs

• We work in a fast-paced environment: your ability to multitask with changing priorities is key

• Self-starter and able to work independently and remotely, flexible, strong, and self-assured personality

• Comfortable operating within an international environment with a diversity of cultures

• Experience with international commodity trading agreements (e.g. EFET, ISDA) is an advantage

• Experience with Customer Due Diligence (CDD), Know Your Customer (KYC), and Anti-Money-Laundering (AML) procedures is an advantage

• Fluent legal English. Any further European language is a plus

More about the role:

• Provide legal oversight on sales team activities through contract reviews and drafting/negotiating contracts. Serve as a trusted advisor and gatekeeper.
• Analyse legal, edge cases” that the business or back office has to overcome on a daily basis
• Manage partnerships with local lawyers in the European and global markets we serve
• Drive corporate legal projects e.g. establishing subsidiaries, and licensing procedures
• Develop anti-money laundering policy and procedures, and provide support on its execution
• Analyse innovative IT solutions if they comply with the relevant regulations (GDPR or decrees applicable for investment firms)
• Execute compliance: review policies as it is required due to legal obligation/change of the law / change of internal procedures. Analyse inhouse procedures if they are in line with the legal requirements.
• Review supplier and business contracts during the negotiation phase
• Provide legal support to company secretary
• Provide legal support during financial authority-related procedures (reporting, audits, authorisation procedures) and other company/subsidiary audits
• Provide compliance and company secretary support for our subsidiaries (tied agents), and cooperate with local consultants, lawyers and authorities if necessary.
• Understand the products the company deals with so that you are able to pro-actively support the sales and operations teams

What we offer:

• Opportunity to become an expert in the field of environmental products and commodity trading for an EU market leader

• Ability to do your work with autonomy, but part of a collaborative team

• Being part of a talented, and dedicated team of specialists

• Stimulating, high-caliber, and international work environment

• A generous flexible home-office working policy

• Competitive compensation package

• You can sleep well at night knowing you are helping the world towards a greener future

Vertis complies with all GDPR requirements and we keep your personal data in our database for no more than 1 year. For more information on Vertis Environmental Finance, please visit vertis.com/jobs.