Vice President, Transaction Execution

Do you want your voice heard and your actions to count?

Discover your opportunity with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), one of the world’s leading financial groups. Across the globe, we’re 120,000 colleagues, striving to make a difference for every client, organization, and community we serve. We stand for our values, building long-term relationships, serving society, and fostering shared and sustainable growth for a better world.

With a vision to be the world’s most trusted financial group, it’s part of our culture to put people first, listen to new and diverse ideas and collaborate toward greater innovation, speed and agility. This means investing in talent, technologies, and tools that empower you to own your career.

Join MUFG, where being inspired is expected and making a meaningful impact is rewarded.

The Transaction Execution team is part of the Global Corporate and Investment Banking Division of MUFG. The team works seamlessly with the EMEA Legal, Relationship Management and Capital Markets teams to bridge legal and commercial expertise and deliver structuring, advisory and execution services to MUFG’s corporate clients.

MAIN PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The Transaction Execution team covers loan transactions for leveraged and investment grade corporate borrowers using documentation which is LMA-based, US / cov lite style and/or hybrids of the two. Financings include event-driven and flow/relationship facilities (bridge, term and revolving credit). Syndicated transactions (including underwritten and best efforts) form the majority alongside a minority of bilaterals.

This role is focused on (i) delivering differentiated client service; (ii) managing the negotiation of legal documentation for loan financing transactions (including mandate/commitment documents, facility agreements and intercreditor agreements (as applicable)); and (iii) assisting with any structuring considerations and identifying any risks or issues that arise in the broader transaction documentation or process.

We are seeking a Vice President with a background in leveraged finance (working with sponsors or corporates) to expand the team’s specialism in working with sub-investment grade corporate clients.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Leading transaction execution service (with involvement from pitch phase to completion) and negotiation of financing documentation with corporate borrowers and their external counsel and/or other arranging banks
• Advising on effective structuring of transactions; demonstrating an in-depth knowledge of corporate structure, guarantee, security, subordination and leakage issues
• Reviewing documentation at term sheet and credit agreement stages for compliance with MUFG’s internal policies and best practice standards, and to confirm alignment with credit approval documentation
• Acting as a trusted advisor and building relationships with MUFG’s existing and new corporate clients
• Ensuring consistency regarding documentation standards; being the central touch point/centre of excellence for emerging market trends and documentation-related internal escalation processes
• In conjunction with the EMEA Legal team, identifying legal and documentation process risks with a view to continuously improve the control architecture around documentation
• Developing junior staff and conducting internal training sessions on documentation issues in syndicated loan and on recommended best practices in executing transactions

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Work experience

• Experience as a qualified finance lawyer (with leveraged finance specialism) in a law firm
• Experience in an in-house environment, either as a secondee or in a legal or execution role
• Up to date market experience in leveraged finance (for corporates and/or sponsors)
• Knowledge of high yield bond processes helpful
• Pitching experience helpful

Functional / Technical Skills and Competencies:

• Ability to spot issues, think outside the box and devise practical and appropriate solutions that meet business objectives
• Ability to respond to internal and external stakeholder requests in fast paced, deadline driven deals, often requiring same day turnaround
• Ability to be proactive and anticipate issues with legal documentation
• Ability to break-up and simplify complex issues and communicate concisely and clearly
• Ability to balance the need for further analysis and the need for timely decisions given commercial pressures
• Ability to build relationships with internal stakeholders, higher levels of management and clients to inspire confidence
• Ability to act independently but seek involvement of Head of team, senior management and EMEA Legal team on highly complex issues, unusual situations and matters that may pose significant financial, legal, reputational and/or other risk to MUFG
• Coaching mindset and aptitude for disseminating accumulated knowledge and experience among colleagues
• Innovative mindset and willingness to experiment with and embrace AI
• Energetic, enthusiastic, collegiate and responsive team player
• Able to prioritise, multi-task, and organise
• High level of integrity and professionalism
• Preferred proficiency in at least one European language other than English

Education / Qualifications:

• University level qualifications or equivalent
• SRA qualified solicitor

PERSONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy
• Excellent communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Results driven, with a strong sense of accountability
• A proactive, motivated approach.
• The ability to operate with urgency and prioritise work accordingly
• Strong decision-making skills, the ability to demonstrate sound judgement
• A structured and logical approach to work
• Strong problem-solving skills
• The ability to manage large workloads and tight deadlines
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy
• A calm approach, with the ability to perform well in a pressurised environment
• Willingness to work occasional off-hours remotely to respond to emails and requests if needed
• Excellent Microsoft Office skills

We are open to considering flexible working requests in line with organisational requirements.

MUFG is committed to embracing diversity and building an inclusive culture where all employees are valued, respected and their opinions count. We support the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion in recruitment and employment, and oppose all forms of discrimination on the grounds of age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy and maternity, race, gender reassignment, religion or belief and marriage or civil partnership.

We make our recruitment decisions in a non-discriminatory manner in accordance with our commitment to identifying the right skills for the right role and our obligations under the law.