Head of Legal, Client Services Agreements

Overview

In this senior, client-facing role you will lead the legal lifecycle of client service agreements across Fund Administration and Debt Capital Markets services. You will manage a small team of lawyers, set standards, and ensure high-quality, timely legal output across a multi-jurisdictional portfolio. You will partner with Sales, Relationship Management and Operations to enable deals while maintaining risk controls. This is a commercially focused role that shapes client contracting practices and supports growth with scalable templates and playbooks. You will contribute to a high-performing legal function that aligns with Alter Domus’ service delivery model and regulatory requirements.

Pay / Benefits

• ACCA study leave
• flexible arrangements
• generous holidays
• birthday day off
• mentoring
• Employee Share Plan

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of lawyers handling CSA work for Fund Administration and DCM
• Set objectives, priorities and quality standards; allocate work; maintain high standards
• Provide guidance on complex negotiations; act as senior review before escalation
• Maintain CSA template library and negotiation playbooks; ensure consistency
• Own end-to-end management of client service agreements from draft to renewal
• Draft, review and negotiate complex client agreements (fund administration, transfer agency, depositary, SPV administration, sub-administration, side letters)
• Advise on key commercial risk positions and practical guidance to support deal execution
• Manage contract amendments/variations; adapt service scope and fee terms
• Maintain contract register; track renewals, liability exposure and governing law
• Support onboarding from contracts perspective; ensure accurate documentation
• Partner with Sales/Relationship Management/Operations on contracting matters
• Provide training to commercial and operations colleagues; drive legal literacy
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements (AIFMD, UCITS, GDPR, depositary rules)
• Support Legal Quality Control in template standards and consistency

Key requirements

• Qualified lawyer
• 6–10 years’ post-qualification experience in commercial contracts
• Experience in both private practice and in-house environments
• Proven people management experience
• Strong drafting and negotiation skills for complex financial services or professional services contracts
• Solid understanding of fund administration, asset servicing, depositary or capital markets services
• Ability to provide clear, practical, commercially-oriented advice
• Experience handling high-volume, multi-jurisdictional workloads
• Strong stakeholder management with senior leaders and GC/Board
• Knowledge of multi-jurisdictional contracting (civil vs common law)

• commercial acumen
• leadership and people development
• stakeholder management
• contract drafting and negotiation
• contract lifecycle management
• template and playbook management

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