Senior Legal Counsel
5 days ago
Manchester
Senior Legal Counsel / Director – Finance, Lending & Investments Manchester £100,000 – £125,000 + Bonus + Significant Scope An ambitious and entrepreneurial international finance group is seeking to appoint two high-calibre, Senior Legal Counsel / Directors to support its expanding lending, structured finance, and investment activities across the UK and International markets (primarily The Americas.) The group's activities span both sides of the funding equation – securing capital from private investors, institutions, and funding partners, whilst deploying that capital through bespoke lending, project finance, and structured funding solutions. As such, the business is interested in lawyers whose experience sits across either or both disciplines. This is an exceptional opportunity for a commercially minded finance lawyer who wants to move beyond the limitations of traditional private practice or institutional in-house environments and play a genuinely influential role inside a young, high-growth, transaction-led business. The organisation operates across bespoke commercial lending, structured finance, project finance, investment transactions, and cross-border funding solutions. Transactions range from SME and mid-market lending through to large-scale international funding arrangements involving complex security structures, multi-jurisdiction matters, and sophisticated commercial negotiations. The business has developed a strong reputation for flexibility, responsiveness, and the ability to structure transactions that fall outside the appetite of conventional lenders. As transaction volumes and deal complexity continue to increase, the group is now seeking to build significant internal legal capability and reduce reliance on external advisers. This role sits directly alongside senior leadership and at the centre of live commercial activity. It is not a passive legal support position removed from decision-making. The successful individual will become deeply involved in the structuring, negotiation, risk management, and execution of complex domestic and international transactions. For the right person, this offers the opportunity to become a key strategic figure inside a growing international finance platform while enjoying substantial autonomy, visibility, and influence. The Opportunity The successful candidate will lead and manage the legal aspects of a broad range of funding and investment transactions, helping the business execute deals more efficiently while maintaining strong legal and commercial discipline. You will work closely with directors, lenders, borrowers, counterparties, investors, and external legal advisers across a wide variety of transaction types and jurisdictions. The environment is entrepreneurial, fast-moving, and commercially driven. This role will suit someone who enjoys operating close to decision-making, taking ownership of transactions, and balancing technical legal capability with practical commercial judgement. The business is particularly interested in individuals capable of helping institutionalise and professionalise internal legal capability while remaining commercially agile and execution-focused. Key Responsibilities • Lead legal involvement across capital raising, investment transactions, commercial lending, and structured finance, • Draft, negotiate, and review: facility agreements, debentures, guarantees, security documentation, shareholder agreements, participation agreements, intercreditor arrangements, investment and transaction documentation, • Advise on legal structuring, transaction risk, enforceability, and commercial protection, • Support UK and international funding transactions across multiple jurisdictions, • Manage and coordinate external counsel where specialist jurisdictional advice is required, • Assist with transaction execution and completion processes, • Work closely with commercial and transaction teams throughout deal lifecycles, • Help reduce dependency on external law firms and improve internal transaction efficiency, • Contribute to governance, legal process improvement, and scalable operational infrastructure Candidate Profile Candidate profile and chemistry fit is critical for these pivotal roles as technical performance. This is a fast-paced, innovative, highly-entrepreneurial environment; attitude is as important as aptitude. The person is everything. The appointees will be instrumental in driving the future of this business, delivery objectives and embracing the culture of this business; the gravity of success is all about having the right attitude, underpinned with demonstrable experience. Suitable candidates will already be high achieving solicitors within commercial finance with substantial exposure to: • Banking & Finance,, • Structured Finance,, • Corporate Lending,, • Real Estate Finance,, • Investment Funds,, • Private Capital & Investor Transactions,, • Capital Raising & Fund Formation,, • Private Credit,, • or International Commercial Transactions. Candidates may currently sit within: • City or national law firms,, • alternative lenders,, • investment managers or fund platforms, • debt funds,, • private credit platforms, • family offices, • specialist finance businesses,, • or sophisticated in-house finance environments. However, technical capability alone will not be sufficient. The successful individual must also be: • highly commercial,, • pragmatic,, • solutions-oriented,, • comfortable operating autonomously,, • and capable of thriving within an entrepreneurial business environment. This is not an organisation driven by bureaucracy or excessive process. It requires an individual capable of making sound decisions, operating with confidence, and helping move transactions forward intelligently and efficiently. Experience Required • Qualified Solicitor, • Strong experience within banking & finance, structured finance, capital raising, investment transactions, or commercial lending transactions, • Exposure to secured lending and complex transaction documentation, • International or cross-border transaction experience advantageous, • Strong commercial awareness and negotiation capability, • Ability to operate effectively within a fast-moving transaction environment Why apply? This opportunity offers significantly more breadth, influence, and commercial exposure than many traditional legal roles. Rather than operating within narrow departmental silos, the successful candidate will become a central figure within a growing international finance platform, working on complex, high-value, and often unconventional transactions. The business offers: • substantial autonomy,, • direct exposure to senior decision-makers,, • complex and intellectually engaging transactions,, • entrepreneurial culture,, • and genuine long-term growth potential. For lawyers seeking a move away from rigid institutional structures and towards a commercially impactful role with real influence, this represents a rare career opportunity.