Address- Join a values and community-oriented, leading customer-owned bank.
- Leverage your commercial legal expertise in an innovative, evolving environment.
- Be part of an award-winning in-house legal team and one of the biggest in the Hunter area.
- 12-month fixed-term contract | Hybrid role | Newcastle-based head offices.
Purpose of the role
Greater Bank and Newcastle Permanent have come together to form NGM Group, a leader in customer-owned banking. As our integration and growth journey progresses, we’re seeking an accomplished legal practitioner to play an integral role in our commercial team supporting NGM Group in meeting its regulatory, contractual, and other legal obligations, via the provision of timely, accurate, practical and commercially focused and informed legal advice and services.
Additionally, you will have the opportunity to engage with various project working groups responsible for driving a range of new and exciting initiatives for NGM Group and its customers. This includes the opportunity to provide commercial legal expertise to the organisation’s forward-thinking CPS 230 Project, assisting with renegotiating critical contracts to ensure that as an APRA-regulated entity, NGM Group is resilient to operational risks and disruptions.
What will your key responsibilities include?
- Providing timely, accurate, practical and commercially focused and informed, and efficient and cost effective, legal advice and other legal services, strategic insights, risk-based solutions and other legal support to NGM Group as required.
- Supporting and advising NGM Group to operate in accordance with applicable regulatory, contractual and other legal obligations, including under applicable legislation; regulatory instruments, standards, codes, policies, directives and guidance; industry codes and guidance; and other laws (Applicable Laws), as required.
- Contributing to the achievement of the strategic and operational objectives of the Division, in line with the Division’s strategies and operational plans; NGM Group’s strategic plan, risk appetite and GRCA Frameworks; regulatory and other legal obligations and standards; and community expectations.
- Providing strategic insights concerning, and participating effectively in, key business initiatives as a legal subject matter expert, including identification, management and escalation of legal risks.
- Reviewing, drafting and advising NGM Group on legal and other documents, including:
- negotiation, drafting, execution and management of contracts and other commercial arrangements, including procurement contracts; distribution, strategic partnership/ alliance and sponsorship contracts; and contracts for wholesale funding, commercial leases and property transactions, and other transactions;
- disclosure and other regulated documents and customer and product terms and conditions; and
- externally published documents and marketing collateral,
to protect NGM Group's legal interests and in compliance with Applicable Laws and NGM Group’s GRCA Frameworks.
- Supporting the Division’s projects and initiatives and integration activities; and legal services provided by the Division in relation to projects and initiatives and integration activities of other divisions, including dedicated regulatory compliance projects.
- Managing, in consultation with the Chief Legal and Governance Officer (GLGO) LCGO and General Counsel, and making recommendations concerning, any litigation and other significant complaints, claims or disputes involving NGM Group.
- Providing due diligence and execution support for legal matters, including legal due diligence, legal review and verification of documents, contract execution and witnessing statutory declarations and affidavits.
- Recommending to the CLCGO and General Counsel the appointment of external legal advisers as required, managing these relationships and monitoring their performance.
- Advising NGM Group in relation to intellectual property matters.
- Liaising with internal and external stakeholders as required to support NGM Group's operations.
- Ensuring day to day operations, including advice, support and other services, are provided in a professional, timely and courteous manner.
- Assisting with the development, review and management of legal content in internal documents, including policies and procedures and training materials.
What are we looking for?
- Tertiary qualifications in Law from an Australian University or the LPAB.
- Admitted as a legal practitioner and eligible to hold a NSW legal practising certificate as a corporate legal practitioner.
- 5+ years post-admission experience as a legal practitioner in Australia either in private practice or in an in-house role in banking, financial services, or corporate law.
- Sound knowledge of the Corporations Act, financial services law, and general corporate and commercial law.
- Highly developed contract and negotiation skills.
- A strong understanding of the financial services regulatory environment and risk/compliance experience (highly regarded).
- Strong initiative and work ethic, with experience working with individual accountability for business outcomes.
- Strong time and workflow management and prioritisation skills with the ability to manage multiple projects/ tasks in a dynamic, technology-driven environment from initiation through to completion in line with approved timelines and budgets.
- Exemplary personal integrity and professional ethics.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build effective workplace relationships and clearly convey and explain information and ideas through a variety of channels.
- Outstanding written communication, drafting, analytical, legal interpretation and research skills.
- Exceptional stakeholder engagement skills with the ability to effectively influence outcomes.
What can you expect from us?
NGM Group employees can take advantage of the following work perks:
Health and wellbeing; Fitness passport, corporate health insurance and annual flu vaccination.
Lifestyle and giving back; Flexible work including hybrid arrangements, hotel discounts, 14 weeks paid parental leave, two community volunteer days per year and three recreational leave days per year.
Professional advancement; Diverse career opportunities, recognition programs and employee referral program.
About the Legal Team
We are a vibrant, hardworking, and dedicated team of dynamic legal advisors passionate about helping the business navigate the delivery of trusted banking. Our purpose is to empower and enable our business to help its customers and communities thrive. Proudly, in 2023 we were awarded the ‘Financial Services Team of the Year’ Award in the Lawyer’s Weekly Corporate Counsel Awards – a testament to the exemplary skills and people who make up the team.
About NGM Group
We’re NGM Group, and we offer retail banking services to more than half a million Australians under the brands Greater Bank and Newcastle Permanent.
We have fresh energy and big goals for our customers, and our people are key to us achieving this success. If you’re ready to be part of a team that puts the customer first and enjoys a challenge as the path to growth and innovation, then … we want you!
Collectively, we’re the largest customer-owned bank based on net assets and the 10th largest Australian-owned bank for household deposits. A financial powerhouse headquartered in the Hunter, we have a workforce of more than 1,600 people and total assets of more than $20 billion.
