(Senior) Legal Counsel - Investment Operations (f/m/d)
You will support Upvest's post-trade infrastructure by ensuring clearing, settlement, and custody activities are legally sound, operationally resilient, and regulatorily compliant across European markets.
Responsibilities
- Advise on the legal framework governing clearing, settlement, and custody operations.
- Own the legal framework for client asset protection and safekeeping obligations.
- Structure, document, and monitor custody and sub-custodian relationships.
- Negotiate and manage agreements with CCPs, CSDs, custodians, and infrastructure providers.
- Monitor EU and German post-trade regulation and translate it into actionable guidance.
- Support responses to post-trade incidents, settlement failures, and operational risk events.
- Develop legally defensible response playbooks.
- Modernize legal operations through scalable contracting, AI-assisted review, and documentation standards.
Requirements
- 3–5 years of post-qualification experience in financial services.
- At least one German legal qualification, including Erste Juristische Prüfung.
- Hands-on understanding of clearing, settlement, and custody mechanics.
- Experience in a regulated investment firm, custodian bank, CSD, infrastructure provider, or relevant fintech.
- Strong command of EU and German financial law, including MiFID, CSDR, WpDVerOV, and MaRisk.
- Exposure to UK FCA regulation or other European national competent authorities is a plus.
- Familiarity with adapting legal frameworks across European markets.
- Enthusiasm for legal technology and process improvement.
- Professional fluency in English and German.
Benefits
- 30 days of annual leave
- Sports benefits
- Confidential professional coaching
- Remote work abroad for up to 183 days per year
- One-month fully paid sabbatical after every four years
- Personal development budget
- Flexible work environment across Berlin, London, and Tallinn
- Hybrid or remote work across Europe depending on the role
- Employee equity participation program
- Company-wide events and Employee Resource Groups