The EIB, the European Union’s bank, is seeking to recruit for its Legal Directorate (JU), Operational Policy, Mandates and Non-EU Operations Department (OPS-POL), Outside Europe B Division (OEU-B), at its headquarters in Luxembourg, an (Senior) Banking and Finance Lawyer*

This is a full-time position at grade 5/6 for which the EIB offers a permanent contract.

Final Panel interviews are anticipated for November/December 2023

*internal benchmark: (Senior) Officer Legal Services

Purpose

The Outside Europe B Division (OEU-B) is dealing with the transactional legal documentation and legal issues for lending operations in the following countries: Western Balkans, Turkey, Eastern Neighbourhood and Central Asia. As (Senior) Banking and Finance Lawyer you will be part of a collaborative legal team providing legal support to the operational directorates. You will work with professionals across EIB, following projects from early in the due diligence process, to approval by EIB’s governing bodies, and then on to the phase of negotiation and signature of legal documentation.

EIB is one of the world’s main financiers of climate action and environmental sustainability. This post offers a unique opportunity to contribute towards EIB’s objectives by working on various exciting projects financed by EIB. EIB offers a truly international and multi-cultural environment in Luxembourg where some of the key European institutions are located.

Operating Network

As a (Senior) Banking and Finance Lawyer you will assist the Head of Division, together with other legal advisers, in providing legal support to the operations directorate, carrying out work relating to tasks within the Division’s remit: Turkey, Western Balkans, Eastern Neighbours and Central Asia, focusing on loan transactions with sovereign, bank and corporate borrowers (including through complex products such as project finance, structured finance/securitisation), guarantee transactions (including guarantees and risk sharing facilities for banks and corporates), investment grants and post-signature work.

In your role as a (Senior) Banking and Finance Lawyer you will appoint, manage/supervise external counsel on transactions or other matters requiring legal advice, negotiations with borrowers and other counterparts.

Accountabilities

As a (Senior) Banking and Finance Lawyer, you will carry out work related to all of the Division’s responsibilities and work independently on financing operations. You will:

• Manage contacts and negotiations concerning the EIB operations handled by the Division in full autonomy, working with documents subject to numerous jurisdictions and with internal counterparts in several different areas of the Bank
• Draft and negotiate loan agreements and ancillary finance documents (e.g. security documents, guarantee agreements, amendments, waivers), grant agreements and provide advisory legal support, finalise contracts, complete all related legal formalities and legal monitoring (including disbursements and other post-signature events)
• Provide legal advice on issues that arise in relation to the activities of the Division, and prepare or comment on related notes to senior management and EIB governing bodies
• Contribute to the development and implementation of new products within the geographical remit of the division
• Understand and implement in contractual documentation the specificities arising from the various mandates underpinning the Division’s activities
• Contribute to the development and implementation of grant documentation and other blending related activities
• Contribute to the development of standard legal documentation and improved processes within the Division’s areas of activity, notably OEU specific documentation
• Contribute to the development, sharing and filing of knowhow relevant for the work of the Division
• Work with other team members, including more junior colleagues, providing coaching to the extent applicable
• Participate in horizontal activities of relevance to the Division
• Liaise with external consultants and supervise their work
• Conduct legal research on legal matters and developments of significance to the Division’s interests
• Proactively keep up to date with legal developments in legislation, regulations and jurisprudence pertaining to the Division’s activities
• Develop and maintain relationships within the Bank (including external offices) and represent the EIB externally

Qualifications

• University degree in law (minimum an equivalent to a Bachelor) and professional legal qualification in civil or common law
• Post-graduate legal studies at master level (LLM or equivalent) would be an advantage
• At least 5 years of relevant, professional experience in the field of banking and finance acquired with a law firm and/or financial institution of international repute
• Strong experience and expertise in autonomously drafting and negotiating loan agreements, security documents and other finance documents in English, including LMA type credit facility agreement and complex financing arrangements such as securitisation or project finance
• Strong experience and expertise on advising on legal issues that arise in connection with financing operations, such as advising on the interpretation of contractual provisions or EIB’s rights and obligations following certain events
• Good knowledge of standard computer tools
• Excellent knowledge of English and/or French (*), with a good command of the other. Knowledge of other EU languages would be an advantage.

Competencies

Find out more about EIB core competencies here

(*) Unless stated explicitly as a required qualification, a good command of French is not a pre-requisite for hire. As both English and French are however official working languages of the EIB, proficiency in both languages is a pre-requisite for your future career development. Any language clause in your contract must be fulfilled in order for you to be eligible for a promotion (either via the annual appraisal cycle or via an internal selection process). Proficiency is understood to mean the attainment of level 5 of the Inter Institutional language courses, corresponding to B1.2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL). The Bank offers appropriate training support.

We are an equal opportunities employer, who believes that diversity is good for our people and our business. We encourage all suitably qualified and eligible candidates to apply regardless of their gender identity/expression, age, racial, ethnic and cultural background, religion and beliefs, sexual orientation/identity, disability or neurodiversity.

Applicants with specific needs are encouraged to request reasonable accommodations at any stage during the recruitment process. Please contact the EIB Recruitment team [email protected] who will ensure that your request is handled.

By applying for this position, you acknowledge the importance of maintaining the security and integrity of the Information of the EIB Group. In case of selection for the position you agree to comply with all measures (policies, controls, document classification and management) implemented by the EIB Group to prevent unauthorised disclosure of any information or any damage to the EIB Group reputation.

Deadline for applications: 6^th November 2023

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