SVP, Head of Global Markets Legal (Americas)

Role Summary:

The SVP, Head of Markets Legal for the Americas is the region’s senior legal advisor for trading, financing, and market‑structure activities for the Global Markets business in the region. Reporting to the EVP, Head of Investment Services and Markets Legal, this role provides strategic legal guidance that supports the business’s trading, liquidity, and execution offerings while ensuring robust legal and regulatory risk management.

This position requires a sophisticated legal executive with deep knowledge of markets regulation, trading structures, derivatives, financing arrangements, and market conduct standards. The SVP must apply strong judgment and commercial fluency to support competitive, compliant, and innovative trading capabilities for the rapidly growing Markets business.
 

Key Responsibilities include:

Strategic and Commercial Legal Support

• Serve as the primary legal advisor to Markets leadership in the Americas on strategic initiatives, business expansion, and market‑structure evolution.

• Provide commercial and innovative legal support for trading models, liquidity offerings, cross‑border financing, and technology‑enabled execution platforms.

• Partner with Product, Technology, and Innovation teams on new product approvals and market‑structure enhancements.

Trading, Regulatory & Market‑Structure Advisory

• Advise on regulatory regimes governing FX, securities finance, prime brokerage, derivatives, liquidity facilities, and institutional trading activity.

• Monitor emerging regulatory developments (e.g., prudential standards, market conduct, algorithmic trading rules) and inform business readiness.

• Support responses to examinations, regulatory reviews, formal inquiries, and industry-wide regulatory initiatives.

Transactional Leadership

• Lead negotiation of complex transactional documentation, including ISDA, GMRA, MSFTA, prime brokerage agreements, clearing arrangements, and bespoke trading contracts.

• Advise on documentation strategy, margin frameworks, collateral structures, and cross‑border regulatory considerations.

• Work collaboratively with peers outside of the Americas to deliver cohesive advice to the global Markets business.

Governance, Controls & Risk Management

• Partner with Compliance, Risk, and Operations to maintain strong legal and conduct-risk controls, including trade surveillance, supervision frameworks, and front-office controls.

• Assess emerging legal risks, validate risk‑mitigation strategies, oversee legal impacts of operational incidents, and ensure timely escalation.

• Promote a culture of proactive risk identification and transparent reporting.

Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement

• Lead and develop the Americas Markets legal team, driving collaboration, capability-building, and high‑performance execution.

• Help structure and drive strategy and professional development as part of the Investment Services and Markets Legal management team.

• Serve as a leader in the broader Legal Department and firm.

• Engage with regulators, industry groups, market participants, and external counsel to represent Legal and support advocacy on market issues.

• Oversee engagement and performance management of outside counsel, ensuring quality and cost efficiency.

Qualifications:

• 15+ years advising on trading, derivatives, securities finance, or global markets matters within financial services.

• Deep expertise in U.S. and cross-border markets regulation, conduct requirements, and prudential standards.

• Demonstrated ability to navigate complex legal issues, lead legal teams, and counsel senior executives.

• Strong commercial orientation, negotiation skills, and stakeholder‑management capabilities.

• Juris Doctor degree with admission in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.

Are you the right candidate? Yes!

We truly believe in the power that comes from the diverse backgrounds and experiences our employees bring with them. Although each vacancy details what we are looking for, we don’t necessarily need you to fulfil all of them when applying. If you like change and innovation, seek to see the bigger picture, make data driven decisions and are a good team player, you could be a great fit.

Salary Range:

$225,000 - $337,500 Annual

The range quoted above applies to the role in the primary location specified. If the candidate would ultimately work outside of the primary location above, the applicable range could differ.

Employees are eligible to participate in State Street’s comprehensive benefits program, which includes: our retirement savings plan (401K) with company match; insurance coverage including basic life, medical, dental, vision, long-term disability, and other optional additional coverages; paid-time off including vacation, sick leave, short term disability, and family care responsibilities; access to our Employee Assistance Program; incentive compensation including eligibility for annual performance-based awards (excluding certain sales roles subject to sales incentive plans); and, eligibility for certain tax advantaged savings plans.

For a full overview, visit https://hrportal.ehr.com/statestreet/Home.

About State Street

Across the globe, institutional investors rely on us to help them manage risk, respond to challenges, and drive performance and profitability. We keep our clients at the heart of everything we do, and smart, engaged employees are essential to our continued success.

We are committed to fostering an environment where every employee feels valued and empowered to reach their full potential. As an essential partner in our shared success, you’ll benefit from inclusive development opportunities, flexible work-life support, paid volunteer days, and vibrant employee networks that keep you connected to what matters most. Join us in shaping the future.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we consider all qualified applicants for all positions without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, age, disability, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, citizenship, marital status, domestic partnership or civil union status, familial status, military and veteran status, and other characteristics protected by applicable law.

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