Senior Counsel Strategic Projects
Senior Counsel Strategic Projects
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Job Description
Why AXA Every day we work together for human progress by protecting what matters. A mission that puts a smile on your face and makes you want to get up in the morning !
One of the worlds leading insurers in the protection of property people and assets AXA is 145000 employees and contributors who are committed to our customers on a daily basis 51 countries in which we distribute our products and services and more than 90 million customers who place their trust in us worldwide. As a responsible corporate citizen AXA is committed to social and environmental causes on a daily basis. We are committed to an inclusive policy that recognizes and values individual differences. Do these ambitions speak to you Then come and change the world with us !
Your work environment:
The headquarters of the AXA Group (GIE AXA) brings together our corporate activities. It provides guidance and support to subsidiaries around the world to ensure the coordination and monitoring of the Groups global strategy the application of its standards the consistency of commercial approaches and the sharing of best practices. The headquarters gathers approximately 1000 employees and is distinguished by its strong international culture (45 nationalities) which makes it a rich and stimulating place to work.
Within the Group you will join the Group Legal department composed of 4 teams (i) Insurance Reinsurance & Strategic Projects (ii) M&A (iii) Corporate Governance and (iv) Corporate Finance.
Within this Department you will be part of the Insurance Reinsurance and Strategic Projects Team and report into the Head of Legal Insurance Reinsurance & Strategic Projects.
Your job and daily missions:
The primary function of the role is to provide advice and guidance on and to be part of the Groups center of legal expertise for insurance reinsurance and key strategic projectrelated topics and issues affecting the Group at any point in time. As more fully set out below the role covers the full spectrum of topics related to the AXA Groups operations and involves exposure to the Groups central functions and other functional teams in AXA entities around the globe.
Strategic Projects / Regulatory:
- Supporting on the execution of corporate and strategic projects which deliver on our strategic plan Unlock the Future objectives and ensuring legal certainty for the Group with consistency of best practice and results across the Group (mitigating risk delivering value)
- Supporting Head of Legal Insurance Reinsurance & Strategic Projects on a variety of discrete tasks contract review governance projects business restructuring policy development etc. across a wide array of topics including Brand/Trademark/Reputation Human Resources Procurement Sustainability and Technology/AI matters.
- Follow review and monitor legislation working closely with Public Affairs Team; review key regulations including Directives/Acts implementing regulations and soft law. Advise on key regulatory developments including for example ESG (CSRD/CS3D) SII DORA and AI.
- Provide advice guidance and legal leadership to the business in times of crisis supporting the crisis management team as needed.
- Providing support to the broader Group Legal team (M&A Corporate Finance and Corporate Governance teams) on key matters arising out M&A corporate simplification litigation bancassurance agreements and data issues as well as any ad hoc issues that may arise
- Ensuring smooth coordination with the internal AXA Group functions (Finance Risk Compliance Public Affairs Communications Investor Relations HR tax) local operating entities and external advisors
Insurance / Reinsurance / Litigation:
- Bringing (re)insurance expertise to matters handled by Group Legal as and when required
- Overseeing legal aspects of the insurance and reinsurance programs of AXA SA
- Analyzing legal risks to provide pragmatic tailored and businessfriendly advice that meets both commercial objectives and compliance with the relevant legal and regulatory environment as well as considering reputational issues for AXA as a leading highprofile global company
- Preparing presentations and memos and preparing/participating in internal meetings and committees
- Ensuring that the structuring drafting and/or reviewing of documents is high quality in line with bestinclass internal and market standards
- Direct engagement with counterparties (who can be external or internal legal counsel other professional advisers or management) in negotiating insurance/reinsurance
- Advising on and implementing strategic reinsurance deals
Corporate and strategic advisory:
- Analyzing legal risks to provide pragmatic tailored and businessfriendly advice that meets both commercial objectives and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements as well as considering reputational issues for AXA as a leading highprofile global company
- Exercising judgement on significant and sensitive issues with escalation on key legal and reputational risks up to Group General Counsel and key stakeholders
- Preparing and participating in internal governance including attendance as required as the legal representative on senior management committees and preparing presentations and memos for internal committees
- Strategic thinking challenging the status quo to enable AXA to move ahead with its strategic plan
Legal Operations:
- Engagement and management of international external lawyers including monitoring activities of global panel law firms and legal operations
Matter and Budget management
- Choosing external legal counsel for different projects explaining requirements negotiating fees actively managing services provided including challenging them at the partner level
- Smooth coordination with the internal AXA teams (GST GRM Compliance Public Affairs PBRC Communications Investor Relations HR tax) and local operating entity CEO/CFO/GC plus external advisors (external counsel accountants actuaries)
Thought leadership
- Horizonscanning on emerging legal issues/risk including training to nonlegal AXA teams
- Networking with legal and other market players to keep up to date with evolving legal environment and market trends
- Monitor and advise on emerging topics that can impact the business including regulatory developments and claims/litigationrelated matters
- Keeping up to date with legal developments/ AXAs business lines innovation
Context and Major Challenges:
- Lead and influence: The Senior Counsel Strategic Projects must show leadership on a wide range of legal topics and be able to positively influence Group Senior Management the senior management of the wider Groups businesses and the Group Legal team. The Senior Counsel Strategic Projects must establish excellent rapport with and the trust of senior management across the Group so needs to be a compelling communicator that operates with integrity and credibility but also flexibility and nuance. The role also involves working handinhand with functional teams at Group Level (such as Group Compliance Group Risk Management Group Communications Group Sustainability etc) as well as teams at entity level participating in steering committees and playing a key role in presenting/escalating the legal aspects of projects and issues to the Group General Counsel. An ability to motive inspire and positively influence is critical for working with multiple counterparties and internal teams with potentially competing objectives to find a commercially sensible and mutually working solution.
- Think clearly and provide clarity in complex uncertain and evolving situations: The Senior Counsel Strategic Projects is required to advise and provide clarity on issues and areas of law that may be uncertain and in situations that themselves may be evolving. The Senior Counsel Strategic Projects needs to be able to distill and communicate complex problems and solutions and have the confidence to assist Group Senior Management and steer decisionmaking even in environments with high levels of ambiguity.
- Innovative: AXA is a leader in many aspects of the Groups business. Therefore frequently the legal topics and issues the Senior Counsel Special Projects is dealing with are novel with no precedent. The Senior Counsel Strategic Projects is expected to think innovatively about issues drawing on internal and external experience to identify the best way to achieve commercial outcomes.
- Responsive with an ability to manage competing demands: This is a highpressure role. The Senior Counsel Special Projects does not control the flow of work: projects are often opportunistic but frequently work demands also arise out of challenges faced by the Group. Most issues are time sensitive with short timepressured timelines. As such the Senior Counsel Strategic Projects must be comfortable with and have the ability to manage multiple global sensitive and complex legal topics simultaneously.
- Agile and pragmatic: The Senior Counsel Strategic Projects needs to have the experience and flexibility to apply skills to problem solving:
- in different jurisdictions from mature and stable legal systems to emerging and untested markets
- with different counterparts and stakeholders ranging from regulators to sophisticated international financial institutions to individuals wherever they may be in the world
- in a wide range of businesses from traditional business lines (life and nonlife insurance and asset management) to emerging areas such as technology and health as AXA looks to transform its business model and enter new business lines in accordance with Groups Strategic Plan Unlock the Future.
- the full spectrum of legal topics including material litigation regulatory investigations ESG sensitive disclosure matters brand issues etc.
- in different jurisdictions from mature and stable legal systems to emerging and untested markets
- Autonomous: The Senior Counsel Strategic Projects needs to be able to complement and dovetail with the Head of Legal Insurance Reinsurance & Strategic Projects on a wide range of topics. As such the Senior Counsel Strategic Projects needs to be driven/highly motivated and highly autonomous with enthusiasm for new areas of expertise agility to work outside their comfort zone and pickup analyze and become expert on new topics quickly on a regular basis. The Senior Counsel Strategic Projects is required to be selfstarting and results focused with a can do approach.
You will join:
- A responsible company towards people including its employees and customers and towards the planet
- A company with strong values
- A company promoting internal mobility and the training of its employees
- A company offering many benefits (learn more here: Reward & Benefits AXA Group)
- A flexible company allowing hybrid work in the office and from home.
The information provided by applicants will be treated as strictly confidential and used for recruitment purposes only.
The headquarters of the AXA Group is based in Paris La Dfense (Majunga Tower) and brings together the Groups corporate activities. It is distinguished by its strong international culture.
Lets talk about you:
Technical skills and experience:
- Experience of 7/ years as lawyer in an inhouse legal team
- Strong knowledge of financial and/or insurance regulatory environment
- Experience working internationally advising on multijurisdictional issues
- Fluent in English and ideally in French
Personal skills and attributes:
- Pragmatic approach to problem solving a flexible consultative working style with the ability to influence collaboratively
- Team player with ability to motivate inspire and influence across departments/ the Group (One AXA)
- Embraces the challenges of multicultural work
- Proactive and energetic
- Can operate at a highlevel under tight deadlines with competing priorities
Required Experience:
Senior IC
Employment Type
Full-Time
