Head of Asset Manager & Insurance Legal, Investment Services(Americas) - Managing Director

Managing Director, Investment Services Legal (Americas)

The Investment Services (Americas) Legal team provides strategic advice and counsel to business and control colleagues in accordance with the highest standards of judgment, integrity and ethical leadership. The team partners closely with clients and internal stakeholders to deliver practical, business-oriented legal solutions that support State Street's global alternatives, asset manager, asset owner and insurance clients in the Americas. The team advises on a broad range of asset servicing products and services, including custody, accounting, trustee, transfer agency and fund administration, and supports client relationships, product development, operational strategy, regulatory matters, risk management, transformation initiatives and complex commercial arrangements across the Americas.

We are seeking a seasoned attorney and strategic leader to serve as Managing Director, Investment Services Legal (Americas). In this role, you will lead, manage and develop a team of attorneys and legal professionals responsible for providing legal support to the Investment Services Product and Operations organizations. You will serve as a trusted advisor to senior business leaders, control functions and clients on product development, operational strategy, regulatory change, client solutions, outsourcing, technology transformation, risk management and enterprise-wide strategic initiatives.

You will be expected to develop a deep understanding of State Street's business, products, operational capabilities, clients, culture, regulatory environment and strategic priorities in order to provide practical, actionable and risk-based legal advice in a fast-paced, client-focused environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a trusted legal advisor to senior business leaders responsible for Investment Services products, operations and business transformation initiatives.
• Provide practical and actionable legal advice and counsel with respect to Investment Services (Americas) clients, products and operations, including in respect of custody, accounting, trustee, transfer agency, fund administration and related asset servicing services.
• Provide legal guidance throughout the product lifecycle, including product design, enhancements, client offerings, commercialization, regulatory implementation and strategic changes to State Street's business.
• Counsel business leaders on legal, regulatory, operational, commercial and reputational risks associated with product strategy, operational initiatives, client service activities and strategic projects.
• Oversee the drafting, review and negotiation of complex asset servicing agreements, disclosures, client communications and related documentation.
• Support strategic projects, acquisitions, integrations, organizational restructurings, remediation efforts and enterprise-wide transformation programs.
• Partner with Compliance, Risk, Audit, Technology, Procurement and other control functions to address regulatory change, remediation efforts, incident response and governance enhancements.
• Provide legal support during regulatory examinations, inquiries, remediation efforts, claims, errors, disputes, potential litigation, and interactions with regulators and industry utilities.
• Drive consistency, efficiency and continuous improvement in legal processes, guidance, risk assessment, knowledge management and client support models.

Leadership Responsibilities

• Lead, manage, mentor and develop a high-performing team of attorneys and legal professionals.
• Establish legal priorities, allocate resources effectively and drive high-quality execution across a complex portfolio of client, product, regulatory and operational matters.
• Set clear expectations, provide guidance and feedback, support professional growth and develop talent and succession plans for critical legal leadership positions.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, sound judgment, risk awareness, ethical leadership and continuous improvement.
• Promote strong engagement across global Legal, Risk, Compliance, Operations, Product, Technology, Procurement and senior leadership teams.
• Drive operational excellence within the legal organization through effective delegation, prioritization, resource management and knowledge sharing.

Education & Preferred Qualifications

• Significant experience advising financial institutions, asset servicing businesses, asset managers or other institutional financial services clients.
• Strong understanding of asset servicing products and services, including custody, accounting, trustee, fund administration, transfer agency, ETF servicing and related operational and regulatory frameworks.
• Experience supporting large-scale operational transformation, digital initiatives, outsourcing and global delivery models.
• Demonstrated ability to lead legal teams, manage complex matters and provide sound judgment in high-pressure situations.
• Proven ability to advise senior executives and influence…