About Global Counsel 

Global Counsel (GC) is a strategic advisory business. We help companies and investors across a wide range of sectors to anticipate the ways in which politics, regulation and public policy making create both risk and opportunity—and to develop and implement strategies to meet these challenges. Our team has direct experience, having worked in politics and policy making in national governments and international institutions, as well as consultants with business backgrounds, backed with deep regional and local knowledge.

Our consultancy operates seamlessly across Berlin, Brussels, Doha, London, Paris, Singapore and Washington DC and is supported by a network of senior advisors, collaboration partners and individual specialist advisors.

Overview

We are seeking a Director for our European financial services business to lead and expand our work with clients and policy makers across the EU institutions and with senior officials in member state capitals.

The role reports to the Global Practice Head for Financial Services and involves working closely with our Group Head for Europe as well as with specialists across the firm focused on digital assets, fintech, payments, trade and investor services. You will attract and advise a portfolio of international financial services clients operating in and out of the EU across traditional finance—asset management, banking, capital markets, insurance, market infrastructure, pensions and retail investment—and fintech.

The role offers exposure to a wide range of high-profile political, policy and regulatory issues and involves acting as a brand ambassador for GC across the region.

The role requires a keen interest in the future EU and member state agenda for financial services, the credibility to engage with current and prospective clients at senior levels, and the ability to lead an expanding team of experts. It will suit candidates with a proactive approach to business development, a desire to develop additional expertise as needed, and consultants with a passion for developing new client tools and solutions, utilising technology to redefine our industry.

The role will be based in our Brussels office with travel to national capitals and working as part of an integrated practice with colleagues in Berlin, Paris and London as well as other key markets.

Who we’re looking for

• We want people who love to learn about policy, delving into the detail and building their own network of experts on whom they can call for insight. Curiosity, intellectual energy and political judgement are vital to this role. You will be adept at handling complexity and ambiguity as well as able to grasp new issues, scan the horizon for threats and opportunities and form coherent and well-argued policy perspectives quickly.
• You should have at least 10 years’ relevant financial-services experience working across the public and private sectors in Brussels. Previous expertise in providing strategic advice on financial services policy is desirable, as is experience working with policy issues in a member state.
• You should have experience of managing colleagues in an effective and high-performing team and will be expected to undertake the work as well as lead and coach the team.
• You will also need an appetite for developing knowledge, networks and skills in a fast-paced working environment and to be comfortable working in international teams on complex, cross-border policy issues.
• We seek people who have proven project-management and organisation skills, able to handle concurrent tasks effectively, manage short- and long-term assignments, and independently lead projects while responding proactively to changing client needs.
• We are looking for people who write and speak with precision and flair.
• You must be fluent in spoken and written English. Fluency in at least one other official EU language is desirable.
• You will need to have the right to work in the EU.

Roles and responsibilities

• Provide expert, strategic, actionable advice and thought leadership to financial-services clients on the risks and opportunities arising from politics, policy and regulation.
• Tailor advice to clients ranging from the C-suite to public-policy teams in corporate clients, who are often working across different jurisdictions, as well as investors seeking to understand the implications of regulatory change for their assets.
• Ensure the successful delivery of client work, including policy analysis, guidance on forward-looking regulatory strategies, developing cutting-edge thought leadership, and innovative approaches to public-policy engagement and stakeholder relationship management.
• Lead business-development campaigns and pitch processes.
• Lead and grow our financial services work in Europe.
• Manage colleagues in an effective and high-performing team.
• Build and maintain partnerships and relationships with a wider network of businesses, policy makers, trade bodies and other stakeholders at senior levels.
• Play a key role in representing GC in Europe and support the leadership of our Brussels, Berlin and Paris offices.