Associate Director, Legal and Transaction Management

Join OakNorth and help reshape the future of business lending in the US!

At OakNorth, we’re on the hunt for exceptional talent to join our growing US team and help scale our lending business across the country. Since our launch in 2015, we’ve lent more than $18 billion to ambitious entrepreneurs in the UK — and over $1.5 billion in the US since summer 2023. Our lending has helped create 36,000 new jobs and 58,000 new homes — and we’re only just getting started.

If you’re ready to make an impact, challenge the status quo, and be part of a mission-driven team transforming commercial banking, we’d love to hear from you.

OakNorth is looking for a driven and ambitious In-House Banking and Finance Legal Transaction Execution Director to join our US Team as we take our lending business across the Atlantic. This is an amazing opportunity to be at the forefront of our US expansion and directly contribute to our growth and success. 

We’re dedicated to helping trailblazing businesses thrive and our Legal and Transaction Management are integral to our growth.  

This role offers the unique opportunity to independently manage client relationships, make impactful decisions, and truly own your space within the company. As you grow, so will your influence and responsibility, shaping not just deals, but the future of OakNorth in the US. 

In a nutshell, the mission of our Legal Director will focus on transaction execution, and close deals in a timely and efficient manner. The successful candidate will have experience of a wide range of banking and finance transactions, including real estate and structured finance facilities. The candidate will be able to work within tight timelines and will align with the OakNorth values of working as one team with the ambition to deliver a high-quality product to our customers. 

• Instruct and manage external counsel on the drafting of finance documents to accurately reflect Credit approvals on all US transactions. 
• Manage a number of transactions simultaneously and facilitate all conditions precedent to be satisfied taking a risk-based approach.
• Managing Paralegals and juniors to facilitate the execution of transactions simultaneously. 
• Coordinate with borrowers, co-lenders and external third parties to deliver an execution product that delights customers. 
• Work closely with Business Development, Credit, Operations, and Portfolio teams to structure and finalise deals, ensuring consistency with credit terms. 
• Be proficient at transaction management to ensure that all standard operating procedures are complied with. 
• Work with prospective borrowers to agree deal structures and advise the Business Development and Credit teams to ensure structures of deals comply with the terms of the credit sanction. 
• Managing internal stakeholders to align with business targets. 
• Build strong connections with customer and potential customers to develop lasting personal relationships. 
• Ensure that Term Sheets are agreed in a time efficient manner for transactions to be commenced quickly. 
• Advise as to US lending customs and practices. 
• Assist with expanding the US lending platform per OakNorth’s conveyed strategy. 
• Live all OakNorth values and be a culture carrier. 
• Leverage GenAI tools to increase productivity and enhance decision-making processes within the role. 

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to build trusted relationships with:

• Passionate about delivering excellence in service and quality.
• High level attention to detail, project management and organizational ability.
• Outstanding legal and commercial banking expertise across multiple areas of finance (CRE, C&I and structured products including note on note financings).
• Ability to understand and process information quickly and effectively.
• Ability to work outside of comfort zone and develop new areas of proficiency.
• Proactive and personal drive, results driven, team player and ability to be flexible across products and deals.
• Ability to succeed in a culture where change and speed are part of daily work. 

• 401k plan with Principal (ON match up to 4%)
• Medical Care (managed through Insperity) - employees can add their family to their plan if needed
• Dental & Vision bundle
• Insperity Health Savings Account Program - this is a tax-advantaged employee benefit which can help manage health care costs by allowing employees to set aside some of their current earnings on a pretax basis for reimbursement of qualified health care expenses during the plan year
• EAP
• 20 days holiday