Banking and Finance Lawyer - specialized in Hungarian law

Banking and Finance Lawyer - specialized in Hungarian law
Region: Luxembourg
Required experience: 5 years
Environment: Public sector
Contract: Permanent position (Full-time)

Company description

The European Investment Bank was created by the Treaty of Rome in 1958 as the long-term lending bank of the European Union. The task of the Bank is to contribute towards the integration, balanced development and economic and social cohesion of the EU Member States.


This position is based at our Luxembourg headquarters and requires regular office presence. The EIB offers you the opportunity to live and work in a truly international and multi-cultural environment.  We also offer relocation support.

The EIB, the European Union's bank, is seeking to recruit for its Legal Directorate (JU) – EU Operations Department (OPS-EU) – Central Europe Division (CE) – Southern Central Europe Unit (SCE) at its headquarters in Luxembourg, a Banking and Finance Lawyer – specialized in Hungarian Law*

This is a full-time temporary position at grade 5 for which the EIB offers a permanent contract.

*Internal benchmark Officer Legal Services

Panel interviews are anticipated for February 2026.

Purpose

The Southern and Central Europe (SCE) Unit of the Central Europe Division is part of the Legal Department of the EIB and is an integral part of the bank’s operations in Central European region. The SCE Unit plays a crucial role in providing legal advice to the EIB in various types of lending operations. SCE Unit works closely with various counterparts, ranging from member states, local municipalities and banks to corporate organisations of all sizes and from all eligible sectors. The SCE Unit’s expertise extends to all types of lending operations, including secured and non-secured transaction, structured finance and asset finance. By providing legal advice and support in these areas, the SCE Unit ensures that EIB’s lending operations in Southern and Central Europe comply with applicable law and regulations while mitigating legal risks. The SCE Unit is at the heart of lending operations and financial products in the following seven countries: Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Croatia. These countries represent a significant portion of the EIB’s lending portfolio in Europe and are vital for promoting economic development and cohesion in the SCE region. 

As a Banking and Finance Lawyer, you will provide legal advice on lending operations in relation to, in particular, the EIB projects in Hungary, but opportunities may also arise to advise on projects in other jurisdictions where the SCE Unit operates. 

Your day-to-day work will involve activities of various complexity and recurring (e.g. advise on standard loan agreements; share knowledge) as well as non-standard nature (e.g. research in connection with new products; advise under the general supervision of the Head of Unit on more complex structured finance transactions; taking instructions from the Head of Unit on highly sophisticated and complex legal matters).

Operating Network

You will report to the Head of Unit and you will collaborate with other lawyers from the SCE Unit and the Legal Directorate. You will also co-operate with colleagues from other Directorates (mainly Operations, Projects Directorate, Portfolio Management and Monitoring) as well as with the external counterparts (e.g. external legal counsels, borrowers, guarantors, etc.).

Accountabilities

  • Draft and negotiate legal documentation for financing operations and guarantees for: 
    • projects in the jurisdictions where the SCE Unit operates, notably bilateral loans with banking sector and/or corporates and/or public sector counterparties and relevant security documents;
    • structured finance (including securitisations), risk sharing operations, with or without the assistance of external legal counsel. 
  • Offer legal advice on all matters related to the EIB’s lending operations, both prior and after financial close (including structuring of transactions, drafting of documents, participation in negotiations, execution of contracts, completion (or supervision of completion) of all related legal formalities and legal monitoring (including loan restructuring and other post-signature tasks). 
  • Manage contacts and negotiations with the Bank’s clients and their legal counsels.
  • Take care of the administrative formalities vis-à-vis the Bank’s clients, which have legal nature or have legal implications.
  • Liaise with external counsels whenever necessary.
  • Support and share knowledge with less experienced colleagues on operations.
  • Proactively keep up to date with legal developments in legislation, regulations and contribute to research and legal studies on matters of law arising in connection with the Bank's operations 
  • Build and maintain relationships within the Bank, its clients and external legal advisers.

Qualifications

  • University degree in law in Hungary, minimum an equivalent to a Bachelor, and preferably at Master level 
  • Professional legal qualification and/or experience in Hungarian law would be a distinct advantage
  • Minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in the field of banking and/or project financing, specifically advising on lending transactions, and preferably acquired with a law firm of international reputation or the in-house legal department of a banking/financial institution 
  • Expertise in drafting and negotiating finance documents in English
  • Excellent knowledge of English and/or French (***) with a good command of the other. Good knowledge of Hungarian language is required.

Deadline for applications: 16th January 2026.

Google Maps
Google Maps