Vanguard
Client-owned investment manager offering low-cost funds
Assistant General Counsel - ERISA and Employee Benefits
Hybrid working model with in-person collaboration; specific office-day frequency is not stated.
About the job
- A Juris Doctor degree and active bar membership are required.
- At least 10 years of relevant experience in a law firm, industry, or government agency is required.
- Deep expertise and experience with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, U.S. tax and employee benefits law, including ERISA fiduciary issues and executive non-qualified deferred compensation, are required.
- The candidate must be able to work independently when dealing with ambiguity and demonstrate significant accomplishments.
- The candidate must have strong verbal and written communication skills, strong leadership skills, exceptional judgment, and relationship management skills.
- The candidate must collaborate with, enable, work through, and influence legal colleagues, in-house corporate partners, and business clients at all levels, including senior management.
- The candidate must foster a team environment by building collaborative, trusting relationships and advancing the development and success of others.
- The candidate must share the company's core values, including high ethical standards, client service, and a strong work ethic.
- Provide employee benefits, tax, and ERISA fiduciary law counseling on U.S. health and welfare, defined contribution retirement savings, and executive compensation programs, as well as global remuneration and bonus programs.
- Coordinate non-U.S. employee benefits law advice for non-U.S. benefits programs as needed.
- Provide counseling and education to internal human resources clients regarding legal, tax, and regulatory considerations and litigation risks when designing, administering, and changing employee benefits programs.
- Maintain expertise regarding laws, regulatory developments, litigation, industry trends, and practices that may affect the company's business and benefit programs.
- Participate in selected conferences and industry forums.
- Conduct legal and factual research as necessary to support legal advice.
- Prepare related summaries, presentations, and other advisory materials.
- Lead, assist with, and support legal and other corporate initiatives.
- Oversee and manage outside counsel work and billing.
- In-house experience is desirable.
- Experience with non-U.S. benefit plans and supporting public policy or government affairs is highly desirable.
About the company
Vanguard offers low-cost investment products and advisory services for individuals, financial advisors, and institutions, including mutual funds, ETFs, IRAs, and 401(k) rollovers. It earns fees based on assets under management and is owned by the funds, which are ultimately owned by the investors, aligning its interests with clients. This client-owned structure helps keep costs down and emphasizes long-term wealth growth and careful risk management. The goal is to help clients achieve their financial goals through prudent investing and cost-efficient management.
Company Size
10,001+
Company Stage
Private
Total Funding
$11.2M
Headquarters
Kline Township, Pennsylvania
Founded
1975
Get referred to Vanguard
See people who can refer or advise you
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- VOO pulled roughly $69 billion of 2026 net inflows, leading global ETFs.
- Vanguard launched three UCITS ETFs on August 23, 2026, widening international distribution.
- Vanguard and Itaú redesigned SPXI11 on August 21, 2026, expanding Brazil exposure.
What critics are saying
- The SEC fined Vanguard $18.2 million on January 17, 2025 for misleading TRF disclosures.
- A federal consumer lawsuit over Vanguard’s $100 exit fee survived scrutiny until February 2026.
- If Altruist integration fails, Fidelity and Schwab keep dominating advisor custody and distribution.
What makes Vanguard unique
- Client-owned structure keeps Vanguard optimizing fees, not external shareholder returns.
- VOO crossed $1 trillion NAV on June 2, 2026, proving unmatched scale.
- August 2026 Altruist deal extends Vanguard into advisor custody and workflow software.
Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?
Benefits
Best-in-class medical, dental & vision coverage
Onsite health clinic & fitness center
Health Smart Rewards program
Vanguard Retirement Savings Plan
Education Benefits
PTO
Family Planning Benefist
Parental leave
Personal development opportunities
Volunteer Time Off
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↑ 8%1 year growth
↑ 8%2 year growth
↑ 8%Catch the latest updates from Australia's premier stock exchange & market indices.
Vanguard is pushing into Fidelity's turf.
Vanguard has entered a definitive agreement to acquire Altruist, an AI-forward wealth technology and custody platform serving financial advisors. The deal, expected to close later this year pending regulatory approvals, aims to expand access to financial advice by enabling advisors to serve more clients efficiently. Vanguard first invested in Altruist in 2020 to increase competition in the registered investment advisor custody space. Following the acquisition, Altruist will operate as a standalone business, retaining its leadership, brand, and operating model whilst gaining access to Vanguard's resources and investment expertise. The transaction terms were not disclosed. Altruist will continue focusing on providing integrated technology solutions for independent financial advisors, combining custody services with portfolio management tools.
Vanguard's S&P 500 ETF (VOO) attracted $4.3 billion during a week when the index fell 0.92%, extending its buy-the-dip pattern. The fund has pulled in roughly $69 billion in net inflows this year, more than any other ETF globally. VOO became the first ETF to cross $1 trillion in net asset value on 2 June 2026. It overtook SPY as the world's largest ETF early in 2025, aided by its 0.03% expense ratio versus SPY's 0.09%. The fund's top 10 positions control approximately 37.6% of total assets. Nvidia, its largest holding at 7.55%, reports earnings on 26 August. Apple, the second-largest position at 7.05%, faces a CEO transition on 1 September when John Ternus replaces Tim Cook.
Vanguard launches three global ETFs. 23 August 2026 Vanguard has expanded its UCITS ETF range with the launch of three new funds. The new ETFs will be listed on the London Stock Exchange, Deutsche Borse, Euronext Amsterdam, Borsa Italiana and SIX Swiss Exchange. The Vanguard FTSE Global All-Cap UCITS ETF is designed to give investors broad exposure to the full investable equity market through a single fund, including large-, mid- and small-cap companies across developed and emerging markets. The Vanguard FTSE Global Small-Cap UCITS ETF provides a dedicated way to add global small-cap exposure, while the Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US UCITS ETF offers an alternative for investors who already hold, or wish to manage separately, their US equity allocation, as well as investors who want broad exposure to developed and emerging markets outside the US. The new ETFs will sit alongside Vanguard's existing FTSE All-World UCITS ETF, which provides exposure to large- and mid-cap companies across developed and emerging markets and form part of Vanguard's broader expansion of its UCITS ETF range in 2026. Jon Cleborne, head of Vanguard Europe, said: "Investors want global equity portfolios that are simple to build, low-cost and flexible enough to meet different allocation needs. "With nearly half of all assets in the global equity UCITS ETF category, Vanguard has become a leading choice for investors seeking straightforward, low-cost global diversification. These new ETFs build on that strength by giving investors more choice in how they access global markets, whether through broad all-cap exposure, dedicated global small-cap exposure, or broad exposure to developed and emerging markets outside the US."