Commercial Counsel - Payments

About the Job

We are seeking an experienced Commercial Counsel with strong payments expertise to join our team, providing strategic legal counsel and driving complex commercial transactions in the fast-evolving payments space.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to senior leaders of the commercial, product, and marketing teams, delivering pragmatic legal counsel that balances risk with commercial objectives to support business growth.

• Lead negotiations on company's most complex and strategic commercial agreements related to payments, cards, and fintech partnerships, managing all stages from drafting and negotiation through to execution.

• Mentor, and develop junior to mid-level legal professionals across the Commercial, Marketing & IP legal teams, cultivating a high-performance team and strengthening the legal department's capabilities.

• Proactively monitor legal and regulatory developments in payments and fintech across relevant jurisdictions to ensure compliance and implement forward-looking risk management strategies.

• Drive operational excellence by refining and standardizing legal processes, playbooks, and frameworks for the global commercial teams.

• Oversee external counsel relationships and budgets efficiently, ensuring cost-effective and high-quality legal support.

Requirements

• Qualified lawyer in the UK, US, or another common law jurisdiction.

• 8+ years post-qualification experience, with significant in-house experience at a leading technology, fintech, or fast-paced global company.

• Proven track record of leading and negotiating complex, high-stakes commercial transactions, with a strong focus on payments, cards, or related fintech sectors.

• Exceptional business acumen with a strong ability to provide pragmatic, solution-oriented legal advice.

• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, with proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and collaborate effectively across global teams.