Legal Director - Payments
London, England, United Kingdom
At PPRO, our mission is to simplify access to local payment methods and our vision is to enable the sale of goods and services to anyone in the world using their preferred way to pay. We empower partners such as Ant Group, PayPal and Stripe to access new markets, connect with more customers, and accelerate their growth.
Purpose
We are seeking an exceptional Legal Director specialising in global Payments to lead our international legal function and serve as a key business partner to the leadership team. Reporting into the Chief Legal Compliance Risk Officer, you will lead and develop our legal strategy, ensuring PPRO’s activities align with and promote PPRO’s commercial objectives, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices.
You will drive operational efficiency and scalability across the international legal function by championing the implementation of technology to streamline processes, governance, and compliance frameworks worldwide.
You will be directly responsible for the leadership, development, and optimisation of our high-impact international legal team of 10+ professionals spanning Europe, LATAM, and the US. This responsibility involves mentoring, empowering, and fostering a culture of ownership and deep collaboration, ensuring the team provides proactive, integrated support and acts as an embedded strategic partner to our Product, Commercial, and Compliance leadership.
Key responsibilities
* Commercial contract negotiations: Drive the negotiation and execution of commercial agreements, focusing on high‑value, complex arrangements.
* Regulatory oversight: Stay abreast of industry trends, legal developments, and regulatory changes, advising the organisation on potential impacts and ensuring proactive compliance measures.
* Disputes and contentious matters: Lead PPRO’s response to third‑party related disputes, protecting the company’s reputation and assets.
* Cross‑functional collaboration: Collaborate closely with stakeholders across the business, particularly Commercial, Product, and Compliance, to integrate legal considerations into business strategies and decision‑making.
* External relationships: Oversee relationships with external legal partners, ensuring efficient and cost‑effective collaboration and representation of the company's legal interests.
Qualifications
* Qualified legal professional.
* Proven leadership experience: 10+ years in a leadership role, demonstrating success in building or leading legal teams in fast‑paced, growth‑oriented environments.
* Experience in financial services is required; substantial payments experience preferred.
* Commercial negotiation expertise: Extensive experience in negotiating and drafting complex commercial contracts.
* Regulatory knowledge: In‑depth understanding of payment regulations and compliance requirements across Europe, APAC, and LATAM/US.
* Excellent communication skills: Strong interpersonal skills to collaborate effectively with diverse teams and stakeholders.
Attributes
* Bias for action: Comfort with ambiguity and relentless focus on delivering business value.
* Technologically empowered: Advocate for technology and automation to optimise processes and knowledge management.
* Team builder: Proven ability to attract, develop, and retain top‑tier legal talent, fostering a collaborative international team ethos.
* Adaptability: Thrives in a constantly evolving fintech environment, supporting rapid scale and diverse products.
What's in it for you?
* Hybrid working: 3 days per week onsite; 28‑day holiday allowance and work‑from‑abroad policy for up to 30 additional days per year.
* Learning and development: £1,000 annual budget for professional growth, leadership cafés, on‑the‑job training, and other development opportunities.
* Insurance: Medical insurance (BUPA health care plan) and a 5% matching pension plan through Now Pensions.
* Enhanced family leave: Support for key life moments.
* Workplace nursery scheme: Salary‑exchange savings on childcare.
* Gym membership: Company contribution to your gym membership.
* Mental health platform: Access to therapy, chat therapy, courses, guided meditations, and more.
* Pet‑friendly office and HQ located on Procter Street near Holborn, Farringdon, and Covent Garden.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analysing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. For more information about how your data is processed, please refer to our Candidate Privacy Policy at https://www.ppro.com/candidate-privacy-policy/.
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