Sr. Associate Counsel (Commercial and Money Movement Solutions) Asia Pacific

Visa is a world leader in payments and technology, with over 259 billion payments transactions flowing safely between consumers, merchants, financial institutions, and government entities in more than 200 countries and territories each year. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable, and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses, and economies to thrive while driven by a common purpose – to uplift everyone, everywhere by being the best way to pay and be paid.

Make an impact with a purpose-driven industry leader. Join us today and experience Life at Visa.

Team Summary

The Visa Asia Pacific Legal team manages Visa's legal affairs in the Asia Pacific region. Our team provides advice and services to ensure business goals are successfully met and that Visa's brand and reputation are protected while minimizing legal liability and regulatory risk. Our vision entails each legal professional living the guiding principles to be a proactive partner who never loses sight of his/her responsibility to protect the company.

What a Senior Associate Counsel (Commercial and Money Movement Solutions) Asia Pacific in Legal does at Visa:

The position is for a highly motivated and skilled attorney to join Visa's growing legal team. You will be a key regulatory and commercial legal lead supporting the Visa business teams as they expand their commercial and money movement solutions, licensing footprint, and product offerings to enhance value for traditional bank/FI clients as well as develop new clients/partners/business streams in the evolving payment ecosystem. You will focus on supporting regulatory reviews, licensing applications and commercial negotiations in the areas of new money movement flows, innovative commercial products, value added services, and other financial/technology products.

You will report to the Vice President Legal (Asia Pacific) and will be expected to work closely and in collaboration with Visa lawyers across geographies and functional support areas, including the Visa lawyers in from the US headquarters and other international offices.

You should have both solid technical knowledge as well as practical experience in banking/financial institution regulatory regimes (with a focus on, but not limited to, licensing and outsourcing regimes), in Singapore (and preferably, in addition, other jurisdictions in the Asia Pacific) and have experience in conducting and leading contractual negotiations.  You should also be well versed in commercial, technology and IP laws, and be able to apply this experience to your role in Visa by being a sound and practical legal advisor to the business.   You must have excellent risk judgment and analytical capability, and be a strong and efficient communicator, with the ability to juggle multiple priorities in a fast paced and challenging, but rewarding, environment. 

In this role, you are expected to:

• Advise on local and cross-border regulatory compliance issues concerning regulations across the Asia Pacific region as applicable to existing or new Visa products/initiatives (including FI licensing, outsourcing, payments and open data regulations).
• Advise on local and cross-border regulatory issues across the Asia Pacific region relating to new products services or functions, particularly in relation to the integration of new money movement flows/commercial solutions and products.  
• Assist with in-flight and new-to-market licensing applications, working with in-market legal colleagues and external counsel, to advise on regulatory, compliance, safeguarding, marketing, structural and other strategic licensing issues.
• Assist on engagement with regulators in relation to existing licensed entities and pending license application, as well as respond to regulatory enquiries on existing or new business activities, or product initiatives.
• Be the lead counsel driving commercial negotiations on both the client facing as well as supply side, including with banking / payment service intermediary partners and vendors/suppliers.
• Draft, negotiate and drive to completion complex commercial, technology, or strategic partnership agreements in support of business objectives.
• Provide advice and guidance to business and product teams regarding deal structures and key risks and proactively identify and resolve legal issues/risks.
• Travel internationally as needed.
• Possess strong inter-personal skills including the ability to communicate complex legal issues (and relevant solutions/recommendations), clearly and practically to the business.

Why this is important to Visa

The Senior Associate Counsel will play a key role as a trusted advisor to our commercial money movement solutions and products businesses that represent some of the most important pillars of Visa’s future growth and strategy. This role is critical in enabling our business to innovate and push across new frontiers (particularly in terms of cross-border money movement capabilities, licensing footprint and fast-evolving technology products), while ensuring that both supply and client facing contracts and negotiations are managed efficiently with relevant stakeholders.

The Senior Associate Counsel can look forward to being a key representative of a high performing Legal team in advising and managing projects that drive innovation and development within the payments industry.

Projects you will be a part of:

You will be a member of a regional legal team that works at the cutting edge of new payment technologies, innovation and the fintech industry in an increasingly regulated environment, which brings unique and novel challenges in the commercial/technology law space

This is a hybrid position. Hybrid employees can alternate time between both remote and office. Employees in hybrid roles are expected to work from the office 2-3 set days a week (determined by leadership/site), with a general guidepost of being in the office 50% or more of the time based on business needs.

What you will need:

We are looking for a strong lawyer who brings of breadth of experience and knowledge of the industry and our business. As a candidate, you should:

• Have 6-8 years PQE in regulatory and transactions experience (including bank/FI licensing and outsourcing regimes), some of which at a top tier law firm or MNC will be preferred
• Have outstanding academic credentials, including a degree from a well-recognized and reputable law school
• Be able to work independently and interface with executive level stakeholders with little or no supervision, but also be a good team player
• Be a practical and proactive problem-solver, must have a strong business acumen and be confident, mature and calm under fire
• Demonstrate the ability to communicate clearly and concisely with multiple stakeholders including senior executives.
• Demonstrate an ability to manage and drive complex commercial and technology transactions, including international and regional deals.
• Have a strong understanding of banking and payments regulation and laws in multiple jurisdictions in Asia.
• Have excellent legal analytical skills with the ability to integrate legal advice and business knowledge, while providing balanced advice regarding risks and benefits.
• Be admitted to practice in a Commonwealth jurisdiction is preferred.

Visa is an EEO Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status. Visa will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with EEOC guidelines and applicable local law.