We’re looking for an experienced and proactive Legal Counsel/Advisor to join our team, focusing on critical financial licensing within the EU and other regions. This pivotal role is ideal for a legal professional with a strong background in regulated financial companies, particularly those involved with Electronic Money Institutions (EMIs) or Payment Institutions (PIs).
Your primary mission will be to drive our licensing processes, especially in key markets like the Netherlands, ensuring PayDo’s operations are fully compliant with evolving financial regulations.
Your regular tasks * Drive and be in charge of financial licensing processes in the EU (especially the Netherlands), or other regions * Develop and implement corporate AML policies (not draft ones but adapted for Paydo), policy requirements, and framework * Update compliance programs according to the requirements of the company regulators * Be in charge of regulatory reporting, AML and other relevant audits * Be in charge of company governance policies and regulatory responsibilities updates * Stay abreast of all applicable financial regulations, including banking, EMIs, and PIs * Maintain and open a correspondent and operational bank account(s) * Deal with complex legal requests and RFIs (banks, authorities) * PASEP, anti-money laundering (AML), know your customer (KYC), and data protection laws and implement necessary changes * Record keeping and structuring of the company’s relevant documentation and information * Improve company policies according to applicable regulatory standards across KYB, AML, Anti-Fraud and compliance functions * Draft agreements, such as NDA, MSA, Employment Agreement, Outsourcing agreement, Loan Agreement, Outstaffing Agreement, etc * Serve as a primary liaison for correspondence with local law firms, auditors, and regulators * Conduct audits before relationships with third-party vendors, service providers, financial providers, banks, payment systems and partners * Report regularly to the head of operations on regulatory issues and/or proposals * Lead the response to crises and emergencies, maintaining business continuity and minimising risks
Skills & requirements * Minimum of 3 years of experience in a Legal Counsel/ Legal Advisor/Lawyer position in regulated companies, with a track record of acquiring and maintaining EU/UK EMI, or offshore licenses * Experience in obtaining an EMI license in the Netherlands is a major advantage * Understanding of international corporate law, general tax principles, due diligence for corporate entities, and EU licensing and compliance principles * Proven experience in enhancing company compliance with regulatory obligations, ideally having worked in organisations that transitioned from startup to established enterprise levels * communication with regulators * Experience opening international bank accounts, correspondent bank accounts would be a plus * Experience drafting agreements, such as NDA, MSA, Employment Agreement, etc * Experience dealing with audits, correspondent and corporate bank accounts, etc * Fluent level of English proficiency, Fluent level of Russian or Ukrainian languages * Master’s degree in law
