The role

We’re approaching ‘Legal Risk’ in Financial Services in a new way:

• We are ready to serve everyone, if we wanted to - we ensure Legal Risk does not constrain the business but empowers it to achieve its goals;
• We create the best possible customer experience - we want our customers (both internal and external) to look forward to going through our processes; and
• We aim to automate wherever possible - we don’t like inefficiencies nor do we believe that real risk mitigation is achieved by throwing people at the problem.

The Legal Function is at the forefront of GoCardless’ expansion. We must ensure that GoCardless adopts, implements and maintains forward-thinking and appropriate processes and controls, often coming across new challenges or issues that require innovative solutions.

What excites you

• As Legal Counsel (2 to 5 years of PQE), you will focus on a number of legal areas and advise UK teams across the business.
• You will take a consultative approach and work closely with the business- never working alone, or able to concentrate on purely legal issues. As a member of a busy legal team you will also be expected to contribute to team-wide initiatives.
• Some of the main elements of the role will involve:
• Working with Product Counsel to draft early access terms for new product
• Adapting existing and/or creating new legal documents (including process documents) for the launch of new products
• Supporting and advising on sales of GC services
• Working on specific projects, for example when we roll out new templates
• Reviewing and negotiating customer, partnership and PSP contracts by providing pragmatic and commercial support
• Supervising paralegals on specific files
• Instructing and managing external legal counsel
• Building out and maintaining self-help tools, playbooks and guides for the legal team and for the wider business
• Focusing on constant process improvement related to high volume work - for example by iterating our contracting automation and management workflows
• Being prepared to deal with any legal issue, at any time.

What excites us

We’re looking for a lawyer with private practice training and/or in-house experience in a fast-paced environment. You will be driven, able to work independently and able to apply your existing knowledge and approach across a very wide range of legal (and quasi-legal) areas.

As a technology business, it helps if you have had experience in a similar area, or perhaps you have a keen interest in tech outside of your day to day work.

We’d love to hear from you if:

• You grasp new legal concepts quickly, and are not afraid to use your common sense
• You have a good working knowledge of the payment services regulatory framework (PSRs)
• You have some experience and appetite for legal project work
• You are able to appropriately challenge ways of working and not be afraid to ask why?
• You are a self-starter who is proactive and you are willing to roll up your sleeves to get the job done
• Your communication skills are first class, and you are able to distil complex and cumbersome legalese into understandable English
• You love tech and tools, and love exploring how they can contribute to efficiency and customer experience.
• You enjoy project management and thrive on operational efficiency.
• You do not take yourself seriously and like laughing
• You are easy to work with, and want to work in a fun, fast-growing and challenging environment.

Bonus points if:

• You have knowledge of FCA requirements for payment services
• You have experience with selling and supporting SaaS solutions
• You can explain what an API is.