Corporate Counsel

ABOUT AIRWALLEX Airwallex is the AI-native financial operating system for a real-time, intelligent economy. More than 675,000 businesses, including McLaren Racing, Qantas, SHEIN, and TikTok, use us, directly or through our platform partners, to run their financial operations or build and monetize financial products of their own. We started in Melbourne in 2015 to build the infrastructure global commerce runs on. We're the regulated backbone behind global payments: not by accident, but by design. A decade plus, 85+ licenses, and a financial infrastructure spanning North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. We're co-headquartered in San Francisco and Singapore, with more than 2,700 people across 27 offices. We hire builders with founder-level energy, people who move fast with good judgment, dig in with real curiosity, and make calls from first principles rather than waiting to be told what to do. Read our operating principles https://www.airwallex.com/en-us/operating-principles to see it in full.   WHAT YOU’LL DO As Associate Corporate Counsel, you will support Airwallex’s growth in the UK by providing practical, business-focused legal advice on corporate, regulatory and commercial matters. You will work closely with Corporate Development on strategic transactions such as fundraising and M&A, partner with UK and regional leaders on new market entry, support license expansion, and help align Airwallex’s global policies and governance with UK and relevant EMEA requirements. You will also advise on marketing, referral and partnership initiatives, ensuring go-to-market activity is compliant and enables ambitious but responsible growth. This role is based in London. RESPONSIBILITIES You will: - Provide clear, pragmatic advice on UK and relevant EMEA legal and regulatory requirements impacting Airwallex entities in the region, helping teams navigate applicable rules while enabling responsible growth. - Support Corporate Development on fundraising rounds and strategic transactions, including due diligence, data rooms, corporate approvals, investment documentation, cap table changes and ongoing governance. - Partner with the business, Regulatory Legal and Regulatory Compliance teams on expansion into and launches in new markets across the UK and EMEA, including regulatory mapping, entity and licensing considerations, and corporate governance requirements. - Work closely with Compliance, Risk and other LRC teams globally to help align Airwallex’s policies, procedures and corporate governance frameworks across jurisdictions, with particular focus on UK requirements. - Draft, review and negotiate referral agreements, marketing and sponsorship agreements, and other commercial arrangements in collaboration with Partnerships, Marketing and GTM teams, ensuring risks are appropriately managed and documented. - Advise on legal issues related to marketing, advertising and promotions, including claims, disclosures, digital campaigns, co-marketing and referral programmes, and support review of customer-facing materials for legal and regulatory compliance. - Coordinate and manage outside counsel on specialised matters in the UK and across EMEA, ensuring advice is high-quality, cost-effective and aligned to Airwallex’s risk appetite and business goals. - Use technology and AI-enabled tools, such as templates, playbooks, contract lifecycle tools and knowledge bases, to increase the speed, consistency and quality of legal work. WHO YOU ARE Airwallex is looking for people who meet the minimum requirements for this role. Preferred qualifications are great to have but are not mandatory. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS You have: - Qualification as a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales, or an equivalent qualification in another UK jurisdiction, and are in good standing with the relevant professional body. - Proven experience in financial services and corporate law, preferably gained at a fast-growing technology or fintech company and/or a top-tier law firm. - Demonstrated interest in financial services regulation and the fintech industry, and willingness to go deep on payments, e-money, money services and related regulatory topics in the UK and EMEA. - In-depth knowledge of, or strong familiarity with, the UK legal and business environment, including how UK legislation, FCA requirements and cross-border rules impact fintech and payments businesses. - Proven experience drafting and negotiating corporate and commercial agreements, with strong written and verbal communication skills that make complex issues clear to non-lawyers. - Strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including Corporate Development, Finance, Product, Compliance, Risk and Marketing, across time zones. - Demonstrated capability in managing and leading outside counsel, including scoping work, controlling costs and consolidating advice into clear recommendations. - Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a practical, business-oriented approach and comfort operating in a fast-paced, high-growth environment. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS It would be great if you also have: - Experience supporting fundraising transactions, M&A or strategic investments, including due diligence and deal execution, ideally in a technology or fintech context. - Prior in-house experience in a fintech, payments or broader financial services company, particularly one operating across the UK and multiple EMEA jurisdictions. - Experience advising on legal issues related to marketing, advertising and promotions, including digital marketing, performance marketing, referral programmes and brand partnerships. - Exposure to UK financial services regulatory frameworks, including the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, the Payment Services Regulations 2017, the Electronic Money Regulations 2011, FCA rules and guidance, and applicable financial promotions requirements. - Experience partnering with Regulatory Legal, Regulatory Compliance or licensing teams on market expansion initiatives and regulatory change. - Comfort using technology, AI and legal operations tools to increase the speed and quality of legal work, for example playbooks, templates, contract lifecycle tools or knowledge bases. LOCATION This role is based in our London office, with hybrid in-office expectations consistent with Airwallex’s local policies. APPLICANT SAFETY POLICY: FRAUD AND THIRD-PARTY RECRUITERS To protect you from recruitment scams, please be aware that Airwallex will not ask for bank details, sensitive ID numbers (i.e. passport), or any form of payment during the application or interview process. All official communication will come from an @airwallex.com http://airwallex.com email address. Please apply only through careers.airwallex.com http://careers.airwallex.com or our official LinkedIn page. Airwallex does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firms/recruiters. Airwallex will not pay any fees to search firms/recruiters if a candidate is submitted by a search firm/recruiter unless an agreement has been entered into with respect to specific open position(s). Search firms/recruiters submitting resumes to Airwallex on an unsolicited basis shall be deemed to accept this condition, regardless of any other provision to the contrary. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY Airwallex is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and anyone seeking employment at Airwallex is considered based on merit, qualifications, competence and talent. We don’t regard color, religion, race, national origin, sexual orientation, ancestry, citizenship, sex, marital or family status, disability, gender, or any other legally protected status when making our hiring decisions. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.