General Counsel

About us:

BVNK provides modern payment infrastructure for businesses. We unify banks and blockchains in a single platform. With BVNK, businesses can send and receive stablecoin payments, convert between currencies, and add stablecoin payments to their checkout. Using our flexible platform, and robust global licensing and compliance expertise, innovators can launch new payment products quickly and compliantly.

We are a diverse team spread across the UK, Europe, South Africa, the US, and APAC, with a shared belief that all payment flows will interact with crypto in the coming decade, and BVNK will be at the forefront of this transformation of the financial system. We have raised $50M in Series B funding from top investors including Haun Ventures, Tiger Global, and Coinbase Ventures, and we're looking for smart, ambitious people to help us build the next generation of payments. 

We're incredibly honored to have made Newsweek's list of The Top 100 Global Most Loved Workplaces 2 years running (2023 and 2024) and to have been recognized by LinkedIn as one of the Top 20 Startups in the UK in 2024.

About this role in the team:

BVNK is at the forefront of next-generation payment solutions, and we’re seeking a General Counsel (GC) to join our team. The GC will serve as the company's US legal advisor, overseeing all legal and regulatory matters. As a key member of the US executive leadership team, the GC will play a critical role in guiding the company through a complex and dynamic regulatory landscape in the payments and fintech industries, supporting its growth strategy, and mitigating legal risks. This role requires an experienced legal professional with a deep understanding of payments, financial technology, compliance, and corporate governance.

Key Areas of Responsibilities:

Legal Strategy & Leadership:

• Develop and implement the company’s US legal strategy to support growth while managing risk.
• Advise executive leadership and the board of directors on all legal and regulatory matters.
• Build and lead the internal US legal team, including external counsel relationships where necessary.

Regulatory Compliance:

• Ensure the company’s full compliance with relevant federal, state, and international laws governing the payments and fintech sectors.
• Monitor regulatory developments and provide proactive guidance on their potential impact on the business.
• Liaise with regulatory agencies, financial institutions, and other key stakeholders.

Corporate Governance & Risk Management:

• Oversee US corporate governance matters, ensuring adherence to best practices.
• Develop and maintain risk mitigation policies and procedures to safeguard the company’s operations.
• Support the US board of directors, including preparation of board materials and participation in board meetings.

Commercial & Contractual Matters:

• Draft, negotiate, and review key commercial contracts, including partnerships, vendor agreements, and client arrangements.
• Provide legal guidance on product development, marketing strategies, and customer agreements to ensure compliance.

Dispute Resolution & Litigation:

• Manage legal disputes, litigation, and arbitration proceedings, collaborating with external counsel as necessary.
• Develop strategies to resolve conflicts efficiently while protecting the company’s interests.

Team Leadership & Collaboration:

• Build strong relationships across the business, partnering with product, compliance, finance, and operational teams to drive strategic objectives.
• Lead and mentor a high-performing legal team to support business initiatives.
• Collaborate with the group legal team on cross functional or group matters.
• Contribute to the group’s legal knowledge management by sharing insights on U.S. legal developments, precedents, and best practices.
• Act as the primary liaison between the U.S. legal function and the group legal team to ensure alignment on global legal strategies, policies, and compliance efforts.

What we need from you:

• Minimum of 8+ years of legal experience, including 3+ years in-house, ideally within fintech, payments, or technology sectors.
• Strong expertise in commercial law, with experience negotiating and structuring strategic agreements.
• Proven track record of providing legal guidance for product and business development teams in a highly regulated sector. 
• Regulatory acumen and in-depth knowledge of US regulatory frameworks, especially those related to financial services, payments and emerging trends in fintech; working knowledge of  global regulatory frameworks across these areas.
• Ability to interpret, anticipate, and adapt to evolving regulations across multiple different jurisdictions  at the federal, state, and local levels.
• Ability to excel in a fast-paced environment, demonstrating excellent judgment and adaptability.
• Exceptional project management skills, with the capacity to handle competing priorities under tight deadlines.
• A genuine passion for technology and strong business acumen, with the ability to quickly grasp complex product use cases.
• Expertise in translating legal concepts into practical, actionable guidance for product and business teams.
• Strong drafting and communication skills, ensuring clear and effective legal documents and stakeholder interactions.
• Executive presence and a proven ability to lead and grow high-performing legal teams.

What you can expect from us:

• Fair and competitive salary at every stage of your growth
• Meaningful ownership in the business through our employee option scheme
• Flexible working hours, with hybrid working at its heart
• A culture built on passionate growth minded people
• A flexible approach to holiday
• Opportunities to travel to our offices around the world, in locations such as London and Cape Town, to collaborate with your colleagues 
• An open and creative environment where you can help us define the future of BVNK, it’s culture, and it’s opportunity sets

At BVNK, we are focused on building a diverse and inclusive team. While you may not meet all of our requirements, we’d encourage you to apply if you meet the majority of our expectations. You may be a great fit for this role or another role in our team.