Senior Legal Counsel (Fixed Term Contract) -- LNE & E-Money in London

Position Title: Senior Legal Counsel (Fixed Term Contract) — LNE & E-Money

EML is a global leader in providing innovative payment solutions. Our legal team is pivotal in ensuring compliance and delivering strategic legal advice across our e-money and Limited Network Exemption (LNE) programmes. Reporting to the Head of Legal, UK and Europe, you will provide expert support on complex contracts and regulatory matters in a dynamic, fast-paced fintech environment.

Key Responsibilities:

· Collaborate with commercial, product, compliance, risk, finance, and operations teams to accelerate speed to revenue, support business growth, and deliver timely launches.

· Support the structuring and launch of new business models, providing legal guidance on innovative product and partnership structures

· Draft, review, negotiate, and close commercial agreements for e-money and LNE programmes.

· Update and standardise legacy agreements to current templates and regulatory expectations.

· Lead legal workstreams to get the business ready to comply with new UK safeguarding rules for e-money institutions

· Draft, negotiate, and advise on intragroup outsourcing agreements, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and alignment with group policies.

· Partner with Compliance on regulatory correspondence ensuring contracts and disclosures align with supervisory expectations.

· Maintain and uplift legal templates, clause libraries, playbooks, and fallback positions for payments programmes.

Qualifications:

· Qualified lawyer (England & Wales or Ireland preferred) with 7+ years PQE in commercial/technology or payments contracts; in-house experience in a regulated environment desirable.

· Experience with card issuing, payments, electronic money, KYB/AML, and regulator engagement (UK/EU).

· Demonstrated expertise in LNE (Limited Network Exemption) and e-money (EMI) regimes, including structuring, negotiating, and updating contracts for LNE card programmes and e-money products.

· Strong working knowledge of UK Payment Services Regulations 2017, Electronic Money Regulations 2011, and PSD2 (EU) 2015/2366.

· Experience with government procurement contracts and RFPs, including public sector frameworks, call-off contracts, and competitive tendering processes desirable.

· Experience drafting and negotiating intragroup outsourcing agreements, with a strong understanding of regulatory expectations for outsourcing in financial services.

· Experience supporting or advising on platform migrations is welcome.

· Excellent research, analytical, and organisational skills.

· Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

· High level of professionalism and confidentiality.

What’s in it for You….?

Recharge and Give Back: 25 days annual leave, 2 volunteering days, your birthday off – plus 5 extra ‘Take5’ days when you’ve used your core leave!

Global Opportunities: Collaborate across Australia, the UK, North America, and Europe – with secondment opportunities available.

Work Your Way: Hybrid working that fits your lifestyle and empowers smarter working.

Family First: Enhanced family leave options with 12-weeks full pay for Primary Caregivers, and 4-weeks full pay for Secondary Caregivers.

Invest in You: We cover your professional memberships and offer a competitive pension scheme*.

Wellbeing Matters: Private medical insurance, long-term illness cover, and life assurance.

Perks & Rewards: Short-term bonus scheme*, Cycle2Work, 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme, and exclusive discounts via Spectrum.Life’s BenefitsHub.

EEO Statement

EML Payments provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training