Company Description

Visa is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating more than 215 billion payments transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories each year. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive.

When you join Visa, you join a culture of purpose and belonging – where your growth is priority, your identity is embraced, and the work you do matters. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere. Your work will have a direct impact on billions of people around the world – helping unlock financial access to enable the future of money movement.

Join Visa: A Network Working for Everyone.

Job Description

The Visa CEMEA Legal team manages Visa's legal affairs in the CEMEA region. Our team provides advice and services to ensure business goals are successfully met and that Visa's brand and reputation are protected while minimizing legal liability and regulatory risks. Our vision entails each legal professional living the guiding principles to be a proactive partner who never loses sight of his/her responsibility to protect the company.

What a Senior Counsel in Legal does at Visa:

The position is for a seasoned attorney to join Visa's legal team in CEMEA region to support Visa's Products and Solutions as well as VAS functions including areas of commercial and money movement solutions, core and digital products, tokenization, mobile applications, transfers and other related matters, as well as support with their implementation in CEMEA markets. The position will report to the Senior Managing Counsel, Legal based in Dubai, who is the lead lawyer for Visa products and solutions, marketing, sourcing and commercial, money movement solutions in CEMEA.

The applicant should ideally have experience in technology, payments, banking, finance and regulatory laws and be able to understand the specifics of Visa business model and technology, to assess existing and new solutions, develop contractual templates, practically identify and mitigate risks of the organization. The applicant must have solid technical legal skills with practical commercial/legal risk judgment and be able to juggle multiple priorities in a fast paced and challenging, but rewarding, environment. 

We are looking for a strong legal advisor and commercial lawyer with excellent analytical, structuring and communication skills, who is self-motivated and willing to work reasonably hard.

In this role, you are expected to:

• Provide counseling and advice to Visa teams regarding assessment and structuring of solutions, regulatory requirements, and common approaches
• Advise on dealings with partners for product/solution development initiatives and other arrangements including creating contractual frameworks
• Be a dedicated resource/go to lawyer for various business functions including our Visa Products and Solutions as well as Commercial and Money Movement teams
• Draft, review and negotiate a broad range of commercial contracts as well as develop and manage regional templates/standard documents or adapt Visa lobal or regional documents to CEMEA requirements
• Assist in regulatory and product assessments on various existing and potential Visa products and solutions and related matters across the region and be an effective strategic advisor to the business
• Where required, coordinate and supervise outside counsels for timeliness, cost-effectiveness, and excellence of service and work product
• Monitor regulatory developments and advise on impact thereof on the business
• Role to be located in Visa’s office in Dubai, UAE.

Why this is important to Visa

The Senior Counsel will play a key role as a trusted advisor in some of the most important pillars of Visa’s growth and strategy. This role is critical in ensuring that legal risks are identified and managed efficiently with relevant stakeholders while enabling our business to innovate and push across new frontiers (particularly in the fast-evolving technology, innovation, and data space).

S/he can look forward to being a key representative of a high performing Legal team in advising and managing projects that drive innovation and ethical use of data. Position involves proactive work with global, regional and functional colleagues on deployment of projects and developments as well as active participation in developing and improving policies and processes to meet business objectives.

This is a hybrid position. Hybrid employees can alternate time between both remote and office. Employees in hybrid roles are expected to work from the office 2-3 set days a week (determined by leadership/site), with a general guidepost of being in the office 50% or more of the time based on business needs.

Qualifications

• Law degree and qualification which allows for in house practice in the applicable jurisdiction
• Minimum 10+ years PQE with an international law firm or a multinational business organization
• Excellent written and oral English required, fluent Arabic speaker preferred
• Transactional background (commercial, technology, IP) with significant experience in drafting and negotiating a wide array of commercial agreements
• Excellent legal analytical skills with the ability to integrate legal advice and business knowledge, while providing balanced assessment of risks and benefits
• Demonstrated ability to manage and drive complex commercial and technology transactions, including internationally driven deals
• Must be able to work independently and interface with different level stakeholders with little or no supervision, but also be a good team player
• Strong academic credentials, including a degree from a well-recognized and reputable law school
• Ability to work cross-functionally within the organization to implement projects
• Experience working in a US/multinational/ highly matrix organisation is preferred
• Have a global mindset and the ability to work well in a dynamic and deadline-oriented environment
• Must be able to live and work in Dubai, UAE
• Some travel may be required

Additional Information

Visa is an EEO Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status. Visa will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with EEOC guidelines and applicable local law.