Senior Legal Counsel (Payments / Acquiring)
About the Role
We are looking for a corporate lawyer with hands-on experience in payment systems and acquiring who will take ownership of building and supporting the legal infrastructure of a payment company operating in the EU.
The role includes legal support of acquiring operations, management of contractual frameworks with merchants and partners, collaboration with acquiring banks, PSPs, and EMI/PI institutions, as well as oversight of regulatory and operational risks in a high-volume payment environment.
We are seeking a specialist who understands the specifics of acquiring business models and can design legally robust operational frameworks for a payment company.
Key Responsibilities
Payments & Acquiring Contractual Work
• Drafting, reviewing, and supporting:
• Merchant Agreements
• Processing Agreements
• Acquiring Agreements
• PSP / Payment Facilitator Agreements
• Agreements with BIN sponsors and acquiring banks
• Agreements with APM providers
• Developing legally sound contractual frameworks for merchants and partners
• Structuring cooperation terms considering payment industry risks
Merchant Portfolio Risk Management
• Structuring contractual provisions related to:
• chargebacks
• fraud management
• rolling reserves
• termination clauses
• high-risk merchant categories
• MCC controls
• Minimizing legal and financial risks within the merchant portfolio
• Designing legally sustainable acquiring models
Legal Infrastructure of the Payment Business
• Collaboration with acquiring banks, PSPs, and EMI / PI institutions
• Supporting BIN sponsorship models
• Preparing intercompany agreements
• Structuring commission models and revenue sharing arrangements
• Legal support for scaling processing volume
• Identifying regulatory risks and developing mitigation strategies
Corporate & Operational Legal Support
• Drafting NDA and Non-Circumvention agreements within the acquiring context
• Preparing non-solicitation and limited non-compete frameworks
• Developing claim and dispute handling models for contested transactions
• Supporting disputes with merchants and partners
• Providing legal guidance on operational and business matters
Requirements
• Law degree
• 4–5+ years of experience in payments, acquiring, fintech, or financial services
• Practical experience with acquiring agreements and payment infrastructure
• Strong understanding of:
• acquiring banks
• PSP / Payment Facilitators
• EMI / PI institutions
• BIN sponsorship models
• Knowledge of chargeback mechanisms, fraud risks, and merchant risk management
• International contract experience
• English — Upper-Intermediate (B2+) or higher
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment
Nice to Have
• Experience in high-risk acquiring segments
• Experience launching payment products or scaling processing volumes
• In-house experience in fintech or payment companies
• Experience with EU jurisdictions
We Offer
• Opportunity to participate in building international payment infrastructure
• Work in a fast-growing fintech company
• Remote work format
• Competitive compensation (negotiable based on experience)
• Opportunity to influence the legal architecture of the business
Hiring Process
• HR Interview
• Technical / Legal Interview
• Final Interview with Leadership
If you are interested, please send your CV in English.