Senior Legal Counsel

Company Description

Visa is a world leader in payments and technology, with over 259 billion payments transactions flowing safely between consumers, merchants, financial institutions, and government entities in 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 while driven by a common purpose – to uplift everyone, everywhere by being the best way to pay and be paid.

Make an impact with a purpose-driven industry leader. Join us today and experience Life at Visa.

Job Description

Team Summary

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

What a Senior Counsel does at Visa:

The position is for a seasoned business and commercial lawyer to join Visas AP legal team that supports Visas businesses responsible for mainland China and the other designated market(s) in Greater China. The position will be based in Shanghai and will report to the head of Visa Greater China Legal team.

We are looking for a strong commercial lawyer with excellent communication and analytical skills, who is self-motivated, able to work proactively and independently, and who has the skillset and leadership mindset to effectively interact with business units and other support functions at all levels across Visa to influence business directions and bring about positive outcomes.

The applicant should ideally have experience in commercial business law and be able to draft robustly and to a high standard. The applicant must have solid technical legal skills with good commercial and legal risk judgment and be able to juggle multiple priorities in a fast paced and challenging, but rewarding, environment. Prior payments experience is not required, although the applicant must be willing to learn Visas business model and the payments industry.

In this role, you are expected to:

• Provide counseling and advice to business teams regarding deal structures and approaches to addressing issues.

• Work closely with business teams to review and advise using exceptional risk-based judgement on commercial and contractual enhancements and new business initiatives, as well as day to day commercial related matters.

• Draft, negotiate and drive to completion complex commercial, technology, and strategic partnership agreements that achieve business objectives.

• Be an effective representative and stakeholder for the AP Legal team in the global legal office, and liaise and cooperate with other members of the global and regional Visa legal team.

• Assist in regulatory and government engagements and consultations on payment regulations across mainland China and the other designated market(s) and be an effective strategic advisor to the business and government engagement teams.

• Advise on labor laws and regulations in mainland China and support local People team to solve the complex employment related issues.

• Perform such other responsibilities as may be assigned by the Greater China Legal Head or Chief Counsel for Asia Pacific.

Why this is important to Visa

The Senior Counsel plays a crucial role in influencing business directions and bringing about positive outcomes. He or she ensure that Visas business operations are compliant with the local laws and regulations. His or her expertise helps protect Visas interests and paves the way for growth and expansion.

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 What you will need:

We are looking for a strong leader who brings of breadth of experience and knowledge of the industry and our business. As a candidate, you should have:

• 10+ years of post-qualification legal experience with commercial legal experience in private practice and in-house with multinationals, qualified to practice law in China.
• Strong academic credentials, with excellent analytical skills and good commercial sense.
• Be able to work independently and interface with executive level stakeholders with little or no supervision, but also be a good team player.
• A practical and proactive problem-solver, must have a strong business acumen and be confident, mature and calm under stress.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and drive complex commercial and technology transactions, including internationally driven deals.
• Excellent command of written and spoken English and Chinese required, strong understanding of complex legal issues in China.

What will also help:

• Experience with payment or banking industry.
• Familiar with legal practice in Greater China and Asia Pacific region.
• International experience preferred, but a desire to expand knowledge of regional laws and legal systems can substitute.
• Good knowledge of privacy law, intellectual property law, antitrust law and anti-bribery laws preferred.

Projects you will be a part of:

As a Senior Counsel, you will be involved in various projects related to deal structures, commercial and contractual enhancements, new business initiatives, and regulatory and government engagements. You will also advise on labor laws and regulations in mainland China and support the local People team to solve complex employment-related issues. 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.