Legal and Compliance Manager

About PayJoy
PayJoy is a mission-first financial service provider dedicated to helping under-served customers in emerging markets to achieve financial stability and success. We lend through our patented technology that turns a smartphone into digital collateral, and our cutting-edge machine learning, data science, and anti-fraud AI allow us to offer the lowest cost and qualify the most customers in the industry. As of 2025 we have brought billions of dollars in credit to 15 million customers, doubling in the last two years while remaining strongly profitable and sustainable for the long term.

This role
The Legal & Compliance Manager is responsible for ensuring PayJoy's adherence to applicable laws, regulations and internal policies, ensure contractual corporate obligations are met and draft and revise contracts, oversee company's intellectual property, support litigation, and meeting evolving legal and regulatory standards in financial regulatory compliance, licensing, and engagement with regulatory authorities.

Responsibilities

• Strategy. Lead and support the company's legal strategy for business expansion in-country, participating in the company's regional expansion and ensuring alignment with the global legal and compliance program.
• Provide strategic advice, legal risk assessments and mitigation strategies to the business leadership and the management team. In collaboration with the executive management, manage various complex legal projects.
• Legal. Provide legal services and guidance to the organization, including in matters related to licensing, product advisory, Intellectual Property protection, managing and negotiating a wide range of business contracts, labour law and company law, amongst others.
• Lead dispute resolution, litigation management, and regulatory investigations when necessary. Support corporate structuring and any M&A activities as the company scales.
• Compliance. Oversee compliance with regulatory requirements, including financial crime, data protection, corporate governance and local legislation. Acting as CCO, DPO and MLRO, develop and implement local legal and compliance frameworks harmonized with the company's global compliance infrastructure.
• Develop and review legal and compliance policies and procedures.
• Liaise with and manage relationships with external law firms across multiple disciplines.
• Contribute to the global legal department's knowledge-sharing, policy development, and strategic initiatives, acting as a regional leader aligned with a global mandate.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Laws degree and Master 's degree in commerce, Business Administration, Management, Law or related field.
• Admitted Legal Practitioner, minimum of [5] years of experience, with strong preference for in-house legal experience.
• Strong financial services industry experience.
• Exposure to working with or within fast-growing startups and international business environments.
• Prior experience in a startup / tech environment is preferred.
• Excellent leadership and management skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with both legal and non-legal stakeholders.
• Proven ability to operate in a cross-border, matrixed reporting environment.
• Proven ability to analyse and solve complex legal issues.
• Strong negotiation skills.
• Strong writing skills and high attention to detail.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and meet timelines.

Benefits

• 100% Company Funded : Private Health Insurance for employee and immediate family
• 20 days vacation
• Phone finance, Headphone, home office equipment and fitness perks.
• $2,000 USD annual Co-working Travel perk
• $2,000 USD annual Professional Development perk

PayJoy is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and we welcome and encourage people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

PayJoy Principles
Finance for the next billion * Ownership * Break Through Walls * Live Communication * Transparency & Directness * Focus on Scale * Work-Life Balance * Embrace Diversity * Speed * Active Listening