Legal Counsel - Netherlands (Payments)

Our client is a fast-scaling fintech business building modern infrastructure for international payments. Their platform supports faster, more efficient movement of funds across borders, with a focus on innovation in digital assets, payment technology, and financial connectivity. Backed by experienced operators and well-supported by investors, the business is entering an exciting growth phase across Europe.

They are now looking to appoint a Legal Counsel to act as a key legal advisor to the wider business, with particular focus on regulatory licensing, financial product development, and strategic commercial partnerships. This is an excellent opportunity to join a high-growth environment where legal plays a central role in enabling expansion, supporting product innovation, and managing regulatory risk.

The successful candidate will enjoy working at the intersection of payments, financial regulation, digital assets, and technology, and will be confident translating complex legal and regulatory issues into practical commercial guidance for stakeholders across the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

Product and Commercial Legal

• Advise product, commercial, and technology teams on the legal and regulatory aspects of developing and launching financial products and services.
• Provide practical guidance on structuring solutions in a compliant and commercially effective way.
• Support the business in navigating legal considerations linked to payment flows, regulated products, and strategic partnerships.

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Regulatory and Licensing

• Work closely with compliance and leadership teams to support licensing strategy, regulatory applications, and market expansion plans across Europe.
• Provide guidance on the evolving regulatory framework affecting payments, e-money, crypto-related activities, foreign exchange, and cross-border financial services.
• Assess legal and regulatory risk and help shape pragmatic mitigation strategies aligned with business goals.
• Coordinate with external advisers where local regulatory input is required.

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Corporate and General Commercial Matters

• Support a broad range of legal matters across the business, including corporate governance, employment-related issues, privacy, intellectual property, fundraising support, strategic projects, and general commercial contracts.
• Assist in identifying legal and operational risks as the business scales and help implement appropriate frameworks and controls.
• Contribute to building efficient legal processes that can support continued growth.

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Cross-Functional Partnership

• Act as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders across legal, compliance, product, and commercial teams.
• Manage external counsel effectively, ensuring high-quality support in a cost-conscious manner.
• Help develop a strong and scalable legal function within a growing international business.

Candidate Profile

Required Experience

• Qualified lawyer with demonstrable post-qualification legal experience, gained in-house and/or in private practice.
• Strong academic background, ideally including training at a respected law firm.
• Experience advising fintech companies, regulated financial institutions, or similarly complex businesses.
• Sound knowledge of European financial services and payments regulation, particularly in areas such as MiCAR, PSD2, EMD, AML, and relevant Dutch regulatory frameworks.
• Demonstrated ability to provide balanced, commercially focused legal advice in a fast-moving environment.
• Experience working closely with business, compliance, product, and technical teams.
• Strong analytical skills and sound judgement, with the ability to manage ambiguity and prioritise effectively.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proactive and hands-on approach, with the ability to operate independently and manage multiple workstreams.

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Preferred Background

• Exposure to digital assets, crypto regulation, or embedded finance / Banking-as-a-Service models.
• Experience in a startup, scale-up, or high-growth environment.
• Familiarity with cross-border regulatory issues and international expansion projects.

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Package

• Competitive salary and benefits package, with long-term incentive potential.
• Opportunity to work on innovative financial services products with international scope.
• Flexible working arrangements.
• High level of visibility and close collaboration with senior leadership.
• A dynamic, growth-oriented culture with strong emphasis on impact and development.

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