Corporate Counsel

PayJoy; Johannesburg; On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in financial services is seeking a corporate counsel in Johannesburg. The role involves providing legal advice, ensuring compliance, and managing legal projects to support the company’s growth and expansion. Must have extensive experience in legal practice and leadership in a fast-paced environment.

Benefits

Health Insurance

Pension Fund

20 days vacation

Phone finance and home office equipment

$2,000 annual Co-working Travel perk

$2,000 annual Professional Development perk

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of experience in legal practice.
• Experience in leading a legal team in high-growth environments.
• Knowledge of financial services regulations.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement legal strategies supporting international expansion.
• Provide legal services related to compliance, product advisory, and contract negotiation.
• Manage relationships with external law firms in various jurisdictions.

Skills

Strong negotiation skills

Leadership and management skills

Verbal and written communication skills

Analytical skills

Problem-solving skills

Education

Bachelor of Laws degree

Master’s degree in commerce, Business Administration, Management, or Law

Job description

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 corporate counsel is responsible for providing legal advice to the company, ensuring its legality and the protection of its interests in a wide range of legal matters, such as contract negotiation, regulatory compliance, mergers and acquisitions, and litigation.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the company's legal strategy to support expansion in a country(ies), participating in the company’s international expansion and ensuring alignment with the global legal and compliance program.
• Provide legal services and guidance to the organization, including in matters related to product advisory, Intellectual Property protection, managing and negotiating a wide range of business contracts, labour law, company law and corporate governance, privacy, KYC/AML/Sanctions, amongst others.
• Oversee compliance with regulatory requirements, including data protection, local legislation and corporate governance. Develop and implement legal and compliance frameworks harmonized with the company’s global compliance infrastructure.
• 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.
• Liaise with and manage relationships with external law firms across multiple jurisdictions.
• Lead dispute resolution, litigation management, and regulatory investigations when necessary.
• Support corporate structuring and any M&A activities as the company scales.
• Develop and review legal and compliance policies and procedures.
• As the business expands, hire, lead and train an effective internal L&C team.
• 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 10 years of experience, with strong preference for in-house legal experience building a legal team and partnering with the business through hypergrowth or business transformation periods.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant senior management experience, leading a function, interacting with and providing advisory to executive management.
• 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

• Health Insurance
• Pension Fund
• Vacations 20 days
• 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