Legal Counsel

Paymentology; Pretoria; Hybrid; ZAR 600,000 - 800,000; Full time

Job summary

Paymentology is redefining the payments landscape and is looking for a Legal Counsel to provide essential support in a rapidly growing environment. This hybrid position requires legal expertise in commercial matters, strong drafting skills, and the ability to collaborate across teams, all while navigating complex regulations. Ideal candidates will be commercially savvy and possess a proactive, solution-oriented mindset.

Benefits

Opportunities for growth

Supportive, forward-thinking environment

Involvement in community initiatives

Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer with 4-6 years post-qualification experience in commercial law.
• Experience in contract negotiation and advisory in financial services or fintech.
• Experience delivering legal training or presentations is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Develop a deep understanding of the business and provide impactful legal support.
• Draft, review, and negotiate various contracts and legal documents.
• Proactively identify legal risks and help design mitigation strategies.

Skills

Legal research and analytical skills

Excellent drafting skills

Communication skills in English

Commercially savvy

Education

Law degree and legal qualification

Job description

At Paymentology, we are redefining what’s possible in the payments space. As the first truly global issuer-processor, we give banks and FinTechs the technology and talent to launch and manage Mastercard, Visa, and UnionPay cards at scale across more than 60 countries.

Our advanced, multi-cloud platform delivers real-time data, unmatched scalability, and the flexibility of shared or dedicated processing instances. This global reach and innovation set us apart.

We are seeking a Legal Counsel who aligns with our core values of “Making It Right, Making it Happen, and Making It Easy, Together”. This role is crucial in supporting our rapid global growth by providing practical, business-aligned legal solutions that balance risk with commercial needs. Ideal candidates will possess strong legal and commercial acumen, a solutions-driven mindset, and the ability to collaborate effectively across teams and time zones.

This role is hybrid for candidates based in Johannesburg, and fully remote for those located elsewhere in South Africa.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop a deep understanding of Paymentology’s business, products, and regulatory landscape to provide impactful legal support.
• Offer high-quality, practical advice on legal issues including contract enforceability, licensing, regulatory compliance, and cross-border legal risks.
• Draft, review, and negotiate a variety of contracts and legal documents.
• Partner with internal teams to ensure legal advice aligns with business objectives, focusing on enabling growth and managing legal risk.
• Proactively identify legal and regulatory risks and help design pragmatic mitigation strategies.
• Support the development of internal legal frameworks, contract templates, and best practices.
• Collaborate with external counsel and communicate advice clearly to internal stakeholders.
• Contribute to knowledge sharing, mentoring, and legal training across the Legal & Compliance team.
• Conduct legal and regulatory research on legislation and frameworks across jurisdictions.
• Simplify complex laws into clear, actionable legal opinions and memoranda.
• Assess the impact of legal developments on the business and provide guidance in a business-friendly manner.
• Engage with external counsel, interpret legal advice, and evaluate its application to Paymentology’s operations.
• Provide legal training or briefings to the Legal team and wider business on research topics or regulatory updates.

Requirements:

• Qualified lawyer with 4-6 years’ post-qualification experience in commercial law.
• Strong legal research and analytical skills, with experience interpreting regulations and legislation.
• Excellent drafting skills, especially in legal opinions and memoranda.
• Bonus: familiarity with banking or financial regulatory frameworks.
• Experience in contract negotiation and advisory, ideally in financial services, fintech, or tech companies.
• Excellent communication skills in English.
• Ability to work under pressure and manage priorities in a fast-paced, remote environment.
• Comfortable working independently and across multiple jurisdictions and time zones.
• Commercially savvy, pragmatic, and solution-oriented approach.

Education & Experience:

• Law degree and legal qualification (bar admission or equivalent).
• 4-6 years of relevant legal experience, preferably in-house or with fintech/tech clients.
• Experience interpreting external legal advice and translating it into internal guidance.
• Experience delivering legal training or presentations is advantageous.
• Demonstrated expertise in commercial contracts, regulatory issues, and cross-border considerations.

What you can look forward to:

At Paymentology, we value diversity and purpose-driven work. Join a global team committed to making a positive impact through innovative payment technology. Enjoy opportunities for growth, involvement in community initiatives, and a supportive, forward-thinking environment.