Legal Counsel - South Africa

Paymentology; Pretoria; Hybrid; ZAR 700,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Paymentology seeks a Legal Counsel to provide practical, business-aligned legal solutions in a rapidly growing global environment. The ideal candidate should have a strong legal background, particularly in commercial law, and the ability to navigate complex legal landscapes in fintech.

Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer with 3–5 years’ post-qualification experience in commercial law.
• Strong background in contract negotiation and advisory.
• Experience in financial services, fintech, or technology-driven companies.

Responsibilities

• Develop a deep understanding of Paymentology's business and regulatory landscape.
• Provide high-quality legal advice on contract and regulatory compliance.
• Draft, review, and negotiate various contracts and legal documents.

Skills

Commercially savvy

Pragmatic

Solution-oriented

Excellent verbal communication

Excellent written communication

Education

Law degree and legal qualification

Job description

At Paymentology, we’re 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. It's this global reach and innovation that sets us apart.

We’re looking for a Legal Counsel who aligns with our core values of “Making It Right, Making it Happen and Making It Easy, Together". This role is key to supporting our rapid global growth by delivering practical, business-aligned legal solutions that balance risk with commercial needs. If you bring strong legal and commercial acumen, a solutions-driven mindset, and the ability to collaborate effectively across teams and time zones, we’d love to hear from you.

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

What you get to do::

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop a deep understanding of Paymentology’s business, products, and regulatory landscape to deliver contextual and impactful legal support.
• Provide 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, with a strong focus on enabling growth and managing legal risk.
• Identify legal and regulatory risks proactively and help design pragmatic risk mitigation strategies.
• Support the development of internal legal frameworks, contract templates and best practices.
• Collaborate with external counsel and relay advice to internal stakeholders with clarity and context.
• Contribute to knowledge-sharing, mentoring and legal training across the Legal & Compliance function.
• Conduct legal research to stay ahead of developments affecting the business.
  
  

Requirements:

What it takes to succeed:

• Qualified lawyer with 3–5 years’ post-qualification experience in commercial law.
• Strong background in contract negotiation and advisory, ideally with experience in financial services, fintech or technology-driven companies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Able to deliver under pressure and manage competing priorities in a fast-paced, remote-first environment.
• Comfortable working independently and collaboratively across multiple jurisdictions and time zones.
• Commercially savvy, pragmatic, and solution-oriented in your legal approach.
  
  

Education & Experience:

• Law degree and legal qualification (bar admission or equivalent).
• 3–5 years of relevant post-qualification legal experience, preferably in-house or with clients in fintech/technology.
• Demonstrated experience in commercial contracts, regulatory issues, and cross-border legal considerations.
  
  

What you can look forward to::

At Paymentology, it’s not just about building great payment technology, it’s about building a company where people feel they belong and their work matters. You’ll be part of a diverse, global team that’s genuinely committed to making a positive impact through what we do. Whether you’re working across time zones or getting involved in initiatives that support local communities, you’ll find real purpose in your work - and the freedom to grow in a supportive, forward-thinking environment.