Payments Counsel, AMS

About the Team

This role is part of the Global Payments Legal team within the Global Legal Corporate Compliance organization. The Global Payments business plays a critical role in the monetization of TikTok, operating in the heavily regulated financial services industry. This demands specific expertise and close attention to regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities:

• The ideal candidate will bring a strong payments background, excellent judgment, a keen ability to identify issues of first impression, and the confidence to counsel a fast-moving business.
• Interpret federal and state money transmission laws, stored value laws, and payment network rules, and provide strategic guidance to Lines of Business to ensure payments regulatory compliance across the U.S., Canada, and LATAM.
• Advise product counsel on new products and features by providing subject matter expertise in payments and financial services.
• Review and negotiate agreements with third-party payment service providers, financial services companies, and banks in partnership with Payments Commercial Legal.
• Manage cross-functional projects spanning multiple departments, partners, and product offerings across the Americas.
• Communicate complex risk, legal, and regulatory concepts clearly to internal and external stakeholders.
• Build strong working relationships with business leaders, fostering a culture of payments compliance and trust.
• Support the E-Commerce, LIVE, Global Payments, and Global Legal Compliance teams with additional projects and ad-hoc work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications:

• J.D. (or equivalent law degree) and active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• Experience advising on U.S. federal and state money transmission, stored value, and prepaid access laws.
• Experience with payments regulatory compliance in the fintech or financial services industry.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret regulations and regulatory guidance and translate them into actionable business advice.
• Experience working with cross-functional teams, including legal, compliance, product, and business stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to simplify complex regulatory concepts for non-legal audiences.
• Experience reviewing and negotiating commercial agreements with payment service providers or financial institutions.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with payment network rules in the U.S. and Canada; similar experience in LATAM is a plus.
• Experience with payment product compliance advisory and review, including risks and regulations applicable to consumer-facing financial products.
• Exposure to the creator economy, e-commerce, or digital platform industries.
• Ability to take a leadership role in addressing complex and ambiguous legal matters with a high degree of autonomy.
• Global or regional experience in the fintech startup space.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a solutions-oriented approach.
• Ability to manage a high-volume workload and meet critical deadlines in a fast-paced, multi-timezone environment.