Legal Associate Director, FinTech & Payments (Bangkok-based, Relocation Provided)

Get to Know our Team:

In the age of technology, things are constantly changing. The travel market is much the same, being more dynamic and complex than ever. Agoda's Legal team is well suited to take on the challenges presented, adopting a proactive mindset to tackle challenges and solve problems. We are quick on our feet, decisive, and collaborate with multiple departments. We hire out-of-the-box thinkers that are well grounded with ethics and legal knowledge to ensure that Agoda achieves the right results, the right way.

The Opportunity:

Agoda is looking for a seasoned Legal Associate Director, Fintech & Payments with a proven successful track record (ideally with APAC experience) of providing strategic legal advice on regulated and non-regulated FinTech and Payment activities.

As a senior FinTech and Payments lawyer reporting to the Senior Legal Director Fintech & Payments, you will support the successful execution of the business FinTech and Payments strategies, acting as a critical partner to helping develop, launch, and enable Agoda's mission to deliver a world-class payments operation, globally.

The selected candidate will have the chance to witness first-hand the investment in digital technology that helps take the friction out of travel. As you do so, you will advise on a range of legal questions related to regulatory strategy, scheme rules, product development and user experience, demonstrating familiarity with global payments regulatory contexts and payments industry commercial considerations that enable product management at this scale, and help to define the booking/ payments experience for the future of the company.You will lead complex projects, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and provide expert legal advice on our relationships with financial and payment services providers.This opportunity represents an exceptional chance to embed yourself within one of the world's most exciting groups, based in the vibrant and thriving city of Bangkok, and help define the future for accessing travel experiences across the world.

What you'll get to do:

You will report directly to the Senior Legal Director, Fintech & Payments, supporting all legal matters related to FinTech and payments impacting Agoda, globally. This will include: (1) ensuring that Agoda conducts all payments and FinTech activities in a compliant fashion, (2) advising on the design, structure, implementation, operation and lifecycle management of Agoda's FinTech/ payments product initiatives globally and (3) leading on legal negotiations and contractual arrangements related to FinTech, payments and wider financing/ finance team activities.

• You will be a key member of the Agoda FinTech & Payments Legal Team and will engage with the wider Booking Holdings Cross Brand Payments and FinTech Legal group.
• You will work cross functionally/ in a matrix structure on a daily basis, including directly with the Senior Legal Director - Fintech & Payments and the wider Agoda Legal team and other teams including key stakeholders in the technology, product, risk, compliance and finance teams. You will also interact with other senior stakeholders within Agoda, Booking Holdings, Booking Holding Financial Services and other Brands.
• You will support the Senior Legal Director - FinTech and Payments to manage and develop a growing team, external counsels and team budgets.
• You will be accountable for horizon scanning, identify and advising on key emerging payments and financial services regulatory issues impacting Agoda's business globally.
• You will be called upon to provide practical, commercial and actionable legal advice on a variety of regulated and unregulated financial and payments products and services.

What you'll need to succeed:

• Minimum 12 years of experience, ideally in FinTech, Payments, or Financial Services law, preferably with top-tier law firm experience and/or experience in a major Tech company.
• Law degree from a top law school, and excellent academic credentials.
• Native or fluent English speaking and writing skills.
• Excellent writing, negotiation and communication (verbal and written), and organizational skills.
• A strong understanding of the global payment regulatory environment and principles, familiarity with key legislation (with an APAC focus), with significant experience advising on cross-border and multi-jurisdictional regulatory issues.
• Experience in advising on all aspects of FinTech and payments, new product development and product delivery channels and working closely with stakeholders across different legal areas (Commercial, Regulatory, Consumer Protection, Privacy, etc.) and areas outside of legal (Tax, Treasury, Product, Finance Commercial).
• Strong project management and leadership skills, capable of managing multiple assignments and prioritizing appropriately. Comfortable with working under pressure.
• Ability to navigate change and ambiguity, and support others on the journey.
• Positive attitude, high level of integrity and intellectual curiosity with a strong solution orientated approach.
• Eager to learn new technologies and ideas. Comfortable navigating complicated and nuanced issues.
• Previous experience of working within a technology and digital legal environment is desirable.
• Relocation is provided.