Senior Counsel, Commercial and Strategic Partnerships

Overview

A growing financial technology organization is seeking an experienced commercial legal counsel to join their in-house legal team. This role focuses on managing the legal infrastructure behind key commercial and strategic partnerships, particularly in the banking and fintech space. The position involves structuring innovative partnership agreements that comply with complex regulatory requirements and support modern banking experiences.

This role offers flexibility to work remotely or from the San Francisco office 3–4 days per week. Employees based in San Francisco may be eligible for a post-tax rent subsidy of up to $2,000 per month if living within 2 miles of the office.

Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end process of structuring, drafting, and negotiating complex agreements with customers, vendors, and third parties. These agreements cover a broad range of banking products and services, including payments, money movement, deposit accounts, card programs, and lending.
• Develop and maintain legal playbooks, contract templates, terms of service, notices, and disclosures to enable scalable and efficient contracting without compromising quality.
• Lead complex negotiations with high-growth fintech companies and enterprise customers, balancing commercial objectives with regulatory compliance.
• Collaborate closely with Sales, Partnerships, Risk, and Compliance teams to align contracting strategies with business goals and risk tolerance.
• Support other legal areas by conducting novel legal research, providing product and regulatory advice, managing exam responses, handling subpoenas, assisting with litigation deliverables, and preparing corporate governance materials.
• Contribute to improving legal operations, policies, and processes to support the organization’s growth.

Requirements

• Minimum of 7 years practicing law with significant experience negotiating complex commercial transactions.
• Preferably experience from a law firm specializing in technology transactions or fintech, or in-house experience at a fintech or financial institution.
• Strong ability to independently draft and negotiate complex commercial agreements with a solid understanding of contract law and commercial transactions.
• Skilled in project management, able to meet deadlines and manage multiple initiatives and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Knowledge of traditional commercial banking products and services such as ACH and wire transfers, deposit accounts, lending, cards, cash management, sweeps, and check issuance/deposit, and/or experience in structured finance or lending products.
• Understanding of money transmission regulations and practices.

Compensation & Benefits

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans, including options fully covered for employees and dependents.
• Family planning and fertility benefits with reimbursement up to $20,000 for qualified expenses.
• Up to $2,000 per month post-tax rent subsidy for eligible San Francisco-based employees.
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) options.
• 401(k) retirement plan with self-directed brokerage options.
• Flexible time-off policy.
• Fully paid parental leave: 16 weeks for birth mothers, 12 weeks for primary caregivers, and 8 weeks for secondary caregivers.
• Up to $4,500 annually for backup childcare reimbursements.
• Catered lunches and dinners for San Francisco employees.
• Commuter benefits including paid transportation to and from the office.
• Regular team-building events and an annual offsite.

Location

This position is based in San Francisco with the option for remote work. The office is located in the Presidio area, offering a scenic work environment.