Director, Data & Privacy Legal

About Airwallex

Airwallex is the only unified payments and financial platform for global businesses. Powered by our unique combination of proprietary infrastructure and software, we empower over 150,000 businesses worldwide – including Brex, Rippling, Navan, Qantas, SHEIN and many more – with fully integrated solutions to manage everything from business accounts, payments, spend management and treasury, to embedded finance at a global scale.

Proudly founded in Melbourne, we have a team of over 1,700 of the brightest and most innovative people in tech across more than 37 locations around the globe. Valued at US$5.6 billion and backed by world-leading investors including Sequoia, Lone Pine, Greenoaks, DST Global, Salesforce Ventures and Mastercard, Airwallex is leading the charge in building the global payments and financial platform of the future. If you’re ready to do the most ambitious work of your career, join us.

About the team

The Legal, Risk & Compliance (LRC) team at Airwallex is a collaborative group of legal minds and risk management experts. We're passionate about safeguarding Airwallex's operations, fostering a culture of compliance and ethical conduct, and ensuring we navigate the global financial landscape with integrity. We provide expert guidance and support to all areas of the business, proactively identifying, mitigating, and managing legal and financial risks.

What you’ll do

Airwallex is looking for a seasoned data and privacy legal leader. You will lead the global team and drive strategic aspects of data localisation, AI, customer information and product issues. You will also be the primary lawyer focusing on data and privacy related issues for the Americas and EMEA. You will support a complex set of fintech products that will challenge your problem solving and critical thinking skills. In addition, you will support Airwallex’s growing Sales team on data and privacy issues, and help us build for scale. This is a strategic leadership position with executive visibility and you will be a key advisor to Airwallex’s US, Canada, LATAM  and EMEA go-to-market leadership team and a senior leader on the legal team. 

This role is based in the United States.

Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with Business leadership, Engineering, Product, and Information Security teams to implement data regulations (PIPL, DSL, and Cyber Security laws) for Americas and EMEA.

• Develop and execute a comprehensive compliance program for the applicable data rules.

• Provide privacy counseling to Product teams, ensuring adherence to the applicable data regulations.

• Work closely with the Product and Legal Regulatory teams on privacy by design, privacy impact assessments, and contractual support.

• Lead or support privacy counseling and contractual assistance.

• Coordinate international data flows for the broader Airwallex business.

• Engage in strategic data initiatives, with potential involvement in projects for the EU, US, and other regions.

Who you are

We're looking for people who meet the minimum qualifications for this role. The preferred qualifications are great to have, but are not mandatory.

Minimum qualifications:

• J.D. degree (or foreign equivalent) and active membership in at least one US state bar (California or New York preferred).

• 12 years of experience in an in-house legal department and/or a law firm advising on legal issues related to financial services and technology platforms.

• Experience managing and growing a team of lawyers.

• Extensive general privacy experience, with a solid understanding of US/EU data laws, including the Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL), Data Security Law, and Cyber Security Law.

• Familiarity with other major privacy regimes such as GDPR, CCPA, PDPA, and PIPEDA.

• The ability to explain complex legal concepts to various (often non-legal) audiences, and the ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects and deals.

• A collaborative and empathetic mindset, a good sense of humor, and a keen understanding of how to work effectively with colleagues from different teams and backgrounds.

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience at a fintech or high-growth and/or globally distributed company.

• Experience in a globally distributed company.

Equal opportunity

Airwallex is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and anyone seeking employment at Airwallex is considered based on merit, qualifications, competence and talent. We don’t regard color, religion, race, national origin, sexual orientation, ancestry, citizenship, sex, marital or family status, disability, gender, or any other legally protected status when making our hiring decisions. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.

Airwallex does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firms/recruiters.  Airwallex will not pay any fees to search firms/recruiters if a candidate is submitted by a search firm/recruiter unless an agreement has been entered into with respect to specific open position(s).  Search firms/recruiters submitting resumes to Airwallex on an unsolicited basis shall be deemed to accept this condition, regardless of any other provision to the contrary.