General Counsel (FTC 12 months)

Zilch

Zilch is a payment tech company on a mission to create the most empowering way to pay for anything, anywhere. Combining the best of debit, credit and savings, we give our customers the option to earn instant cashback or spread the cost of pricier purchases, completely interest free and with no late fees. Pretty great, right?

We started in 2018 with a small team and a big dream – to make credit accessible to all. Since then, we’ve achieved double unicorn status and taken on more than 5 million customers. There are some exciting projects coming up and we’ve got big growth plans.

Want to join us?

About the role

We are looking for an experienced General Counsel on a 12 month fixed term contract basis to head up our in-house Legal team. You will be responsible for driving all legal aspects related to Zilch in line with our risk appetite. This includes corporate and company secretarial activities (including investor agreements and employee share options scheme), contracting with vendors, debt funders, suppliers, and other stakeholders, ownership of regulated contracts and Terms & Conditions as they relate to customers as well as any other ad-hoc legal elements that arise. You would be responsible for managing all legal implications to the company resulting from any contractual relationships and applying your skill set to identify and provide solutions to any legal aspects which may impact the company, making use of expert legal opinion where appropriate.

You will manage and be supported by three senior legal counsels (who advise on corporate and commercial matters) and a governance manager/ company secretary.

Day-to-day responsibilities

• Advising the Board and Co-founders on corporate and company secretarial legal matters
• Ensuring commercial contracts are negotiated in line with the company risk appetite and rights and obligations arising from these contracts are visible to the business and managed on an ongoing basis
• Ensure compliance with requirements of debt funding agreements including seeking necessary approvals (for instance to update standard loan documentation with customers). Interacting with debt funding providers and their counsel where necessary on legal matters
• Working with Compliance department to ensure customer Regulated Credit Agreements and Terms & Conditions are compliant with all relevant regulation and best practice, and are clear and easy for customers to understand
• Working with stakeholders across the business to ensure the product is designed in a legally compliant manner, and all considerations when dealing with customers are taken into account (for instance notice periods for changes to customer terms)
• Providing support in the process of applying for any relevant licensing for new or current activities (working with Compliance)
• Managing the contractual elements of the employee share scheme and any other option or warrant instruments (Zilch works with Capdesk)
• Working with Co-founders and investors through subscription and shareholder agreements pertaining to investment rounds
• Interacting with, managing, and briefing external law firms where applicable in specialist areas
• Managing and developing the Legal team (currently including three senior legal counsels and a governance manager/company secretary).
• Any other work as reasonably required
• Proven experience as a General Counsel
• Good commercial and financial awareness to complement legal skills
• Strong management skills including coaching and mentoring
• Pragmatic approach to all matters
• Previous experience working in a fintech/scale-up business in the regulated consumer finance sector
• High attention to detail, along with ability to balance the pragmatic with legal form
• Comfort in dealing with senior stakeholders including the Board, Co Founders and Exco
• Ability to work at a high pace sometimes autonomously as required
• Ability to manage a number of work streams concurrently and ensure business needs are met within agreed timeframes
• Ability to distil complex elements into actionable solutions, including the ability to explain implications of legal concepts to stakeholders without legal backgrounds

Benefits

• Compensation & Savings: Income Protection.
• Permanent employees enjoy access to our Share Options Scheme.
• 5% back on in-app purchases.
• £200 for WFH Setup.
• Private Medical Insurance including GP consultations (video, telephone or face-to-face), Prescribed medication, In-patient, day-patient and out-patient care, Mental health support, Physiotherapy, Advanced cancer cover.
• Employee Assistance Programme including: Unlimited mental health sessions, 24/7 remote GP & physiotherapy, 24/7 helpline for emotional & practical support.
• Savings & discounts on everyday shopping.
• 1:1 personalised well-being consultations.

Family Friendly Policies

• Enhanced maternity pay.
• Enhanced paternity pay.
• Enhanced adoption pay.
• Enhanced shared parental leave.

Learning & Development

• Professional Qualifications.
• Professional Memberships.
• Learning Suite for e-courses.
• Internal Training Programmes.
• FCA & Regulatory training.
• Hybrid Working.
• Casual dress code.
• Workplace socials.

To apply for this role

please submit your CV along with a cover letter.

We acknowledge receipt of your resume for a position at Zilch and we appreciate your interest in joining our business.

We will screen all applicants and select candidates whose qualifications meet our requirements. We will carefully consider your application during the initial screening and will contact you if you are selected to continue to the next stage of the recruitment process. We wish you every success.

Zilch Technology is an equal opportunities employer and we encourage all applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief.

Apply for this Job

Do you require a Visa Sponsorship? Do you live within commutable distance from our London Victoria office? Are you able to come to the office 3 days a week? (Monday, Wednesday and Thursday subject to change) Can you briefly share how your skills and experience align with the job requirements