Manager & Counsel

American Express

You Lead the Way. We’ve Got Your Back.

With the right backing, people and businesses have the power to progress in incredible ways. When you join Team Amex, you become part of a global and diverse community of colleagues with an unwavering commitment to back our customers, communities and each other. Here, you’ll learn and grow as we help you create a career journey that’s unique and meaningful to you with benefits, programs, and flexibility that support you personally and professionally.

At American Express, you’ll be recognized for your contributions, leadership, and impact-every colleague has the opportunity to share in the company’s success. Together, we’ll win as a team, striving to uphold our company values and powerful backing promise to provide the world’s best customer experience every day. And we’ll do it with the utmost integrity, and in an environment where everyone is seen, heard and feels like they belong.

Join Team Amex and let’s lead the way together.

Where great legal minds influence global business strategy.

Our mission is to protect and strengthen American Express through legal expertise and strategic advice that helps our business partners manage risk, identify opportunities, and deliver on the company’s promise of exceptional products and services. Given the dynamic nature of the global payments industry and the valued partnership between our team and the business, we see it as imperative to attract and develop talented people by:

• Providing rich work experiences and opportunities for professional development
• Recognizing and rewarding those who drive and deliver results
• Respecting and valuing diversity, integrity, and personal accountability

Role & Responsibilities

This Manager & Counsel position will provide legal support to American Express’s Global Merchant Services (GMS) business in the EMEA region. The successful candidate will report to a Director of the legal team.

Here’s just some of what you’ll do in this role:

• Provide practical, business-oriented legal advice on different areas of laws, such as payment services regulation, anti-money laundering, commercial agreements, company law and data protection.
• Provide legal support and leadership on strategic initiatives and new products/services.
• Draft and negotiate independently all types of business contracts and communications.
• Identify and effectively manage legal risks.
• Lead and project manage GCO initiatives and tasks.
• Provide strategic, tactical, and other general guidance and advice to management, whether on specific projects or transactions or in relation to standard business processes, to ensure the organization understands and complies with legal and regulatory requirements.
• Proactively protect the brand and reputation of American Express by legal advice and guidance to governance and management supported by energetic internal advocacy.
• Manage external counsel budget with the aim to ensure that the company receives cost effective legal advice in all of the different countries that this role supports.

Minimum Qualifications:

• A lawyer qualified in the UK/EEA ideally with relevant professional experience at a reputable law firm or international company.

Required Skills:

• Solid drafting, research, and negotiation/influencing skills.
• Ability to interpret and apply law and regulation in a practical, hands-on, common sense manner.
• Ability to build relationships and partner with others to drive results.
• Ability to work under pressure to meet tight deadlines and deliver executable solutions clearly linked to business objectives.

Required Attributes:

• Strategic thinker with good business understanding, analytical skills and a strong ability to spot legal issues across a range of subject areas.
• Skilled at effective multi-tasking – able to manage and prioritize a wide variety of matters and clients to high levels of client satisfaction.
• Excellent communication skills, both orally and in writing – able to communicate clearly, concisely, effectively and persuasively with internal and external clients and senior management.
• Adaptability – strong team player who thrives on collaboration and understands the individual part they play in the success of a cross-functional team.
• Self-sufficiency – inquisitive, takes initiative and owns their learning and development.
• Excellent relationship management and people skills – ability to adapt communication style to a broad mix of people and personalities including senior business and legal team leaders.
• Willingness to learn and grow and to leverage experience gained in this position to expand skill set for future career growth at American Express.
• Process-management skills – ability to help identify and implement improvements in work process to enhance efficiency and productivity.
• Commitment to integrity.

We back our colleagues and their loved ones with benefits and programs that support their holistic well-being. That means we prioritize their physical, financial, and mental health through each stage of life. Benefits include:

• Competitive base salaries
• Bonus incentives
• Support for financial-well-being and retirement
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability benefits (depending on location)
• Flexible working model with hybrid, onsite or virtual arrangements depending on role and business need
• Generous paid parental leave policies (depending on your location)
• Free access to global on-site wellness centers staffed with nurses and doctors (depending on location)
• Free and confidential counseling support through our Healthy Minds program
• Career development and training opportunities

Offer of employment with American Express is conditioned upon the successful completion of a background verification check, subject to applicable laws and regulations.