Sr. Associate Counsel, Legal (Data Privacy, AI and Technology)

Company Description

Visa is a world leader in payments and technology, with over 259 billion payments transactions flowing safely between consumers, merchants, financial institutions, and government entities in more than 200 countries and territories each year. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable, and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses, and economies to thrive while driven by a common purpose – to uplift everyone, everywhere by being the best way to pay and be paid.

Make an impact with a purpose-driven industry leader. Join us today and experience Life at Visa.

Job Description

Team Summary

The Visa Asia Pacific Legal team manages Visa's legal affairs in the Asia Pacific (AP) region. Our team provides advice and services to ensure business goals are successfully met and that Visa's brand and reputation are protected while minimizing legal liability and regulatory risk. Our vision entails each legal professional living the guiding principles to be a proactive partner who never loses sight of his/her responsibility to protect the company.

What a Sr. Associate Counsel in Legal does at Visa:

The position is for a seasoned data privacy, AI and technology attorney to join Visa's growing legal team. This role will focus in particular on supporting Visa's businesses in the AP and CEMEA regions in relation to data privacy, AI and cybersecurity, as a member of Visa’s Global Privacy Office team. The role will also support development and expansion of Visa’s Value-Added Services vertical, which includes Data and Risk Solutions and Managed and Advisory services. The position will report to the Senior Managing Counsel who is Visa’s Regional Privacy Counsel for AP/CEMEA and who leads a small team providing legal support to Visa’s Consulting & Analytics, Risk Solutions and Data Solutions businesses as well as the Risk & Compliance functions within the AP region.

The applicant should have extensive experience of data privacy laws in the AP region, as well as (ideally) commercial, technology, IP and/or financial services laws, and be able to apply this experience to the development of new services and products (including risk and data products) The applicant should preferably have experience of the development and implementation of AI and GenAI-based platforms and systems. The applicant must have solid technical legal skills with good commercial/legal risk judgment and be able to juggle multiple priorities in a fast paced and challenging, but rewarding, environment. 

We are looking for a strong legal advisor and commercial lawyer rolled into one with excellent communication and analytical skills, who is self-motivated and willing to work reasonably hard. Prior payments experience is not essential, although the applicant must be willing to learn Visa's business model and the payments industry.

In this role, you are expected to:

• Work closely with country and business teams to review and advise on the legal impact of new or updated data privacy or AI laws on new business initiatives, as well as existing products and services.
• Be an effective representative of the AP Legal team and AP/CEMEA member of the Global Privacy Office, and liaise with other regional and country lawyers in the AP region as well as other members of the Global Privacy Office team in implementing privacy policies and practices in Visa’s global privacy program.
• Assist in regulatory and government engagements/consultations on new laws and regulations (including privacy, AI and cybersecurity) across the AP and CEMEA regions and be an effective partner and advisor to the business and government engagement teams while developing subject matter expertise and contributing to thought leadership in these areas.
• Conduct privacy compliance reviews in various AP/CEMEA markets to ensure alignment with applicable laws, and conduct reviews of various data use cases in support of new business initiatives.
• Be a dedicated resource/go to lawyer for various business functions that are providing products and services to Visa’s clients within the Value Added Services vertical, and play a leadership role in supporting the development and implementation of new data and AI-based solutions in the AP region.
• Drafting of standard product terms and templates for use in support of Visa’s current and new business initiatives across the Asia Pacific region.
• Draft, negotiate and drive to completion complex commercial, technology, or strategic partnership agreements in support of business objectives.
• Provide advice and guidance to product teams regarding deal structures and key risks and on identifying and resolving legal issues.

Why this is important to Visa:

The Sr. Associate Counsel will play a key role as a trusted advisor to businesses that represent one of the most important pillars of Visa’s future growth and strategy. This role is critical in ensuring that legal risks are identified and managed efficiently with relevant stakeholders while enabling our business to innovate and push across new frontiers (particularly in the fast-evolving technology, innovation, AI and data space). The Sr. Associate Counsel can look forward to being a key representative of a high performing legal team in advising and managing projects that drive innovation and development within the payments industry.

This is a hybrid position. Expectation of days in office will be confirmed by your Hiring Manager.

Qualifications

What you will need:
We are looking for a strong lawyer who can bring breadth of experience and strong subject matter expertise in support of our business. As a candidate, you should have:

• Strong academic credentials, including a degree from a well-recognized and reputable law school
• Minimum 8+ years data privacy, AI and technology transactions experience, some of which must be at a top tier law firm or MNC
• Be able to work independently and interface with executive level stakeholders with little or no supervision, but also be a good team player
• Be a practical and proactive problem-solver, must have a strong business acumen and be confident, mature and calm under fire
• Demonstrate the ability to communicate clearly and concisely with multiple stakeholders including senior executives
• Demonstrate an ability to manage and drive complex commercial and technology transactions, including international and regional deals
• Strong understanding of data privacy, AI, technology and commercial laws in multiple AP (and preferably also CEMEA) jurisdictions
• Excellent project management skills and experience, particularly in data privacy program management
• Excellent legal analytical skills with the ability to integrate legal advice and business knowledge, while providing balanced advice regarding risks and benefits
• Be admitted to practice in Singapore or in a Commonwealth jurisdiction

Projects you will be a part of:
You will be a member of a regional legal team that works at the cutting edge of new payment technologies, innovation and the fintech industry in an increasingly regulated environment, which brings unique and novel challenges in the commercial/technology law space.

Additional Information

Visa is an EEO Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status. Visa will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with EEOC guidelines and applicable local law.