Lead Counsel, Data Privacy

Airwallex (UK) Limited

Job Overview

Location

US - Remote

Job Type

Full-time

Full Job Description

📋 Description

• Airwallex is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Lead Counsel, Data Privacy to join its dynamic Legal, Risk & Compliance (LRC) team. This pivotal role is responsible for overseeing all data and privacy legal and regulatory matters across the United States and the broader Americas region. As a key strategic partner, you will provide expert guidance on complex issues including data protection, artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, cross-border data access, and US financial privacy regulations. Your primary objective will be to shape and execute Airwallex’s data and privacy strategy within the Americas, developing scalable compliance approaches for sophisticated fintech and AI-driven products. You will be instrumental in translating rapidly evolving regulatory landscapes into practical, growth-enabling solutions, ensuring Airwallex maintains the highest standards of data governance and customer trust in a highly regulated global financial environment.
• In this role, you will act as the lead data and privacy counsel for the US and Americas, delivering risk-based, business-oriented legal advice. This advice will cover a wide spectrum of data protection, AI, and cybersecurity issues pertinent to the US, Canada, and South America, including intricate cross-border data access and national-security-adjacent topics, all grounded in a comprehensive understanding of global data protection regulations and frameworks. A significant aspect of your work will involve spearheading the development and global implementation of AI governance. You will provide critical guidance on relevant global and US AI frameworks, executing a fit-for-purpose AI governance approach at Airwallex. This includes the creation and implementation of AI policies, procedures, privacy-related AI mitigations, and robust accountability frameworks. Furthermore, you will develop and drive privacy and data protection compliance programs tailored for the Americas, with a specific focus on adherence to US federal and state consumer financial privacy frameworks such as GLBA and FCRA, Executive Order 14117, and comprehensive state privacy laws. Your role will necessitate close collaboration with Product, Engineering, Information Security, Regulatory Legal, Regulatory Compliance, Commercial Legal, and Risk teams to embed privacy- and security-by-design principles into every stage of product development, technical architecture, user experience, and go-to-market strategies. This includes leading Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs), Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs), AI risk assessments, and other critical privacy impact evaluations.
• You will also be responsible for drafting, reviewing, and negotiating complex data protection and data-sharing agreements, including Data Processing Agreements (DPAs), cross-border transfer clauses, and AI-related contractual terms with customers, vendors, financial partners, and other third parties. In this capacity, you will serve as the primary escalation point for high-risk legal matters concerning data privacy and sharing. A key responsibility involves coordinating and overseeing international data flows that involve the Americas, ensuring the implementation of appropriate transfer mechanisms and governance structures, such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or their equivalents. You will also actively support initiatives related to data localization, storage, and access controls. In the event of security or data incidents affecting the Americas, you will co-lead the privacy and data protection workstream alongside Information Security and other stakeholders. This includes managing the triage, investigation, regulatory and customer notification processes, remediation efforts, and post-incident analysis to capture lessons learned. You will provide expert advice on high-risk or novel data processing activities, such as new AI use cases, advanced analytics, and innovative platform and embedded-finance data models, assisting in the structuring of appropriate safeguards, governance protocols, and necessary documentation. Additionally, you will support interactions with US and Americas regulators and policymakers on privacy, cybersecurity, data access, and related issues, working in close concert with the Regulatory Legal and Regulatory Compliance teams. You will also play a crucial role in building and refining the tools and processes essential for efficient privacy workflows, including intake systems, assessment procedures, DPIA/PIA/AI-related assessments, Records of Processing Activities (ROPAs), and Data Subject Requests (DSRs). This includes leveraging specialist tooling, metrics, and dashboards to effectively track and demonstrate compliance. Finally, you will contribute significantly to training and enablement programs for Product, Engineering, Sales, Operations, and other teams, delivering comprehensive guidance on privacy, data, AI, and cybersecurity topics through playbooks, advisory sessions, and office hours, making it intuitive for teams to adhere to best practices by default.
• This role offers a unique opportunity to significantly influence Airwallex's global data privacy and AI governance strategy within a rapidly growing fintech environment. You will gain exposure to cutting-edge AI technologies and their legal implications, working at the forefront of regulatory development in this space. The position provides substantial opportunities for professional growth, allowing you to deepen your expertise in complex international data protection laws, financial services regulations, and emerging AI legal frameworks. You will have the chance to build and refine privacy programs and processes, develop scalable compliance solutions for innovative products, and directly contribute to the company's success and reputation by ensuring robust data protection practices. By partnering with senior stakeholders across various departments and regions, you will enhance your leadership and strategic advisory skills, making a tangible impact on a global scale.
• About the team and company: Airwallex is a leading global payments and financial platform, empowering over 200,000 businesses worldwide with integrated solutions for payments, spend management, treasury, and embedded finance. Founded in Melbourne, the company boasts a diverse team of over 2,000 professionals across 26 global offices. Valued at US$8 billion and supported by prominent investors, Airwallex is at the forefront of building the future of global banking. The Legal, Risk & Compliance (LRC) team is a collaborative group dedicated to safeguarding Airwallex's operations, fostering a culture of compliance, and navigating the global financial landscape with integrity. The Data & Privacy team within LRC provides specialized expertise in data protection, privacy, governance, and AI, working closely with various business units and technical teams to ensure robust data practices are embedded across the organization.

🎯 Requirements

• U.S. legal qualification (or foreign equivalent) and active license to practice in at least one US jurisdiction.
• 8 years of experience in an in-house legal department and/or in private practice advising on technology, data and privacy issues related to technical platforms and products.
• Strong knowledge of US federal and state privacy and data-security laws (such as CCPA/CPRA and GLBA/Reg P) and how they intersect with payments and broader financial-services regulation, plus working knowledge of GDPR and Canadian/South American privacy requirements (such as LGPD).
• Demonstrated experience advising on emerging US and global AI legal requirements and AI-governance best practices, and experience advising on AI/ML tools, vendors, or products from a privacy and data-protection perspective.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex legal concepts to non-lawyers and senior executives, and to drive clear decisions in ambiguous, time-sensitive situations.

🏖️ Benefits

• Remote work flexibility within the United States.
• Opportunity to work with a global leader in fintech and shape the future of global payments.
• Collaborative and innovative work environment with a focus on impact and accelerated learning.
• Competitive compensation and benefits package (details not specified in the posting).

Skills & Technologies

Senior

Remote

Degree Required

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Airwallex (UK) Limited

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About Airwallex (UK) Limited

Airwallex is a global financial technology company providing cross-border payment and banking infrastructure for businesses. It offers multi-currency accounts, foreign exchange, card issuing, expense management, and embedded finance APIs. Founded in Melbourne in 2015, the company serves enterprises and SMEs across Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Americas, operating under licenses in multiple jurisdictions and processing billions in annualized transaction volume.

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