Corporate Lawyer – Payments & Financial Services (3-month contract)

About the role

We are seeking a qualified lawyer to join our Dubai team for a three‑month fixed‑term contract, with the possibility of extension. The role focuses on payments and financial services regulation across the Middle East, providing pragmatic, business‑focused legal advice to product, compliance, risk, strategy and commercial teams.

Key responsibilities

• Handle regulatory legal issues relating to our business in the Middle East and provide strategic advice on existing licences and future licence applications.
• Monitor, report and analyse trends in payments and financial services regulation across the region, anticipating changes that may impact operations.
• Partner closely with Product Legal, Regulatory Compliance, Risk and Financial Crime teams to ensure robust compliance.
• Support market entry and expansion of regulatory licences, including regulatory mapping and licensing advice.
• Provide timely, pragmatic regulatory legal advice and risk assessments to senior Airwallex stakeholders.
• Manage external legal counsel and consultants, ensuring cost‑effective, high‑quality support.
• Leverage AI and legal tooling to increase the team’s scale, efficiency and effectiveness.
• Advise on ongoing regulatory compliance obligations and support timely filings and reports.
• Assist government‑relations outreach with legislators and regulators in key Middle Eastern markets.

Required profile

• Qualified lawyer (LLB, JD or equivalent) with admission to a relevant bar.
• Proven experience in payments or financial services regulatory matters in the Middle East.
• Ability to provide strategic, business‑focused legal advice to cross‑functional stakeholders.
• Strong analytical, communication and stakeholder‑management skills.
• Experience managing external counsel and coordinating multi‑jurisdictional projects.
• Familiarity with AI‑enabled legal tools is a plus.

Required skills