Legal Counsel – Fintech (Hybrid, Cape Town)

About the role

Our client, a leading financial infrastructure platform enabling digital payments across Africa, is seeking a Legal Counsel to provide commercial and regulatory advice. The role is hybrid, based in Cape Town, and reports to the Head of Legal.

Key responsibilities

• Draft, review and negotiate commercial contracts including service, partnership, SaaS and vendor agreements.
• Collaborate with revenue teams throughout the contracting lifecycle, preparing summaries, stakeholder briefings and risk reports.
• Advise on contract renewals, terminations and related legal issues.
• Communicate and negotiate with external partners, counsel and clients.
• Research and interpret relevant legislation and regulatory frameworks affecting fintech and payments products.
• Support the Legal, Risk, Regulatory and Compliance team in developing compliant policies and procedures.

Required profile

• 5‑7 years post‑articles experience in a top‑tier South African law firm or in‑house fintech environment.
• Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and admission as a legal practitioner/attorney.
• Strong commercial contracting experience, especially SaaS, partnerships and vendor agreements.
• Pragmatic risk judgment with a track record of aligning legal priorities to business objectives.
• Excellent negotiation and stakeholder‑management skills.
• Ability to produce clear, plain‑language legal summaries and make decisions with imperfect information.

Required skills