Regulatory Counsel - South Africa

About the role

This role involves advising Binance on a range of regulatory issues, including product offerings, licensing, and compliance with AML/CTF regulations across various African jurisdictions, such as South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya. The counsel will draft and review strategic plans for regulatory authorities, respond to inquiries, and help define long-term regulatory strategies. Success in this position means effectively navigating the complex regulatory landscape to support Binance's growth and ensure adherence to legal frameworks.

The Regulatory Counsel will work closely with local teams to establish and manage legal and compliance programs throughout Africa. This includes providing guidance to product and marketing teams on the scope of offerings and campaigns, ensuring they align with regional regulations. A key aspect of the role is staying current with legal and regulatory developments to offer strategic advice and maintain compliance across the organization.

The position also requires preparing summaries, proposals, and reports for leadership, along with commentary on upcoming legislation. Managing relationships with external law firms and other stakeholders is part of the responsibilities. This is primarily a non-contentious role, though candidates with a contentious background are encouraged to apply, indicating a need for broad legal expertise.

The annual salary for this position ranges from $30,000 to $50,000 USD.

Skills that matter here

• Admitted to practice in South Africa or a common law jurisdiction: This is a fundamental requirement, ensuring the counsel possesses the necessary legal credentials to operate in relevant jurisdictions.
• Experience advising financial institutions and other businesses on regulatory matters: The role demands a background in guiding financial entities on compliance, directly applicable to Binance's operations.
• Strong research, analytical and document drafting skills: These skills are crucial for preparing regulatory submissions, legal advice, and internal reports.
• Excellent written and spoken English: Effective communication is essential for interacting with regulatory bodies, internal teams, and external partners.
• Familiarity with AI tools: While not mandatory, this indicates a preference for candidates who can leverage modern tools to enhance efficiency in legal work.

Who this role suits

• You are a mid-career lawyer with at least eight years of post-qualification experience, gained in top-tier law firms or financial institutions.
• You are self-motivated and comfortable working in a fluid, fast-paced environment, taking full ownership of your responsibilities.
• You excel at providing practical, risk-based advice and can collaborate effectively with diverse teams.
• You are committed to continuous learning and staying informed about legal and regulatory changes.

From the employer

• Advise on a variety of regulatory issues including product offering, licensing, marketing restrictions, compliance, AML/CTF and other matters pivotal to Binance's growth across multiple African jurisdictions (e.g. South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya) and globally
• Draft and review strategic plans and submissions to regulatory authorities; respond to regulatory enquiries and help shape long-term regulatory strategy
• Provide guidance to product and marketing teams on the scope of product offerings and marketing campaigns across multiple African jurisdictions
• Work with local teams to develop and manage legal and compliance programmes and ongoing regulatory strategy across Africa
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant legal and regulatory developments to provide strategic advice and foster compliance
• Prepare leadership summaries, proposals, reports and regulatory commentary on upcoming legislation
• Manage relationships with external law firms and relevant stakeholders

• Admitted to practice in South Africa or a common law jurisdiction
• 8+ years post-qualification experience gained at top-tier law firms and/or financial institutions
• Experience advising financial institutions and other businesses (including banks, investment managers and payments platforms) on regulatory matters
• Strong research, analytical and document drafting skills
• Self-motivated, collaborative lawyer comfortable working in a fluid environment; takes full ownership of matters, gives practical advice and makes risk-based decisions
• The role is primarily non-contentious; candidates with a contentious background are welcome to apply
• Excellent written and spoken English
• Familiarity with AI tools is a plus

• Shape the future with the world’s leading blockchain ecosystem
• Collaborate with world-class talent in a user-centric global organization with a flat structure
• Tackle unique, fast-paced projects with autonomy in an innovative environment
• Thrive in a results-driven workplace with opportunities for career growth and continuous learning
• Competitive salary and company benefits
• Work-from-home arrangement (the arrangement may vary depending on the work nature of the business team)