Head of Legal

Head of Legal & Regulatory Licensing (Ukraine)

Ukrainka

ZEN.COM is a smart financial app designed for your everyday life – at home and on the go. We make payments, online shopping, and personal finance management fast, secure, and effortless. With ZEN, you can enjoy cashback on purchases, full control over your spending, and peace of mind thanks to purchase protection. A built-in multi-currency account lets you spend abroad or shop internationally with great exchange rates and no hidden fees.
About the Role

We are seeking a Head of Legal to lead the legal, licensing, and regulatory strategy for ZEN.COM's neobanking and payments expansion in Ukraine. This pivotal role will oversee the preparation and submission of applications to the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), ensuring full compliance with Ukrainian and international regulatory requirements for neobanking, e-money, payments, and card services.

You will serve as the primary legal contact for the NBU and other regulatory authorities, managing all legal documentation, contracts, and corporate governance frameworks required for the establishment and operation of the neobank. The ideal candidate will possess a strong command of financial regulation, banking and payments law, consumer protection and data privacy.

Key Responsibilities:
Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

• Lead the neobank licensing application with the NBU, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and timely submission of all documentation.
• Develop and execute the regulatory strategy for obtaining payment, e-money, or financial institution licenses under Ukrainian law.
• Liaise directly with the NBU and other regulatory bodies, representing the company during consultations, meetings, and audits.
• Ensure compliance and alignment with Ukraine and EU regulatory standards, including PSD2, open banking, and cross-border payment requirements.
• Prepare and maintain documentation supporting consumer protection, and outsourcing arrangements.
• Monitor and interpret regulatory developments affecting digital banking, payment systems, and card issuance in Ukraine.

Legal Governance and Documentation

• Draft, review, and negotiate contracts, policies, and legal frameworks for banking, payment and card operations (e.g., issuing, acquiring, BIN sponsorship, PSP agreements).
• Establish and maintain corporate governance structures in compliance with Ukrainian corporate and financial laws.
• Manage legal aspects of data protection (GDPR and Ukrainian privacy law), outsourcing, IT security, and customer data management.
• Provide guidance on consumer protection obligations, marketing compliance, and product terms and conditions.
• Collaborate with external counsel and advisors to ensure comprehensive legal and regulatory alignment.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner with compliance, risk, and product teams to align legal and regulatory frameworks with business objectives.
• Support launch readiness by ensuring regulatory, contractual, and operational requirements are fulfilled prior to go-live.
• Provide regular updates to senior management on regulatory progress, key risks, and dependencies.

Qualifications:

• Qualified lawyer with 7+ years of experience in financial services, fintech, or banking law.
• Proven experience managing regulatory licensing processes and direct interaction with the NBU or equivalent authorities.

• In-depth knowledge of Ukrainian and EU-aligned financial regulations, including:

• Payment Services and E-Money frameworks (PSD2 equivalent)

• Consumer protection and data privacy (GDPR & Ukrainian Law on Personal Data Protection)

• Outsourcing, risk management, and operational resilience

• Experience advising on card scheme and payment networks, Visa, Mastercard, local networks.

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to translate complex legal concepts into actionable business advice.
• Fluency in Ukrainian and English required.

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