Company Description
Etsy is the global marketplace for unique and creative goods. We build, power, and evolve the tools and technologies that connect millions of entrepreneurs with millions of buyers around the world. As an Etsy Inc. employee, whether a team member of Etsy, Reverb, or Depop, you will tackle unique, meaningful, and large-scale problems alongside passionate coworkers, all the while making a rewarding impact and Keeping Commerce Human.

Salary Range:

What’s the role?

This is a fantastic opportunity for a highly talented individual with global payments expertise to join our growing legal team that supports Etsy’s House of Brands as a Senior Counsel, Payments. 

This global role will support our rapidly growing and evolving payments business across our House of Brands (Etsy, Depop, & Reverb), advising on all aspects of payments strategy, operations and expansion, including product development, commercial transactions and ongoing relationships, and regulatory requirements. You’ll counsel Etsy’s business, product, marketing, operations, compliance and engineering teams on the application of payment laws and regulations, helping us to build products, adopt policies and expand internationally in a way that meets our obligations, as well as the needs of our community. You will be hitting the ground running, answering interesting questions and tackling uncharted Fintech problems. 

This is a full-time position reporting to the Director II, Assistant General Counsel, Product, Marketing, and Payments. In addition to salary, you will also be eligible for an equity package, an annual performance bonus, and our competitive benefits that support you and your family as part of your total rewards package at Etsy. 

This role requires your presence in Etsy’s Brooklyn Office once or twice per week depending on your proximity to the office. Candidates living within commutable distance of Etsy’s Brooklyn Office Hub may be the first to be considered. Learn more details about our  work modes and workplace safety policies here.

What’s this team like at Etsy?

• Etsy Legal is a dynamic team of lawyers working on some of the hardest technical, commercial, and regulatory problems around - we’re looking for a great payments lawyer with deep expertise to join our team. In this role you will work with people throughout the company to help Etsy and our brands grow in a manner that complies with payments, financial services, and other regulations that apply to Etsy across the world. 

What does the day-to-day look like?

• Work with business teams across our House of Brands to explore and evaluate new business opportunities in the payments space across multiple jurisdictions, to help the teams understand regulatory compliance obligations and to facilitate launch of any new payments-related products/services.

• Provide day-to-day advice, resolving issues that arise in existing commercial relationships, drafting and negotiating complicated payments and other related commercial agreements, and providing ongoing legal counseling on a wide range of legal and commercial areas. 

• Provide thought-leadership on the evolution of Etsy’s payments strategy. 

• Advise the business on legal issues surrounding structuring of new and existing payments-related products from initial stages of product development through to launch and beyond. 

• Draft customer-facing policies for our payments products and advise on appropriate customer communications and disclosures. 

• Be an integral part of the payments product, engineering, and commercial teams; working with them to help design and deliver solutions that are compliant with applicable legislation, such as PSD2. 

• Manage local outside counsel to secure and provide tailored advice on the launch of payments products and features across various markets. 

• Monitor payments related legal and regulatory developments applicable to the businesses and advise on change management processes related to those developments. 

• Coordinate closely with subject matter experts within the global Legal team to ensure comprehensive and consistent legal risk mitigation strategies. In particular, collaborate closely with the Compliance function with identifying and complying with all relevant regulatory compliance obligations that apply to the payment operations of the Etsy group marketplaces, both within the US and internationally. 

• Ensure effective risk management practices in accordance with relevant laws, regulations, and company policies. 

• We are a global business. This role requires an attorney with experience identifying, understanding, and managing international payments legal and regulatory risks. 

• Of course, this is just a sample of the kinds of work this role will require! You should assume that your role will encompass other tasks, too, and that your job duties and responsibilities may change from time to time at Etsy's discretion, or otherwise applicable with local law.

Qualities that will help you thrive in this role are:

• JD (or local equivalent), and are admitted to a state bar (preferably NY or CA) or are qualified to work in-house in New York.

• 6+ years at both a law firm and in-house. In-house experience at a tech, fintech, or financial service company is strongly desired.

• Substantive knowledge of global payments regulation and regulatory frameworks relevant to payments and financial services systems globally.  

• Skilled at issue spotting and advising on other international legal and regulatory risks related to payments and financial services. 

• Ability to work in a high-velocity environment, meet tight deadlines and act decisively. 

• Ability to present complex issues in a clear and concise manner and provide succinct, practical and results-oriented legal advice.

• Excellent business judgment, communication and interpersonal skills.

• Experience being the primary point of contact with clients, and taking the lead in handling the legal side of a project. You often work cross-functionally across legal, compliance, business and engineering functions.

• Experience in a fast paced company, with a history of advising in real-time in meetings, providing accurate guidance and pragmatic solutions. 

• Excellent communication skills that are  persuasive and audience-tailored, and influence stakeholders’ decisions.

• You independently make sound decisions in your focus area and exercise judgment balancing legal risk and business considerations.

• Effective communicator both verbally and in writing. You can speak to technical payments specialists and senior business leaders, clearly articulating risk and strategies to mitigate risk to  clients and executives.

• Outstanding organizational skills, attention to detail and work ethic.

• Excellent business, negotiation and presentation skills.

• You love what you do and could work in many places, but you want to work at Etsy because you recognize that having the chance to contribute impactful work and grow a company with an outstanding mission is a rare opportunity.

Additional Information

What's Next
If you're interested in joining the team at Etsy, please share your resume with us and feel free to include a cover letter if you'd like. As we hope you've seen already, Etsy is a place that values individuality and variety. We don't want you to be like everyone else -- we want you to be like you! So tell us what you're all about.

Our Promise
At Etsy, we believe that a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace furthers relevance, resilience, and longevity. We encourage people from all backgrounds, ages, abilities, and experiences to apply. Etsy is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If, due to a disability, you need an accommodation during any part of the interview process, please let your recruiter know. While Etsy supports visa sponsorship, sponsorship opportunities may be limited to certain roles and skills.