Senior Legal Counsel

Senior Legal CounselTensec is expanding rapidly across the US, Brazil, and Mexico, and the legal infrastructure that enables this growth needs to be built correctly — by someone who understands financial services regulation, commercial contracting, and multi-jurisdictional compliance all at once. As Senior Legal Counsel, you will be Tensec's primary internal legal voice across all US matters: corporate governance, regulatory compliance, vendor and partner contracting, and the legal framework that supports our expanding trade finance and cross-border payments operations.This is not a policy-writing or external-counsel-management role. You are the legal infrastructure. You will advise the CCO and COO directly, own Tensec's regulatory development roadmap across BSA/AML, FinCEN, and OFAC, manage all material legal agreements, and build the legal scaffolding that lets Tensec enter new markets on its own terms.What You'll DoLegal Affairs Leadership: Serve as Tensec's primary internal legal voice across all US matters — corporate (other than board matters), contractual, marketing, regulatory, and risk — advising the COO and CCO directly at the operating levelManage MTL obligations across all US jurisdictions and monitor the regulatory landscape as Tensec expands into new corridors and statesDirect and coordinate Tensec's existing external legal network; manage outside counsel relationships strategically and cost-efficientlyLead legal review on all client agreements, vendor contracts, and external partnerships; provide legal input on banking and financing relationships as they flow through you, with relationship ownership at COO levelBuild the legal infrastructure including templates, playbooks, and review processes that scale and that the GC/CLO will inherit as the organization growsCompliance Advisory: Inform the CCO organization on US and cross-jurisdictional legal requirements that affect how the compliance program must be structured; you are the legal input, not the compliance ownerAdvise strategically on compliance program design across markets, translating regulatory developments across BSA/AML, FinCEN, OFAC, and sanctions into actionable guidance for the compliance teamOwn compliance program ownership and external compliance advisory relationships at COO level; your role is to ensure the compliance team has the legal substance it needs to execute wellAI & Emerging Regulation: Monitor and advise on AI governance requirements applicable to Tensec's US and international operations, including emerging AI transparency and accountability obligations at the federal and state levelEnsure US market entry and product launches account for relevant AI, data, and consumer protection requirements in coordination with the operations and product teamsServe as the internal legal resource for People & HR matters across all three jurisdictions; support the COO on employment, contractor, and benefits questionsBuild and maintain a legal knowledge base — contract templates, regulatory memos, jurisdiction summaries — so that legal guidance is embedded in operations rather than siloedWhat We're Looking For7+ years of legal experience, with meaningful time spent in financial services, fintech, payments, or a regulated industry — in-house experience strongly preferredGrounded in legal and compliance fundamentals: background in law or compliance with close working knowledge of AML/CFT obligations, BSA/AML, FinCEN, OFAC, and KYB/KYC standards, and the regulatory expectations of institutions like BCB, BACEN, CNBVExperienced enough with large institutions to know what you are walking away from, and why the equity trajectory of a company like this is worth more than the certainty you are leaving behindComfortable at multi-jurisdictional scale: trade finance structures, cross-border regulatory complexity, and AI-governed compliance systems are not unfamiliar territoryA natural institutional builder: you think about what the legal function looks like at ten times complexity before designing it for todayFluent in English; Spanish or Portuguese a meaningful plus given our Brazil and Mexico operations and the volume of cross-border contracts flowing through this roleBased in New York, NY or Miami, FL; ability to travelActive bar membership is a plus in New York, Florida, or another US jurisdictionExperience advising on MTL compliance, MSB registration, or US state-level money transmitter licensingExposure to AI regulatory frameworks, data protection obligations (LGPD, GDPR, CCPA), or AI accountability standards in financial servicesTo Thrive in This Role, You HaveGenuine fluency in how cross-border financial services, regulatory frameworks, and compliance programs actually work, not just what the policy document saysHigh agency, when a legal question is unclear or a contract is blocking a deal, you drive to resolution without waiting for external counsel to tell you what to doA commercial orientation: you understand that legal is a growth enabler at Tensec, not a gatekeeper, and you structure your work accordinglyWhat You'll LearnThe full legal and regulatory landscape of cross-border payments and FX across the US, Brazil, and Mexico, from MTL obligations to BACEN registration to CNBV licensingHow to build a legal infrastructure from scratch that scales with a company, from first template to institutional-grade contract management, compliance advisory, and regulatory engagementWhat it looks like to be the legal foundation of a fintech that is growing 5x year over year — with real ownership, real exposure, and real stakesBenefits and PerksThe expected salary range for this role is $155,000–$190,000 for candidates based in Miami, and $170,000–$210,000 for candidates based in the Bay Area. Actual compensation will depend on experience, skills, qualifications, and location.EquityMedical, dental and vision15 days paid time offLearning and development budgetAdditional DisclaimersTensec is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.Tensec is a diverse and inclusive company committed to growing a diverse and inclusive team. We invite people of all backgrounds and identities to apply. Additionally, we encourage everyone to share which pronouns you wish for us to use when addressing you (i.e., she/her, he/him, they/them).We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. Please let your recruiter know if you require an accommodation during the application or interview process.