General Counsel (New York)

Ascenda is seeking an experienced, business-minded lawyer to serve as Interim General Counsel during a parental leave period. This individual will provide strategic legal leadership and hands-on support across commercial, regulatory, and corporate matters, ensuring continuity of legal operations and alignment with business objectives in a fast-growing fintech environment.

This is a full‑time, fixed‑term contract covering parental leave from October 2026 through March 2027.

Key Responsibilities

Legal Leadership & Strategic Advisory

• Act as the primary legal advisor to senior leadership on day‑to‑day legal matters and strategic initiatives
• Provide practical, solutions‑oriented guidance balancing legal risk with commercial objectives
• Operate as a hands‑on generalist who can roll up their sleeves and connect the dots across commercial, product, partnerships, finance, and HR teams

Commercial & Transactional Work

• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements, including:
• MSAs with banks and card issuers
• Strategic partnership agreements with airlines, loyalty partners, content providers and other complementary partners
• DPAs, IDTAs and data sharing agreements
• Advise on structuring complex global partnerships and revenue‑generating arrangements
• Review and maintain customer‑facing product terms, participation agreements, and service‑specific terms

Regulatory & Compliance

• Oversee legal and regulatory compliance across relevant jurisdictions (payments, data privacy, loyalty frameworks as applicable)
• Provide guidance on emerging regulatory developments impacting fintech and data‑driven platforms
• Advise on AI governance, including responsible AI policies and contractual restrictions on AI/ML model training using company or client data

Employment & HR

• Support global employment matters, including employment agreements, workplace policies, and workforce actions across multiple jurisdictions

Corporate & Governance

• Support corporate governance matters, including board materials, shareholder agreements, resolutions, and entity management
• Advise on international expansion, entity structuring, and cross‑border considerations
• Engage and manage external counsel on an as‑needed basis for specialized matters, including litigation, dispute resolution, and jurisdiction‑specific regulatory advice

Operational Continuity

• Step into ongoing matters and ensure seamless continuation of legal workflows
• Assess and triage litigation and pre‑litigation matters, including conducting initial investigations and managing responses to counterparty claims
• Identify and prioritize key legal risks and urgent issues during the coverage period
• Maintain and improve legal processes, templates, intake workflows, and playbooks; leverage legal technology tools where appropriate

Who You Are

• JD or equivalent; Admitted to the bar in at least one U.S. state
• 10+ years of legal experience, including:
• Prior General Counsel, Deputy GC, or senior in‑house leadership role
• Strong background in B2B fintech, SaaS, or technology‑driven businesses
• Demonstrated experience handling complex commercial transactions and global partnerships
• Working knowledge of international data protection frameworks, including GDPR, and experience negotiating DPAs, IDTAs, and cross‑border data sharing agreements
• Familiarity with APAC regulatory environments, particularly Singapore (PDPA) and Australia (Privacy Act, APRA prudential standards); UK exposure is a plus
• Experience with data privacy programs, including GDPR, CCPA, and PDPA compliance; CIPP/US or CIPP/E certification preferred
• Comfortable managing workflows and stakeholder communications across multiple time zones (US, APAC, EU)
• Proven ability to operate independently in a lean, fast‑paced environment
• Strong executive presence with the ability to advise senior stakeholders

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in loyalty, rewards, or points‑based ecosystems
• Familiarity with financial services regulatory standards (e.g., APRA CPS 230/234, PCI DSS)
• Experience advising on AI/data governance for product launches

The salary range for this position is between $196,000 to $264,000 per year, depending on experience and location.

Why Join Ascenda?

Ascenda offers the unique opportunity to lead in the loyalty ecosystem space, shaping the future of rewards programs. We are passionate, we keep things simple, we focus on results, we work together & we innovate!

Ascenda is dedicated to diversity and inclusion, welcoming candidates from all backgrounds.

Ready to power growth for the financial services industry? Apply now! Together, we'll redefine what's possible.