Counsel II, Vendor

About the Role

Given the fast-paced and dynamic nature of Affirm's business, this role requires an individual who is not only skilled in transactional law but also adept at balancing risk with business velocity. The ability to design and improve processes, playbooks, and programs to increase efficiency and deal velocity is essential, as the company continues to scale and innovate.

The Legal, Compliance, and Public Affairs team at Affirm is committed to supporting the company's growth, innovation, and product development through legal, compliance, and policy expertise. As part of this team, the Counsel II, Vendor will play a crucial role in guiding growth, shaping products, and building trust across Affirm's ecosystem.

What You Will Do

• Lead negotiation, drafting, and execution of vendor agreements, including technology services, cloud services, SaaS, data platform, contractor, marketing/creative, lease, and payment processing engagements.
• Manage a high volume of deals with speed and sound judgment, ensuring that all agreements are legally compliant and meet business requirements.
• Design, implement, and continuously improve playbooks, contract templates, negotiation guides, and workflows to enable the team to operate efficiently at scale.
• Identify friction points and build solutions that reduce cycle time without sacrificing quality, contributing to process improvements and legal operational efficiency.
• Work closely with procurement, financial partnerships, engineering, product, finance, information security, privacy, and other teams to provide clear, practical guidance on legal matters.
• Serve as a proactive, strategic business partner to stakeholders across the organization, providing legal counsel that supports business objectives.
• Develop and deliver training and resources that empower business partners to self-serve on routine commercial legal matters, increasing team capacity and reducing bottlenecks.
• Collaborate with the legal team to ensure consistency in legal advice and support across the company.
• Stay updated on legal developments and trends in fintech, payments, and financial services, applying this knowledge to improve legal processes and protect Affirm's interests.

What We Are Looking For

• JD and active membership in good standing with at least one U.S. state bar.
• 5+ years of relevant transactional experience in-house at a technology company or in a technology practice group at a top law firm.
• Exceptional drafting skills, with the ability to craft clear, concise, and legally sound agreements.
• Experience in fintech, payments, or financial services, with a deep understanding of the regulatory landscape.
• Experience supporting global or multi-jurisdictional transactions, with knowledge of international legal standards and practices.
• Strong working knowledge of data protection and privacy regimes such as CCPA, GDPR, APPs, PIPEDA, and GLBA.
• Proven ability to manage high deal volume while maintaining quality, consistency, and attention to detail.
• A track record of building or improving legal processes, playbooks, templates, or other operational tools in a high-growth environment.
• Clear, concise communication skills, with the ability to distill complex legal and commercial issues into plain language.
• Collaborative working style, with experience guiding cross-functional teams toward practical, win-win outcomes.
• Intellectual curiosity and creative problem-solving instincts, with the ability to learn new products and business models quickly and enjoy finding solutions to novel challenges.

Nice to Have

• Experience with contract management software and tools.
• Knowledge of IT and software development, particularly in relation to cloud services and SaaS.
• Certification in data privacy or a related field.
• Experience working in an agile environment and supporting rapid product development cycles.

Benefits and Perks

• Competitive compensation package.
• Opportunity to work with a high-growth, innovative fintech company.
• Collaborative, dynamic work environment with a team of experienced professionals.
• Professional development opportunities, including training and education support.
• Flexible, remote work arrangements, with a stipend for home office setup.
• Comprehensive health insurance and benefits package.
• Generous PTO policy, encouraging work-life balance.
• Access to the latest technology and tools to support your work.
• Recognition and reward for outstanding performance and contributions to the company's success.

• Build a strong portfolio: Showcase your experience in transactional law, particularly in fintech or related industries, by highlighting successful agreements and negotiations.
• Develop a deep understanding of fintech regulations: Stay updated on the latest legal developments and trends in fintech, payments, and financial services to stand out as a knowledgeable candidate.
• Practice your negotiation skills: Prepare examples of how you have effectively negotiated complex agreements and be ready to discuss your approach in an interview.
• Highlight process improvement skills: Emphasize any experience you have in designing and implementing more efficient legal processes or tools, as this is a key aspect of the Counsel II, Vendor role.
• Showcase your ability to work with cross-functional teams: Provide examples of times when you have successfully collaborated with various stakeholders, including procurement, engineering, and product teams, to achieve legal and business objectives.
• Be prepared to discuss data protection and privacy: Given the importance of data security in fintech, be ready to discuss your knowledge of relevant regimes such as CCPA, GDPR, and others, and how you apply this knowledge in your work.
• Demonstrate your ability to adapt to a fast-paced environment: Highlight your experience in managing multiple projects simultaneously and your ability to thrive in a dynamic, high-growth company like Affirm.