Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, Product, Regulatory & Litigation

About the Legal, Compliance, and Public Affairs team 

The Legal, Compliance, and Public Affairs team is a group of dedicated professionals committed to helping Affirm scale, innovate, and provide outstanding products for consumers, merchants, and key partners. We combine legal, compliance, and policy expertise to guide growth, shape products, and build trust across our ecosystem. Our work spans multiple professional disciplines and provides the foundation for Affirm’s mission to deliver honest financial products.

About the role

Affirm's Legal team partners with the business to drive innovation and support the scaling of our consumer financial products while expertly managing complex regulatory, litigation, and enforcement risks globally.

This senior leadership position will report directly to the Chief Legal Officer & Chief Compliance Officer (CLO/CCO) and lead across the US and international jurisdictions, Affirm’s Product, Regulatory, Innovation, Licensing, Litigation & Enforcement teams. The ideal candidate will build and lead a team of professionals, skilled in all legal matters related to these domains and will be skilled in strategizing and developing products for the Company. This role will also partner closely with the executive team including the CEO, CLO & CCO, Chief Operations Officer, SVP Product, SVP Engineering, CISO & other executives, along with other cross-functional groups, to ensure that our product, regulatory, licensing, litigation and enforcement legal work supports the company and is cohesive, holistic, and aligned with the strategic and operational needs of the business. Necessary experience and skills include critical thinking in the development and provision of legal  analyses and the provision of strategic counsel, strong and effective written and oral communication skills, and a demonstrated ability to lead while seamlessly and collegially partnering with internal and external teammates. The ideal candidate will join the leadership team for the CLO organization and provide important cross-department leadership and strategic guidance to the CLO and the leadership team. 

What you’ll do

• Develop and execute strategic plans for Affirm’s Product, Regulatory, Innovation, Licensing, Litigation & Enforcement functions based on broader company strategies, ensuring alignment of global strategy and organizational growth.
• Provide strategic direction and leadership across Product, Regulatory, Innovation, Licensing, Litigation, & Enforcement through senior legal leaders, ensuring alignment of priorities, accountability, and organizational effectiveness.
• Counsel senior management, executive leaders, board members, and regulators as a trusted advisor on all product, litigation, and regulatory matters.
• Partner with Product, Technology, Engineering, Bank, and other cross-functional leaders to provide strategic legal guidance on product development, innovation, bank-related initiatives, and complex federal, state, and international consumer financial regulatory matters.
• Oversee legal strategy and responses related to federal and state regulatory inquiries, bank partner examinations, and enforcement actions, partnering closely with Regulatory Affairs, Public Affairs, and Compliance to anticipate and mitigate material regulatory risks.
• Develop solutions in partnership with cross-functional leaders to address complex, company-wide problems, building consensus to drive long-term business initiatives.
• Accountable for functional-level financial results and budgets, including judiciously managing outside counsel and litigation spend

What we look for

• J.D. degree and a state bar member in good standing.
• 20 years of legal experience, including law firm and government (CFPB or FTC) or in-house supporting consumer financial, payments, litigation, and enforcement matters at a fintech or technology company.
• Expert knowledge of core functions, including federal and state consumer protection lending laws, financial technology, payments, and litigation.
• Strong thought leadership and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to build cross-functional leadership consensus and implement organizational growth.
• Experience interacting with executive leaders, board members, and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to manage change, develop risk mitigation plans, and translate long-term strategies into near-term focus (2-4 years).
• Experience scaling teams and a strong desire to manage, develop, and mentor other senior attorneys and paraprofessionals

Base Pay Grade - X

Equity Grade - USA 24

Employees new to Affirm typically come in at the start of the pay range. Affirm focuses on providing a simple and transparent pay structure which is based on a variety of factors, including location, experience and job-related skills.

Base pay is part of a total compensation package that may include equity rewards, monthly stipends for health, wellness and tech spending, and benefits (including 100% subsidized medical coverage, dental and vision for you and your dependents.)

USA base pay range per year: $370,000 - $415,000

 

Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

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