Director, Product Counsel

Tipalti•Foster City, CA

12d

About The Position

We're seeking an experienced Director, Product Counsel to lead our product legal function and drive strategic legal support for Tipalti's AI-driven finance automation solution. This role will manage our existing product counsel team while providing senior-level legal guidance on product development, regulatory compliance, and strategic initiatives in the rapidly evolving payments and financial services landscape. The ideal candidate is an innovative, entrepreneurial legal leader who thrives in ambiguous environments and can make sound decisions with imperfect information while driving business growth. Why join Tipalti? Tipalti is the AI-powered platform for finance automation, elevating how finance teams operate in the global economy. We empower our customers to scale faster and smarter by removing the complexities of doing global business and accelerating their finance operations efficiency. Our platform provides a comprehensive suite of finance automation solutions designed for mid-market businesses across accounts payable, global payouts, procurement, employee expenses, corporate cards, supplier management, tax compliance, and treasury. Tipalti partners with leading financial institutions such as Citi, Wells Fargo, J.P. Morgan, and Visa, enabling over 5,000 global companies to efficiently and securely pay millions of suppliers and payees across 200+ countries and territories, in 120 currencies. At Tipalti, we pride ourselves on our collaborative culture, the quality of our product and the capabilities of our people. Tipaltians are passionate about the work they do, and keen to get the job done. Tipalti oﬀers competitive benefits, a flexible workplace, career coaching, and an environment where diverse individuals can thrive and make an impact. Our culture ensures everyone checks their egos at the door and stands ready to reach for success together. Founded in Israel in 2010, Tipalti is a global business headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area (Foster City) with offices in Tel Aviv, Plano, Toronto, Vancouver, London, Amsterdam, Tbilisi and Medellin.

Requirements

JD from an accredited law school and admission to practice law
10+ years of legal experience with at least 6 years in product counsel or a similar role
3+ years of people management experience, preferably leading legal teams
Deep expertise in financial services regulation, particularly payments, money transmission, and card programs/payment cards
Experience with card issuing, processing, network regulations (Visa, Mastercard), and related compliance requirements (PCI DSS)
Strong understanding of fintech product development and technology platforms
Experience with SaaS business models and B2B commercial arrangements
Proven track record of providing practical, business-oriented legal advice in fast-paced environments
Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in ambiguous, rapidly changing environments and make sound decisions with incomplete information
Entrepreneurial mindset with a track record of innovative problem-solving and strategic thinking

Nice To Haves

Experience at high-growth fintech or payments companies
Background with global regulatory frameworks and cross-border payments
Knowledge of emerging technologies in financial services (APIs, blockchain, etc.)
Experience with venture-backed or public company environments
Strong project management and cross-functional collaboration skills
Experience launching new financial products or entering new markets
Track record of successfully pivoting legal strategies in response to market or regulatory changes

Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Management Lead and manage the product counsel team, providing mentorship, professional development, and strategic direction
Build and scale the product legal function to support Tipalti's growth trajectory
Collaborate closely with cross-functional leadership, including Product, Engineering, Compliance, Marketing and Alliances
Establish best practices, processes, and workflows for efficient and innovative legal support of product initiatives
Product Legal Strategy Provide strategic legal counsel on product development, feature launches, and go-to-market strategies
Lead legal review and risk assessment of new products, services, and partnerships
Advise on product compliance with applicable regulations including payments, money transmission and card programs
Support product roadmap planning with proactive legal guidance and risk mitigation strategies
Regulatory Compliance Navigate complex regulatory landscape across multiple jurisdictions where Tipalti operates including US, Canada, UK, EU and Israel
Ensure product compliance with state and federal money transmission, AML and card issuing, processing, and network regulations
Collaborate with the Compliance team on regulatory change management and implementation
Interface with regulators and external counsel on product-related matters
Strategic Initiatives Support strategic partnerships, integrations, and business development initiatives
Lead legal aspects of product-related M&A activities and due diligence
Advise on intellectual property strategy
Draft and negotiate complex commercial agreements related to product offerings

Benefits

Tipalti oﬀers competitive benefits, a flexible workplace, career coaching, and an environment where diverse individuals can thrive and make an impact.

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