Legal Counsel, APAC

Job description

Job Description: At Remitly, we believe everyone deserves the freedom to access, move, and manage their money wherever life takes them. Since 2011, we've tirelessly delivered on our promise to customers sending money globally, providing secure, simple, and reliable ways to manage their money, ensuring true peace of mind. Whether it's supporting loved ones back home, growing a business across continents, or pursuing new opportunities abroad, we're not just here to move money— we're here to move our global customers forward. We're looking for builders, reimaginers, and global thinkers who want to work at the intersection of technology, trust, and transformation. If that's you and you're ready to do the most meaningful work of your career—we invite you to join over 2,800 passionate Remitlians worldwide who are united by our vision to transform lives with trusted financial services that transcend borders. About the Role: Remitly is looking for a Sydney-based Legal Counsel to support our growth in Australia and New Zealand, with exposure to other APAC markets including Singapore, Japan and the Philippines and other emerging markets for the business. You will provide practical legal advice on financial services regulation, new product initiatives and partner contracts, working closely with Remitly's business development, product, compliance, finance and government relations teams. This is a hands-on role in a small regional team with a broad remit. You will interpret complex legal and regulatory requirements, identify risk and opportunity, and give clear, timely advice that the business can act on. The successful candidate will be proactive, well organised, commercially minded and comfortable working across multiple jurisdictions and time zones. The role is based in Sydney on a hybrid basis and you will report to the Head of Legal, APAC and South Asia. You Will: Advise on the regulatory framework that applies to Remitly's business across APAC, including financial services licensing, AML/CTF, payments, consumer protection, privacy and scams. Provide legal support for new product initiatives and changes to existing products, from early feasibility and structuring through to launch, including customer terms, disclosures and marketing review. Review, draft and negotiate partner agreements across APAC, including with banks, payment service providers, payout partners and technology vendors. Monitor legal and regulatory developments in Australia and New Zealand, assess their impact on Remitly's products and operations, and help the business implement any required changes. Support licensing and ongoing supervisory engagement, including correspondence with regulators such as ASIC, AUSTRAC and their APAC counterparts. Support the compliance and government relations teams on regulatory matters, consultations and industry engagement. Manage external counsel in the region on scope, cost and quality. Help build practical legal tools, templates and processes, particularly through the use of AI, that let the business move quickly with appropriate controls. Support other legal work in the region as needed, including corporate, employment and dispute matters. You Have: Admission as a lawyer in an Australian jurisdiction, and eligibility to hold a current practising certificate in New South Wales. 3 to 5 years' post-qualification experience, gained at a top-tier or leading national law firm, in-house at a bank, payments business or fintech, or a combination of both. Experience advising on Australian financial services regulation, ideally including payments, stored value, AFS licensing, AML/CTF and consumer protection. Experience reviewing and negotiating commercial agreements, preferably with banks, payment providers or other regulated entities. Experience supporting product development, including turning legal requirements into practical guidance for product and business teams. Experience with New Zealand financial services regulation, or with other APAC payments regimes, is a plus. Experience dealing with regulators or supporting licensing applications is a plus. Sound judgement, a practical and commercial approach, and the confidence to give clear advice on unsettled areas of law. The ability to manage a varied workload independently in a fast-paced environment, across multiple countries and time zones. AI fluency. Full professional proficiency in English. Additional Asian languages, particularly Japanese or Tagalog, are a plus. Our Benefits: Medical, Dental & Vision via Bupa Life Insurance & Disability Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) available for eligible employees Mental Health & Family Forming Benefits Continuing education Our Connected Work Culture: Driving Innovation, Together At Remitly, we believe that true innovation sparks when we come together. Our Connected Work Culture fosters dynamic in-person collaboration, where ideas ignite and challenging problems find solutions faster. Under the Company's current hybrid-work expectations, employees in this position work onsite Tuesday through Thursday each week. Additional onsite attendance may be required based on business needs, and the Company may modify its hybrid-work expectations from time to time. These intentional in-office moments are vital for deepening relationships, fueling creativity, and ensuring your impact is felt where it matters most. Remitly is an E-Verify Employer At Remitly, we are dedicated to ensuring that our workplace offers equal employment opportunities to all employees and candidates, in full compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Remitly is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.