Managing Associate – Digital Data and Commercial – Payments

Overview

In this role you will lead commercial work for clients in the payments space, shaping agreements and strategic initiatives within a multidisciplinary team. You’ll advise on payment products, services, and technology contracts, collaborating with regulatory specialists and driving business development. The position supports growth of the DDaC Payments practice across multiple UK offices, with opportunities for secondments and on-site client support. You will mentor junior lawyers and help build long-term client relationships in a fast-paced, inclusive firm.

Pay / Benefits

• competitive salary
• 25 days holiday (30 with length of service)
• private medical insurance
• flexible benefits scheme
• hybrid working
• progressive flexible working approach

Responsibilities

• Advise clients on commercial arrangements in the payments sector
• Draft, negotiate and manage payment services and other commercial agreements (outsourcing, technology, framework, strategic partnerships)
• Support payment-related projects, product launches and commercial initiatives
• Work with multi-disciplinary teams on technology, commercial and financial services matters
• Collaborate with Financial Services Regulatory, Technology and Data teams for specialist input
• Build strong client relationships and act as trusted adviser on day-to-day matters
• Supervise and mentor junior lawyers
• Lead business development activities (tenders, pitches, client training, relationship-building)
• Contribute to thought leadership and sector-focused initiatives
• Support client on-site engagements and secondments as needed

Key requirements

• Qualified solicitor (SRA or Law Society registered) with at least six years’ post-qualification experience in commercial, technology or financial services, or in-house equivalent
• Strong drafting, negotiation and advisory capabilities in a commercial context
• Experience advising clients in regulated sectors, especially financial services, fintech or payments
• Interest in how payment products and services are developed, delivered and commercialised
• Ability to work alongside regulatory specialists on combined commercial and regulatory issues
• Pragmatic, commercially focused advisory approach
• Effective communication with strong organisational and stakeholder management skills
• Experience supervising, mentoring and developing junior lawyers
• Interest in client relationship building and practice development
• Previous payments-related advisory experience is beneficial but not essential
• Open to candidates with broader commercial, technology or financial services backgrounds seeking a payments specialization

• strong communication
• stakeholder management
• mentoring and leadership
• drafting of commercial agreements
• negotiation
• advisory in regulated sectors

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