Senior Legal Counsel – SBL Legal

Overview

As Senior Legal Counsel for Starling Bank Limited, you will provide expert guidance on retail banking products, consumer credit and payments, from concept to delivery. You’ll translate regulatory changes into practical advice, anticipate future requirements, and balance commercial aims with strong customer outcomes. You’ll partner with product, engineering, compliance and regulators to shape cross-functional initiatives and manage external counsel. This role offers a chance to influence a leading fintech’s retail strategy within a collaborative culture that values integrity and impact.

Pay / Benefits

• 25 days holiday (plus public holidays)
• birthday holiday
• longer leave with service
• volunteering time
• pension scheme
• life insurance 4x salary

Responsibilities

• Provide expert legal advice on retail banking products, consumer credit and payments propositions and strategic initiatives.
• Interpret regulatory changes and translate into practical, commercially focused guidance.
• Horizon-scan for upcoming regulatory developments and prepare the business early.
• Identify and assess legal and regulatory risk within the enterprise risk management framework.
• Attend governance forums and input into key decisions and approvals.
• Support product and engineering squads with pragmatic guidance.
• Collaborate with Compliance, Financial Crime, Risk, and regulators (FCA/PRA) as needed.
• Manage external counsel and panel firms, including instructions and budget.

Key requirements

• UK-qualified lawyer with 5+ years PQE from law firm and/or in-house.
• Strong knowledge of Consumer Credit Act, Financial Services and Markets Act, FCA Handbook (CONC, BCOBs, COBs, Consumer Duty) and Payment Services Regulations.
• Strong commercial judgement and ability to provide pragmatic, risk-based advice.
• Independent, proactive work style in a fast-paced environment; excellent drafting and analytical skills.
• Strong attention to detail; resilient, diligent and conscientious.
• Excellent interpersonal skills across seniority levels.

• strong communication
• collaboration
• pragmatic risk management
• regulatory expertise
• risk assessment
• regulatory horizon-scanning

…