Head of Legal

About Us

UMO is a stealth-mode FinTech venture aiming to evolve the way people experience money by building a unified, AI-powered, yet deeply human modern money platform across fiat, crypto, and investments - subject to regulatory approvals. The platform is being designed to break down traditional barriers to money across access, assets, and experience, enabling simpler, more adaptive ways for people to interact with financial services.

We are currently developing our MVP and navigating licensing requirements, with a multidisciplinary team of 100+ people representing 20+ nationalities. With our headquarters in the UAE and offices in Portugal and Ukraine , we are united behind a shared ambition and a relentless focus

About the Role

The Head of Legal at UMO is a strategic and hands-on leader driving our global legal operations. You will lead and grow a team of legal specialists to deliver high-quality, secure, and compliant solutions in a high-growth environment. Your mission is to balance rapid innovation with robust governance, ensuring that UMO’s expansion across the UAE, EU, and beyond is structurally sound and regulatory-compliant.

You are a "Business-First" legal expert who doesn't just identify risks but engineers the legal frameworks that allow our Product and Engineering teams to ship at pace. From securing VASP licenses to architecting complex BaaS partnerships, you are the guardian of UMO’s global integrity.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Licensing & Regulatory Strategy

• Regulatory Lead: Drive the end-to-end licensing process across multiple jurisdictions, including direct, high-level engagement with VARA and other financial regulators.
• Global Oversight: Provide full legal support for operations in the UAE, EU, and future target markets, ensuring a unified global strategy.

2. Product & Crypto-Fiat Operations

• Fintech Integration: Advise on the legal frameworks for Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS), card programs, and complex banking partnerships.
• Convergence Specialist: Act as the subject matter expert for the intersection of TradFi and Digital Assets, ensuring wallets, trading features, and fiat ramps remain compliant.

3. Corporate Governance & IP

• Organizational Architecture: Architect and maintain the global corporate structure, including holding companies, intercompany agreements, and IP protection.
• Investor Relations: Support investment rounds, capital raises, and ongoing legal communication with investors and the Board.

4. Legal Ops & Risk Management

• Process Engineering: Build and optimize internal "Legal Ops" workflows to ensure the department scales efficiently as headcount grows.
• Contract Mastery: Lead the negotiation of high-stakes agreements with global vendors, liquidity providers, and strategic partners.
• Internal Controls: Establish and audit internal controls, AML/KYC policies, and data privacy standards (GDPR and local equivalents).

Requirements:

• Experience: 7+ years as Legal Counsel, with a mandatory focus on Regulated Fintech, Banking, or Crypto environments.
• Leadership: Proven track record of managing and mentoring a legal team (experience leading 3+ specialists is ideal).
• Domain Mastery: Deep understanding of VARA regulations, global payment rails (SEPA/SWIFT), and multi-jurisdictional licensing.
• Drafting Excellence: Exceptional skills in drafting and negotiating complex multi-party agreements.
• Language: Professional fluency in English (B2-C1); proficiency in Ukrainian or Russian is a significant advantage for regional office collaboration.
• Mindset: A proactive problem-solver who thrives in a "zero-to-one" startup environment.

How We Measure Success:

• Licensing Milestones: Successful acquisition and maintenance of key licenses in target jurisdictions (e.g., UAE VASP license).
• Operational Velocity: Reduced turnaround time for contract reviews and legal approvals for new product features.
• Regulatory Resilience: Zero major non-compliance findings in internal or external audits.
• Team Growth: Successful scaling of the legal function and high performance of direct reports.

Compensation & Benefits (Dubai, UAE):

• Highly Competitive Compensation.
• Visa Sponsorship: Full coverage of UAE employment visa and residency permit costs.
• Relocation Support: Dedicated support desk to assist with your move, including inbound flight coverage (if applicable).
• Time Off: 25 working days of Annual Leave + UAE Public Holidays.
• Health Coverage: Comprehensive Medical Insurance for yourself.
• Performance Incentives: Eligibility for performance-based bonuses and incentives.
• Statutory Benefits: End of Service Gratuity as per UAE Labour Law.