VP & Senior Counsel

At American Express, our culture is built on a 175-year history of innovation, shared values and Leadership Behaviors, and an unwavering commitment to back our customers, communities, and colleagues. As part of Team Amex, you'll experience this powerful backing with comprehensive support for your holistic well-being and many opportunities to learn new skills, develop as a leader, and grow your career. Here, your voice and ideas matter, your work makes an impact, and together, you will help us define the future of American Express.

The General Counsel’s Organization (GCO) at American Express is seeking a Vice President & Senior Counsel to serve as the lead lawyer for the National Client Group within the Global Merchant and Network Services division (GMNS). The successful candidate will lead a team of highly skilled lawyers responsible for negotiating complex commercial agreements and providing day-to-day legal and strategic advice in respect of the Company’s most strategic merchant relationships in the U.S. across three industry verticals: Retail; Travel & Entertainment; and Everyday Spend which includes supermarkets, pharmacies, and oil & gas merchants. This position requires navigating a broad range of novel business and legal issues and working seamlessly with colleagues cross-functionally. It also provides the opportunity to lead and contribute to a host of strategic projects across GMNS and to collaborate with colleagues across the GCO and the business on significant enterprise initiatives. 

The GMNS division is a core business of American Express and fundamental to the operation of the American Express global payments network. GMNS builds and maintains relationships with merchants that choose to accept the American Express Card, while simultaneously delivering differentiated products and services and driving revenue growth for both merchants and American Express. GMNS is responsible for signing merchants to accept the Card, processing Card transactions and providing marketing and other innovative programs and services to grow our merchant relationships. 

How will you make an impact in this role?

Role & Responsibilities:

• Lead a team of talented attorneys to provide legal and strategic advice on a broad range of matters impacting key merchant relationships, all within a dynamic business and regulatory environment 


• Negotiate and guide implementation of complex Card acceptance agreements and other commercial contracts, working in close collaboration with legal and business colleagues and other subject matter experts to deliver company objectives and mitigate risk


• Engage in strategic projects spanning GMNS and the broader enterprise to advance cutting-edge business opportunities and address emerging industry trends


• Identify and lead process improvements to promote agility in legal and related business operations


• Serve on the leadership team of the GMNS legal team, offering thought leadership on cross-functional issues and initiatives


• Build and leverage leadership, negotiation and subject matter expertise to serve as an engaging mentor, advisor and leader to colleagues on the team and across the GCO

Minimum Qualifications

• J.D. with admission to practice law in the U.S.


• 8+ years of relevant work experience in a law firm and/or in-house corporate legal environment


• Direct experience leading, negotiating and managing complex commercial transactions and relationships


• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with passion for generating creative and innovative solutions


• Ability to communicate complex issues clearly and persuasively, in both written and oral format, and to synthesize complex issues for senior business leaders


• Excellent collaboration and teamwork skills and ability to work well in cross-functional team settings


• Executive presence and ability to effectively interact at all levels within the organization and with external counterparties


• Proven ability to act as a trusted advisor to senior business leaders


• Ability to understand and integrate details of business operational/systemic environment in applying legal and policy requirements


• Self-motivated, high level of personal energy and commitment


• Proven experience leading a team of talented lawyers and collaborating on a cross functional basis

Preferred Qualifications

Prior experience in fintech, banking or payments

Salary Range: $220,000.00 to $320,000.00 annually + bonus + equity (if applicable) + benefits

The above represents the expected salary range for this job requisition. Ultimately, in determining your pay, we’ll consider your location, experience, and other job-related factors.

We back you with benefits that support your holistic well-being so you can be and deliver your best. This means caring for you and your loved ones' physical, financial, and mental health, as well as providing the flexibility you need to thrive personally and professionally:

• Competitive base salaries 
• Bonus incentives 
• 6% Company Match on retirement savings plan 
• Free financial coaching and financial well-being support 
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability benefits 
• Flexible working model with hybrid, onsite or virtual arrangements depending on role and business need 
• 20+ weeks paid parental leave for all parents, regardless of gender, offered for pregnancy, adoption or surrogacy 
• Free access to global on-site wellness centers staffed with nurses and doctors (depending on location) 
• Free and confidential counseling support through our Healthy Minds program 
• Career development and training opportunities

For a full list of Team Amex benefits, visit our Colleague Benefits Site.

American Express is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability status, age, or any other status protected by law. American Express will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with arrest or conviction records, in accordance with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including, but not limited to, the California Fair Chance Act, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. For positions covered by federal and/or state banking regulations, American Express will comply with such regulations as it relates to the consideration of applicants with criminal convictions.

We back our colleagues with the support they need to thrive, professionally and personally. That's why we have Amex Flex, our enterprise working model that provides greater flexibility to colleagues while ensuring we preserve the important aspects of our unique in-person culture. Depending on role and business needs, colleagues will either work onsite, in a hybrid model (combination of in-office and virtual days) or fully virtually.

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