Legal Counsel

Legal Counsel

**You Lead the Way. We've Got Your Back.**

With the right backing, people and businesses have the power to progress in incredible ways. When you join Team Amex, you become part of a global and diverse community of colleagues with an unwavering commitment to back our customers, communities and each other. Here, you'll learn and grow as we help you create a career journey that's unique and meaningful to you with benefits, programs, and flexibility that support you personally and professionally.

At American Express, you'll be recognized for your contributions, leadership, and impact-every colleague has the opportunity to share in the company's success. Together, we'll win as a team, striving to uphold our company values and powerful backing promise to provide the world's best customer experience every day. And we'll do it with the utmost integrity, and in an environment where everyone is seen, heard and feels like they belong.

Join Team Amex and let's lead the way together.

The mission of the legal department of American Express, the General Counsel Organization (GCO), is to protect and strengthen American Express, through excellent legal expertise and strategic advice that help our business partners manage risk, identify opportunities and deliver on American Express' promise of exceptional products and services.

**How will you make an impact in this role?**

In this context, we are now looking for a legal counsel to join our GCO Benelux team at our office in Brussels (Watermael-Boitsfort). In this role you will provide legal support to all lines of business of American Express in Belgium and Luxembourg, including:

- Providing practical, business-oriented legal advice and support to the business units in connection with the company's card issuing and merchant acquiring business on different areas of law, such as financial law, contract law, consumer protection law, privacy law and anti-money laundering legislation;
- Identifying and providing legal interpretation on new legislation or guidance, which impacts the business activities and affairs of the company;
- Working in close collaboration with members of the Benelux GCO team, other European lawyers, the Compliance department, business units and external organizations;
- Advising on interactions with regulators;
- Managing external counsel and;
- Drafting and reviewing contracts.

You will work under the direction of the Director & Counsel, an experienced lawyer based in Amsterdam.

**Minimum Qualifications**:

- Bachelors degree in Belgian law;
- Master's degree in Belgian law;
- Distinguished practice experience (between 5 and 10 years) in-house, ideally in a regulated environment (e.g. payment services, banking, insurance);
- Fluent in written and spoken Dutch, French and English;
- Solid knowledge of applicable Belgian law related to payment services, financial services generally, consumer protection, anti-money laundering law and data protection;
- Understanding of Luxembourg law is a plus;
- Autonomous, pragmatic and proven ability to adopt a business orientated approach and get things done;
- Excellent legal and analytical skills, attention to detail even under time pressure;
- Ability to prioritize and deliver results within the established timelines;
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and strong work ethic;
- Empathic team player;
- Willingness to develop a career at American Express.

**Qualifications**

We back our colleagues and their loved ones with benefits and programs that support their holistic well-being. That means we prioritize their physical, financial, and mental health through each stage of life. Benefits include:

- Competitive base salaries
- Bonus incentives
- Support for financial-well-being and retirement
- Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability benefits (depending on location)
- Flexible working model with hybrid, onsite or virtual arrangements depending on role and business need
- Generous paid parental leave policies (depending on your location)
- 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

Job ID 24020053