Head of Regulatory Legal

Posted Apr 7

Company Description

Block is one company built from many blocks, all united by the same purpose of economic empowerment. The blocks that form our foundational teams — People, Finance, Counsel, Hardware, Information Security, Platform Infrastructure Engineering, and more — provide support and guidance at the corporate level. They work across business groups and around the globe, spanning time zones and disciplines to develop inclusive People policies, forecast finances, give legal counsel, safeguard systems, nurture new initiatives, and more. Every challenge creates possibilities, and we need different perspectives to see them all. Bring yours to Block.

Job Description

Block is looking for an experienced executive to lead the legal regulatory organization. You will lead, manage, and develop a team of regulatory attorneys and professionals to support Block’s growing ecosystem. You will be a trusted advisor to senior management and provide guidance on a spectrum of regulatory matters at the enterprise level across all of our business units: Square, Cash App, TIDAL, TBD, Proto and Spiral. You will advise and advocate on behalf of issues at the regulatory intersection of technology and financial services, including global payments, lending, remittances, banking services, and digital assets. 

You will be part of the Block Counsel leadership team and will report directly to the Chief Legal Officer.

You will:

  • Lead a team of regulatory attorneys and professionals specializing in payments, banking services, lending, digital assets, broker-dealer operations, and income tax filings, responsible for licensing and exam management. 
  • Provide entrepreneurial, pragmatic, business-oriented legal and regulatory guidance on existing and emerging products. 
  • Monitor regulatory developments, assess their potential impact on the company's operations, and advise senior management accordingly.
  • Advise on legal, regulatory, and industry requirements for payments and related financial services activities. 
  • Identify risk areas and develop systems, policies, and procedures to manage and mitigate them. 
  • Manage and oversee regulatory inquiries from regulatory authorities.
  • Partner with the Policy team to design strategies for proactive regulatory engagement and manage relationships with regulators. 
  • Balance risks and business rewards with a commitment to superior customer service.  
  • Develop and implement regulatory strategies to ensure compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and guidelines in all jurisdictions where Block operates.
  • Lead regulatory reviews, audits, and examinations, coordinating responses and remediation efforts with Compliance, Policy, and other stakeholders as necessary.
  • Serve as a thought leader within the Counsel leadership team, contributing to regulatory and legal strategy, company priorities, and team development. 
  • Collaborate with counsel stakeholders, including compliance, privacy, product counsel, litigation, and other relevant functions, to address regulatory and compliance issues efficiently.
  • Establish and maintain effective relationships with key stakeholders, including regulators, industry groups, and internal teams.
  • Provide guidance and support to internal teams on regulatory issues to support strategic growth projects, including investments, M&A, or other transactions, ensuring compliance with applicable requirements in existing and new jurisdictions.

Qualifications

  • A minimum of 12 years of combined relevant experience, working in-house, at a law firm, or with a financial services regulatory agency.
  • Global experience with fintech, consumer finance, payments, and banking issues, with digital assets experience considered a plus.
  • Proven experience in regulatory engagement, including rulemakings, supervision, and enforcement matters, and existing relationships with financial service regulators at the state, federal, and global levels. 
  • Demonstrated leadership in managing teams of legal professionals, including strategic planning, budget management, resource allocation, and fostering career development.
  • Skilled in drafting policies, guidance documents, and developing scalable processes.
  • Demonstrated ability to quickly learn, prioritize multiple urgent tasks, and provide clear, executable direction amidst ambiguity.
  • Strong capability to simplify complex issues, offering pragmatic, operationalizable advice and solutions. 
  • A team- oriented mindset with a strong ability to build relationships and work collaboratively within the legal team and cross-functionally at all organizational levels. 
  • Excellent executive communication skills, both written and verbal.
  • Active membership in at least one U.S. state bar. 
  • Prior experience in fintech preferred.

Additional Information

Block takes a market-based approach to pay, and pay may vary depending on your location. U.S locations are categorized into one of four zones based on a cost of labor index for that geographic area. The successful candidate’s starting pay will be determined based on job-related skills, experience, qualifications, work location, and market conditions. These ranges may be modified in the future.

Zone A: USD $319,000 - USD $478,600

Zone B: USD $319,000 - USD $478,600

Zone C: USD $319,000 - USD $478,600

Zone D: USD $319,000 - USD $478,600

To find a location’s zone designation, please refer to this resource. If a location of interest is not listed, please speak with a recruiter for additional information. 

Full-time employee benefits include the following:

  • Healthcare coverage (Medical, Vision and Dental insurance)
  • Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account
  • Retirement Plans including company match 
  • Employee Stock Purchase Program
  • Wellness programs, including access to mental health, 1:1 financial planners, and a monthly wellness allowance 
  • Paid parental and caregiving leave
  • Paid time off (including 12 paid holidays)
  • Paid sick leave (1 hour per 26 hours worked (max 80 hours per calendar year to the extent legally permissible) for non-exempt employees and covered by our Flexible Time Off policy for exempt employees) 
  • Learning and Development resources
  • Paid Life insurance, AD&D, and disability benefits 

These benefits are further detailed in Block's policies. This role is also eligible to participate in Block's equity plan subject to the terms of the applicable plans and policies, and may be eligible for a sign-on bonus. Sales roles may be eligible to participate in a commission plan subject to the terms of the applicable plans and policies. Pay and benefits are subject to change at any time, consistent with the terms of any applicable compensation or benefit plans.

We’re working to build a more inclusive economy where our customers have equal access to opportunity, and we strive to live by these same values in building our workplace. Block is a proud equal opportunity employer. We work hard to evaluate all employees and job applicants consistently, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, pregnancy, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, citizenship, or any other legally protected class. 

We believe in being fair, and are committed to an inclusive interview experience, including providing reasonable accommodations to disabled applicants throughout the recruitment process. We encourage applicants to share any needed accommodations with their recruiter, who will treat these requests as confidentially as possible. Want to learn more about what we’re doing to build a workplace that is fair and square? Check out our I+D page.

Additionally, we consider qualified applicants with criminal histories for employment on our team, assessing candidates in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.

We’ve noticed a rise in recruiting impersonations across the industry, where individuals are sending fake job offer emails. Contact from any of our recruiters or employees will always come from an email address ending with @block.xyz, @squareup.com, @tidal.com, or @afterpay.com, @clearpay.co.uk.

Block, Inc. (NYSE: SQ) is a global technology company with a focus on financial services. Made up of Square, Cash App, Spiral, TIDAL, and TBD, we build tools to help more people access the economy. Square helps sellers run and grow their businesses with its integrated ecosystem of commerce solutions, business software, and banking services. With Cash App, anyone can easily send, spend, or invest their money in stocks or Bitcoin. Spiral (formerly Square Crypto) builds and funds free, open-source Bitcoin projects. Artists use TIDAL to help them succeed as entrepreneurs and connect more deeply with fans. TBD is building an open developer platform to make it easier to access Bitcoin and other blockchain technologies without having to go through an institution.

While there is no specific deadline to apply for this role, on average, U.S. open roles are posted for 70 days before being filled by a successful candidate.