Senior Counsel, Privacy - Blockchain & Digital Assets

As Senior Counsel, Privacy for Mastercard's Blockchain & Digital Assets team, you support the company's evolving digital assets ecosystem from a privacy and data protection standpoint. You partner closely with Product, Compliance, Regulatory, Security, and Legal teams across Mastercard and BVNK to enable compliant product development, integration readiness, and ongoing business support. The role reports to the Senior Managing Counsel within the Law Department.

What you'll do

• Analyze payment, digital asset, blockchain, stablecoin, fraud, and related technology solutions against privacy and data protection requirements, identifying the process and infrastructure needed to ensure compliance with applicable laws globally, including GDPR, UK GDPR, and related European requirements.
• Provide day-to-day privacy and data protection advice to business teams supporting digital assets, crypto payments, stablecoins, fraud, cross-border payments, and other emerging payment initiatives.
• Support the integration and ongoing operation of BVNK and related acquired or strategic businesses by identifying and addressing privacy compliance needs, control requirements, and remediation activities.
• Support the development and implementation of GDPR and UK GDPR compliance measures, including privacy impact assessments, privacy by design, international data transfer requirements, and legally required recordkeeping.
• Build awareness among business clients and global privacy and legal teams regarding privacy and cyber security for payment, digital asset, blockchain, stablecoin, fraud, and related technology solutions through training and other initiatives.
• Monitor regulatory and legislative developments in crypto payments, stablecoins, blockchain technology, cross-border payments, embedded finance, identity verification, GLBA, and DOJ bulk data transfer rules, and support engagement with key policymakers to influence developments in these areas.
• Develop contract structures that address privacy and data protection requirements, and review and negotiate privacy language in agreements with vendors, customers, partners, and other third parties, including Data Protection Agreements and contractual data rights with UK and EEA customers and partners.
• Identify opportunities to improve privacy processes, controls, and governance for emerging payment and digital asset products to support speed to market while maintaining compliance with Mastercard policies and applicable law.

What you bring

• A law degree and Bar membership (where permitted by law).
• Solid expertise in and a track record of handling privacy law matters.
• Experience advising on privacy or data protection issues involving financial services, fintech, digital asset products, stablecoins or other digital currencies, and the use of public and private blockchains.
• Experience advising on GDPR, UK GDPR, international data transfers, Data Protection Agreements, and related UK and EU privacy and data protection requirements.
• Familiarity with the financial services industry and payment processing.
• The ability to rapidly gain familiarity with complex products, services, and legal frameworks and apply privacy requirements in a practical, business-oriented way.
• Superior time management, planning, and organizational skills.
• Strong analytical, writing, and speaking skills with meticulous attention to detail.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills with proven experience in relationship building and partnering, and the ability to work well in both team and individual settings.
• The ability to motivate and influence highly skilled professionals to achieve major organizational goals.
• Strong business acumen.
• Fluent English.

Nice to have

• A Master of Laws degree or additional legal qualifications.

About Mastercard

Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry operating across more than 210 countries and territories. The company connects and powers an inclusive, digital economy by making transactions safe, simple, smart, and accessible through secure data, networks, partnerships, and innovation.