Legal Counsel – Regulatory & Licensing

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 on serving our customers.

What You’ll Do

In this role, you will be reporting to the Chief Legal Officer (CLO), and will be part of the wider legal function focusing on the regulatory licensing journey of the Company. Your mission is to support the entire licensing application cycle, working closely with internal and external stakeholders to prepare documentation and manage responses until successful acquisition of licenses is achieved.

Key Responsibilities:

Licensing Lifecycle Management: Review and collate all required documentation for licensing applications, filings, and renewals of operating licenses, permits, NOCs, and registrations with UAE regulators.

Regulatory Research: Track and research changes in UAE and wider GCC regulations affecting Fintech (Fiat & Digital Assets) and ensure that licensing applications and internal policies reflect these updates.

Compliance Auditing: Support audits across business units, identify regulatory risks, and prepare reports regarding the company’s current license status.

Policy & Training: Assist in drafting company-wide policies and support training initiatives to ensure employees understand their specific regulatory obligations.

Data Integrity: Maintain accurate, up-to-date records of all permits, licenses, and filings in a centralized database.

Proactive Advisory:
Conduct regulatory research and
support the various departments in identifying regulatory issues and requirements early in the stages of product development to support market entry, product launches, and business expansion.

Strategic Support: Support the CLO on specialized legal projects and tasks as required.

Requirements

Academic Background: Accredited legal qualifications (JD or LLB) from a recognized university are mandatory.

Professional Experience: 2–5 years of relevant legal experience, preferably in-house or in a firm focusing on regulatory matters, including licensing for fintech, digital assets, and/or other financial services products.

Technical Skills: Ability to understand technical fintech issues and translate them into actionable regulatory documentation.

Regional Expertise:
UAE experience is a must. Additional GCC experience (e.g., Bahrain, KSA) is a distinct advantage.

Language Proficiency:
Bilingual legal drafting skills (English and Arabic) are mandatory.

Drafting Expertise: Demonstrated ability to draft complex legal and non-legal documents with high attention to detail.

Regulatory Knowledge: Deep understanding of the UAE legal framework with a focus on regulated industries (banking, fintech, and digital assets).

Professional Standing: Active bar membership is preferred.

Ownership & Decision Authority

You are responsible for the integrity of our regulatory submissions and the speed of our licensing pipeline.

Autonomy: Independently research and review regulatory processes, manage application packs, and perform initial reviews of licensing materials.

Strategic Escalation: Identify and escalate process bottlenecks, legal risks, and critical compliance matters.

Final Approvals: Collaborate with the CLO for final approval of licensing packs and formal applications to regulators.

How We Measure Success

Success in this role is defined by the accuracy and velocity of our regulatory approvals.

Submission Quality: Low error rates in submissions and a high success rate for license applications and renewals.

Speed to Market: Optimized cycle times for license acquisition and rapid implementation of regulatory changes.

Responsiveness: Timely and effective responses to regulatory queries and application blockers.

Proactivity: A high rate of proactive risk identification versus reactive problem-solving.

Stakeholder Alignment: High internal satisfaction regarding the clarity and accuracy of regulatory guidance provided.

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.