Legal & Compliance Manager

Our client is seeking an experienced Legal & Compliance Manager to oversee the company's legal affairs and regulatory compliance in Mexico. The successful candidate will be responsible for corporate governance, financial services compliance, lending and collections compliance, data privacy, contract management, employment law, and legal risk management.This role offers an opportunity to build and strengthen the local legal and compliance framework for our Mexican SOFOM and S.A. entities, working closely with the China headquarters, local operations, and external service providers.Key Responsibilities:Corporate Governance & Entity ComplianceManage day-to-day legal affairs for the local SOFOM and S.A. entities, including corporate bylaws, shareholder and equity changes, director appointments, powers of attorney, corporate registrations, and regulatory information updates.Support the implementation of long-term arrangements concerning the transfer or restructuring of shareholder and director structures.Ensure proper maintenance of corporate records and legal documentation.Financial Services Regulatory Compliance Serve as the SOFOM Compliance Officer, overseeing the entity's regulatory compliance obligations.Coordinate regulatory registrations and filings with relevant Mexican authorities, including the National Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV) and the National Commission for the Protection and Defense of Financial Services Users (CONDUSEF).Handle regulatory inquiries, periodic reporting, and other compliance submissions.Ensure the SOFOM complies with applicable anti-money laundering (AML) and other financial services regulatory requirements.Lending & Collections ComplianceEstablish and maintain a compliant end-to-end lending process, including loan agreements, interest rate and fee disclosures, contractual templates, electronic signatures, and evidence retention.Review and support compliance quality control for internal collections practices, including collection scripts, call recordings, and disciplinary guidelines.Monitor and control inappropriate collection practices, including undue pressure, misleading statements, and other non-compliant conduct.Manage outsourced collection agencies, including:Drafting and reviewing service agreements.Conducting vendor legal and compliance due diligence.Managing remediation of compliance violations.Establishing appropriate exit and termination mechanisms.Supporting periodic quality inspections and compliance audits.Data Privacy & Consumer ProtectionLead local data privacy compliance under Mexico's Federal Law on the Protection of Personal Data Held by Private Parties (LFPDPPP).Develop and maintain Privacy Notices (Aviso de Privacidad).Oversee data-sharing arrangements, credit bureau interactions, and cross-border data transfers.Manage consumer complaints, CONDUSEF disputes, and customer-related legal matters.Ensure proper documentation, response, and recordkeeping for complaints and disputes.Contracts, Employment Law & Litigation SupportDraft and review bilingual Spanish-English contracts, including agreements related to outsourcing, IT services, leases, suppliers, telecommunications/SIM cards, and distribution channels.Establish and maintain standardized contract templates and a contract management database.Provide legal support for local employment and social security matters, including employment contracts, IMSS-related issues, termination risks, and labor disputes.Manage external law firms, legal budgets, and legal service providers.Provide legal opinions on significant matters and coordinate the handling of litigation, regulatory risks, and other legal incidents.Headquarters Coordination & ReportingReport local regulatory developments, compliance matters, and significant legal risks to the China headquarters' Legal and Compliance teams.Support cross-border matters involving fund transfers, shareholder structures, corporate governance, and AML compliance.Facilitate effective communication and coordination between headquarters, local operations, external agencies, and legal service providers.
Requirements:EssentialsBachelor's degree in Law (Licenciatura en Derecho) from a recognized Mexican university.Valid Mexican professional license (Cédula Profesional).At least 5 years of experience in corporate legal practice or a law firm, with experience in one or more of the following areas:Banking or financial services.Lending or consumer finance.SOFOM operations.Debt collection or collection agencies.Strong knowledge of Mexican consumer financial protection and debt collection compliance requirements, or the ability to quickly acquire and implement such knowledge.Demonstrated ability to independently draft contracts and conduct legal research.Professional working proficiency in Spanish and/or English.Strong integrity, sound judgment, and a practical, business-oriented approach to legal and compliance matters.Excellent organizational and communication skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively in a cross-border environment.
Preferred Qualifications:Experience working in a multinational company.Proficiency in Chinese or English, with the ability to communicate directly with China headquarters.Practical experience dealing with regulatory authorities such as CNBV and CONDUSEF.Experience with financial institution registration, licensing, or fintech market-entry projects.Knowledge of collection call compliance, cross-border data privacy, or credit data governance.Experience managing external legal counsel and regulatory compliance projects.