Head of Corporate Legal

Our mission? Creating the freedom for SMEs to succeed in business and beyond, by delivering Europe's leading finance workspace. We combine business-class tools (seamless invoicing, spend management, and pre-accounting) with unwaveringly attentive 24/7 support, designed to help businesses breeze through all things finance.

Our journey: Founded by Alexandre and Steve in July 2017, Qonto has rapidly gained trust, serving over 600,000 customers. Thanks to our wonderful team of 1,600+ Qontoers, we also made it to the LinkedIn Top Companies French ranking

Our values:

Customer focus | Prioritize customers in everything you do

Ownership | Own your part, get things done

Teamwork | Make (team)work easy

Mastery | Continuously raise the bar

Integrity | Always do what's right, and respect people

Our beliefs: At Qonto, we're committed to fostering a welcoming environment where everyone can thrive. We prioritize evaluating applicants based solely on skills and potential, ensuring diversity with 55% international team members, 44% women, and 20% parents. Join us in building a workplace that celebrates diversity and individuality.

Discover the steps we took to create a discrimination-free hiring process.

 Mission:

• Join Qonto as Head of Corporate Legal and lead our corporate legal function as we transition from a payment service provider to a licensed bank. You'll manage complex governance, M&A, and compliance matters while reducing our reliance on external counsel and mentoring 2 team members. You'll partner directly with our Board of Directors, investors, and Executive team to ensure Qonto's corporate structure supports our ambitious growth plans.

 Impact:

• Your work will directly enable our banking transition and IPO readiness while maintaining the highest standards of corporate governance. By bringing senior expertise in-house, you'll accelerate decision-making on critical matters.

 As a Head of Corporate Legal at Qonto, you will

• Lead corporate governance and compliance: Ensure compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements across relevant jurisdictions, maintain and update corporate documentation (articles of association, delegation of authority, internal regulations), and manage our corporate structure as we transition to a licensed bank.

• Prepare and organize board meetings and committees: Lead the preparation of corporate files and draft minutes for Board of Directors meetings, Board Committees, and General Shareholders' Meetings, ensuring all documentation is accurate, compliant, and delivered on time.

• Manage M&A transactions and strategic operations: Lead complex, multi-stakeholder projects including M&A deals (due diligence, structuring, negotiation, closing), support major financing rounds, and oversee BSPCE (employee equity) programs.

• Coordinate external legal support: Oversee and manage relationships with external lawyers and advisors, acting as the primary point of contact while ensuring effective collaboration and cost management to reduce reliance on outside counsel.

• Partner with investors and stakeholders: Liaise with international investors and shareholders on corporate matters, gather and integrate legal inputs from cross-functional teams, and ensure transparency and timely information flow across the organization.

What you can expect:

• Timing & Context: You're joining as Qonto transitions from a PSP to a licensed bank. You'll work on high-stakes projects including banking transition documentation, corporate governance restructuring, and strategic M&A deals.

• Team & Autonomy: You'll manage 2 junior legal professionals. This is a senior role with significant autonomy—you'll make independent decisions on complex matters and have direct access to our Board, investors, and Executive team.

• Collaboration: Legal at Qonto is a true business partner. You'll work closely with Finance, the Executive team, Board members, and international investors. We value structured thinking, clear communication, and pragmatic legal advice that balances risk with business objectives.

 About your future manager/ Head of

• You'll report to Alexia, our VP Legal, who is currently on maternity leave for a few months. During this time, Stéphanie will be your direct manager and will lead your onboarding and day-to-day collaboration.

• Alexia brings deep expertise in scaling legal functions within fast-growing fintechs. She's built Qonto's legal team from the ground up and oversees all legal, compliance, and regulatory matters as we expand across Europe. She values pragmatism, clear communication, and legal professionals who see themselves as business partners, not gatekeepers.

About You

• Law firm + in-house experience: You have 10+ years of corporate law experience, combining the rigor and technical depth of a top law firm with the business partnering mindset of in-house counsel. You understand how professional legal departments operate and can bring that expertise to Qonto.

• Board meeting and governance expertise: You have hands-on experience preparing board materials, drafting board minutes, organizing Board and Committee meetings, and managing corporate governance frameworks. You're comfortable interacting with C-l evel executives, board members, and investors.

• M&A and transaction management: You've led or played a significant role in M&A deals (buy-side or sell-side), including due diligence, structuring, negotiation, and closing. You have experience managing BSPCE, stock options, or equity compensation programs.

• Team leadership and mentorship: You've managed and mentored junior lawyers or paralegals, and you're excited to build scalable processes and develop talent. You know how to delegate effectively while maintaining quality standards.

• Strategic stakeholder management: You have strong collaboration skills and high emotional intelligence. You can gather legal inputs from multiple teams, influence without authority, and communicate complex legal matters clearly to non-legal stakeholders. Experience working with international investors is valuable.

Perks

A tailor-made and dynamic career track. An inclusive work environment. And so much more to help you succeed.

- Offices in Paris, Berlin, Milan, Barcelona, and Belgrade;

- Competitive salary package;

- Meal vouchers;

- Public transportation reimbursement (part or global);

- A great health insurance (depending on the country);

- Employee well-being initiatives: access to Moka Care to take care of your mental health and great offers for sports and wellness activities;

- A progressive disability and parenthood policy (1 in 6 of Qonto employees is a parent) and childcare benefits with selected partners;

- Monthly team events.

Our hiring process:

- Interviews with your Talent Acquisition Manager and future managers

- A remote or live exercise to demonstrate your skills and give you a taste of what working at Qonto could be like

Find more information about our interview process on our careers website.

On average, our process lasts 20 working days and offers usually follow within 48 hours

To learn more about us:

Qonto's Blog | Les Échos I L'Usine Digitale | Courrier Cadres

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