Job Description

Prodigy Finance - who are we?
Founded in 2007, Prodigy Finance is an international student lender that has helped 45,000+ international master's students attend the world's top universities. To date, Prodigy has disbursed over $2.3 billion in funding to students from more than 120 countries.
Prodigy Finance is fueled by impact investors and global financial institutions who invest in tomorrow's leaders while earning a financial and social return. Prodigy's borderless lending model enables students to apply for an educational loan based on their future earning potential and not just their current circumstances and credit history.
Prodigy Finance is a UK-based and UK FCA-regulated financial services provider, with offices in both London and Cape Town, and teams spread across the world.
Why join Prodigy Finance

• Help shape legal strategy for a mission-driven international fintech expanding access to education worldwide - make a tangible, positive impact at scale.
• Prodigy is a successful global business with real momentum and international reach - we thrive on creating innovative solutions to educational barriers.
• Be part of a dynamic, highly professional and forward-thinking team keen on building a best-in-class in-house legal function.
• A flexible working policy and collaborative company culture.
• A competitive salary and share options in the company.

Where is the role based?

• The role is based in Cape Town. Prodigy Finance does have a remote working policy, but the legal team periodically gathers at Prodigy's awesome co-working space at Roamwork in central Cape Town.

What you will do in the role
As Legal Counsel you will be responsible for a variety of functions and workstreams within Prodigy's in-house legal team.
These include:

• Collaborate with subject matter experts across the legal team to shape and execute Prodigy Finance's global legal and regulatory strategy, spanning consumer protection, privacy and data protection, content, intellectual property, trade marks, AI and other areas relevant to an online consumer loan product.
• Work with the legal enforcement team to support Prodigy Finance's global arbitration practice, including securing of international arbitration awards and having these recognised and confirmed in various jurisdictions around the world.
• Partner with the finance team to manage equity transactions, shareholder arrangements, delegation of authorities, tax filings, SPV administration and intercompany loans and servicing agreements between the group subsidiaries.

• Support go-to-market activities for our global marketing teams, including sales and marketing activities, partnership agreements and referral agreements as we expand into new markets.
• Collaborate with business owners to manage and coordinate third party procurement, contract negotiation and contract lifecycle management, including non-disclosure agreements and data protection agreements.
• Monitor new and updated regulations. Maintain a proficient understanding of international legal and policy frameworks and developments that may affect Prodigy Finance's business, with a focus on global consumer credit regulation.

What you will be judged on
You'll be measured on the following:

• Broad knowledge and experience in corporate, commercial and general legal practice.
• Innovative, strategic thinking and creative legal solutions - including the use of AI.
• Managing legal projects and initiatives from start to finish and taking responsibility for their successful implementation.
• Being integrated with the business operations, identifying material legal risks and coming up with solutions in collaboration with the business.
• Providing strong legal and regulatory research skills and being able to digest and distil complex legal advice to make commercial recommendations to the business.
• Being adaptable, open and flexible to any new legal project or demands that may require attention and resolution.

What you need to be great at

• Confident, independent and decisive.
• Quick learner, eager to pick-up new skills and support a growing business with its global regulatory, governance and controls framework.
• Proactive, with plenty of initiative to overcome the challenges that constantly arise in an innovative, growth business.
• Strong team player with the ability to establish a high degree of credibility within a global organisation.
• Resilient, flexible, energetic and able to work hard under sometimes stressful conditions to deliver against deadlines.
• Capable of adapting to changing priorities in line with business and organisational needs.
• Discreet and professional.
• Interested in fintech, global financial markets and actively follow financial trends and innovation.
• Keen interest in AI and the opportunities it presents for both the Prodigy Finance in-house legal team and wider business.

Who we are looking for

• An admitted lawyer who is qualified in South Africa or England.
• Around 5 years' legal experience gained at a reputable law firm or legal service provider, or in-house at a bank, financial services company or lending business.
• Preferably experience working in the regulated financial services market.
• Preferably experience working in - or with - a global business that operates in multiple jurisdictions.
• Preferably start-up or scale-up experience.

The purpose, values and behaviours that drive our culture:
Our Purpose:

• To provide equal access to life-changing education globally

Our Values:

• We are doing something big here: We are doing something life-changing in the world. Something that changes the status quo.
• Bigger than us: Our work here is bigger than us as individuals and our own egos. It's about doing the best work of our lives in service of the greater good.
• Grow bravely together: We have a relentless desire to continuously improve and work together to evolve our business and ourselves. We are open to the new and always stay curious.
• Keep pushing forward: What we are doing is not always easy. We embrace the challenge. We never give up at the first hurdle. We always keep moving forward.

Our Behaviours:

• Judgement: Applying sound judgement to solve problems and prioritise opportunities leads to the best outcomes. We identify key issues, compare data, and choose effective solutions based on facts, constraints, and consequences. We focus on fewer, high-impact actions.
• Accountability: At Prodigy, accountability is personal. We take responsibility for our actions, decisions, and outcomes--both positive and negative. We own mistakes, refocus when needed, and hold ourselves and others accountable for achieving goals.
• Collaboration: We work effectively across teams, fostering learning and cooperation to achieve exceptional results. We listen actively, maintain strong relationships, and align personal contributions with team goals. Collaboration does not mean consensus-building.
• Leadership: Leadership exists at all levels. We influence our thoughts and behaviours to achieve both personal and company goals. We take collective responsibility, act as role models, and embody Prodigy's values.
• Biased to Focus Action: We prioritise doing the right things with urgency and decisiveness. Data and customer focus guide our actions. We embrace uncertainty, accelerate decision-making, and drive execution, learning, and momentum.
• Communication: Clear, effective communication is key. We proactively share relevant information, focus on desired outcomes, and use data to support our message. We articulate ideas well and listen actively.
• Continuous Improvement: We believe in constant progress. Every employee seeks ways to improve themselves, our product, and our processes. We favour rapid, incremental improvements over perfect design.
• Learning and Experimentation: Openness, curiosity, and a learning mindset drive success. Experimentation fuels discovery, helping us learn, adapt, and prepare for future challenges.

Join Prodigy Finance and play a pivotal role in achieving our mission of providing equal access to life-changing education globally.

Skills Required