Privacy & Data Innovation Counsel
Plaid
Legal
United States
USD 152,304-249,600 / year
Posted on Feb 18, 2026
We believe that the way people interact with their finances will drastically improve in the next few years. We’re dedicated to empowering this transformation by building the tools and experiences that thousands of developers use to create their own products. Plaid powers the tools millions of people rely on to live a healthier financial life. We work with thousands of companies like Venmo, SoFi, several of the Fortune 500, and many of the largest banks to make it easy for people to connect their financial accounts to the apps and services they want to use. Plaid’s network covers 12,000 financial institutions across the US, Canada, UK and Europe. Founded in 2013, the company is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in New York, Washington D.C., London and Amsterdam.
The Privacy & Data Innovation Counsel will join Plaid’s Enterprise Legal Services team – a group of centralized legal subject-matter experts supporting all of Plaid’s functions. Our mission is to craft empathetic, forward-looking solutions that empower our stakeholders and drive innovation and competitive differentiation. We are a lean, highly collaborative team that includes Data Privacy along with other practice areas. As a member of the team, you will help round out our Data Privacy law capabilities, working alongside experienced Privacy attorneys in a fast-growing fintech company.
Responsibilities
- Advise Plaid’s Head of Data & AI and its Data Governance, Security, and AI foundations teams on legal areas, primarily focusing on privacy, cybersecurity, and AI governance laws
- Provide solutions-oriented advice on issues related to AI/ML, data privacy, and cybersecurity to other members of the legal team as well as cross functional teams
- Monitor privacy, cybersecurity, data governance, and AI governance laws and regulatory trends, developments, and industry best practices
- Drive internal training and awareness of Plaid’s privacy/data protection, cybersecurity, data governance, and AI governance obligations
- Develop and refine cybersecurity and data privacy policies and procedures to facilitate Plaid's compliance with ever-evolving protection laws
Qualifications
- 6+ years as a practicing lawyer with substantial experience and comfort providing solutions-oriented advice on security and data privacy issues, preferably in a reputable law firm or in-house legal department
- Proactive team-player who is excited to roll up their sleeves (no job too big or too small), values digestible and solutions-oriented communication, leads with empathy and a growth mindset, feels comfortable crafting and recommending risk-based solutions, and is committed to collaborative and proactive problem-solving
- Excellent issue-spotter who enjoys analyzing legal issues from various angles, drafting key documents, and has strong attention to detail and organizational skills
- Deep knowledge of data privacy laws and regulations (e.g., GLBA, CCPA) as well as artificial intelligence and automated decision-making/profiling laws and regulations
- Experience conducting privacy and/or AI governance reviews, including recommending appropriate risk-minimization controls
- Experience advising companies in payments, credit reporting, and/or fraud spaces, preferred
Our mission at Plaid is to unlock financial freedom for everyone. To support that mission, we seek to build a diverse team of driven individuals who care deeply about making the financial ecosystem more equitable. We recognize that strong qualifications can come from both prior work experiences and lived experiences. We encourage you to apply to a role even if your experience doesn't fully match the job description. We are always looking for team members that will bring something unique to Plaid!
Plaid is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and values diversity at our company. We do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religion or religious belief, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, military or veteran status, disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Plaid is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance with your application or interviews due to a disability, please let us know at accommodations@plaid.com.
152304 - 249600 USD a year
The target base salary for this position ranges from $152,304/year to $249,600/year encompassing all Zones. The target base salary will vary based on the job's location.
Our geographic zones are as follows:
Zone 1 - New York City and San Francisco Bay Area
Zone 2 - Los Angeles, Seattle, Washington D.C.
Zone 3 - Austin, Boston, Denver, Houston, Portland, Sacramento, San DiegoZone 4 - Raleigh-Durham and all other US cities
The base salary range listed for this full-time position excludes commission (if applicable), equity and benefits. The pay range shown on each job posting is the minimum and maximum target for new-hire salaries. Actual pay may be higher or lower depending on factors like skills, experience, and relevant education or training.