A leading South African property and home finance group is hiring a General Counsel (GC) to lead its legal function and serve on the Leadership Council, reporting to the Deputy CEO and Board.
\n\tThe General Counsel (GC) will provide strategic legal advice and guidance to the organisation, ensuring compliance with laws and regulations, managing risk, and overseeing legal matters relating to corporate governance, company secretarial responsibilities, and contractual obligations.<\/p>\n
Key Responsibilities:<\/p>\n
Legal & Corporate Governance<\/p>\n
\tOversee and manage all legal aspects of the company\u2019s operations, ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and corporate policies.
\n\tAdvise the CEO, Board of Directors, and senior management on legal and regulatory matters affecting the company\u2019s strategy, operations, and risk management.
\n\tEnsure effective corporate governance practices, including compliance with statutory reporting, filings, and other regulatory requirements.
\n\tDraft, review, and implement policies that ensure the company complies with relevant laws and ethical standards.
\n\tRepresent the company in legal proceedings, including managing outside counsel as needed.<\/p>\n
Company Secretarial Responsibilities<\/p>\n
\tOversight of the Company Secretariat, overseeing board meetings, shareholder meetings, and other corporate governance processes.
\n\tPrepare and file necessary documents for corporate compliance (e.g., articles of incorporation, annual filings, board resolutions, minutes of meetings).
\n\tCoordinate and manage the company\u2019s compliance with securities laws and regulations, including those related to public offerings, filings, and shareholder communications.
\n\tMaintain and manage corporate records, including the company\u2019s bylaws, articles of incorporation, and other key corporate documents.
\n\tAdvise on board composition, structure, and governance best practices.<\/p>\n
Contract Law Management<\/p>\n
\tOversee the negotiation, drafting, and review of commercial contracts, including vendor agreements, customer contracts, licensing agreements, and partnerships.
\n\tProvide guidance to the business on contract terms and conditions, ensuring that agreements align with business objectives and minimize legal risk.
\n\tDevelop and maintain standard contract templates and assist business teams with contract compliance and dispute resolution.
\n\tManage contract lifecycle, including renewals, amendments, terminations, and performance reviews.
\n\tAdvise on the enforceability of contract terms and mitigation of potential disputes.<\/p>\n
Risk Management & Compliance<\/p>\n
\tIdentify, assess, and mitigate legal risks in all aspects of the company\u2019s operations, including contracts, employment law, competition law, intellectual property, data privacy, and regulatory compliance.
\n\tDevelop and implement company-wide risk management strategies and legal compliance programs.
\n\tAdvise on intellectual property protection strategies, including patents, trademarks, and copyrights.
\n\tStay abreast of legal trends and regulatory changes affecting the business and implement necessary adjustments.<\/p>\n
Mergers, Acquisitions and Transactions<\/p>\n
\tProvide legal advice and support on mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and other corporate transactions.
\n\tManage the due diligence process and negotiate and draft transaction documents.
\n\tAssist in structuring, reviewing, and executing commercial transactions, investments, and partnerships.<\/p>\n
Dispute Resolution & Litigation Management<\/p>\n
\tManage and oversee disputes, litigation, arbitrations, and other legal proceedings involving the company.
\n\tCoordinate and manage external legal counsel for litigation, settlements, and other legal matters.
\n\tWork closely with internal stakeholders to resolve disputes efficiently and cost-effectively, minimizing business disruption.<\/p>\n
Team Leadership & External Counsel Management<\/p>\n
\tLead and manage a small legal, corporate governance, compliance team, providing guidance, training, and support as needed.
\n\tOversee the management and coordination of external counsel, ensuring cost-effective and high-quality legal services.
\n\tWork cross-functionally with other departments such as HR, finance, and operations to ensure legal strategies align with business objectives.<\/p>\n
Qualifications, Experience and Skills:<\/p>\n
Education and Certifications:<\/p>\n
\tBachelor of Laws (LLB) and Admitted Attorney
\n\tPost Graduate Degree or additional certifications in corporate governance or company secretarial practice (e.g., ICSA) are advantageous.<\/p>\n
Experience:<\/p>\n
\tMinimum of 15 years of legal experience, with significant expertise in corporate governance, contract law, and company secretarial responsibilities.
\n\tAt least 5 years proven experience in managing a legal department or serving as General Counsel.
\n\tExperience advising senior leadership and boards of directors on corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and business strategy.
\n\tStrong background in commercial contract law and negotiation, with a proven track record of managing complex legal issues.<\/p>\n
Skills & Competencies:<\/p>\n
\tStrong business acumen and the ability to align legal strategies with corporate goals.
\n\tExcellent written and verbal communication skills.
\n\tStrong leadership abilities and experience managing cross-functional teams.
\n\tAbility to navigate complex legal issues and provide practical, business-oriented solutions.
\n\tHigh degree of integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.
\n\tAbility to work effectively under pressure and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.<\/p>\n
Additional Desired Attributes:<\/p>\n
\tProactive and able to anticipate potential legal challenges before they arise.
\n\tStrong negotiation skills and the ability to influence and persuade stakeholders at all levels.
\n\tExperience with data privacy and cybersecurity law is an asset, particularly in industries with significant data protection concerns (e.g., tech, property, insurance etc).
\n\tFluency in English as the Group has an international presence.<\/p>\n
go to method of application \u00bb<\/p>\n
Apply via company website ( https:\/\/www.robertwalters.co.za\/ ) or<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"_promoted":"","_job_location":"","_application":"","_company_name":"Robert Walters","_company_website":"https:\/\/www.robertwalters.co.za\/","_company_tagline":"Robert Walters is a global, specialist professional recruitment consultancy. \"Our story begins in 1985, when our CEO, Robert Walters, opened the first office in Central London. Rob has led the company ever since and has the same passion and commitment today. Over the last 30 years the busines... read mores has grown and so has our ambition. We now operate across 27 countries and employ over 3,000 people. It\u2019s a powerful success story built on the strength of our people. Organizations rely on us to find high quality professionals for a range of specialist roles. Professionals who are looking for a new role, whether it\u2019s on a permanent, interim or contract basis, trust us to find them their ideal job. I believe that Robert Walters is something special. But I and others in the company never forget that the most important person to us is you - whether you\u2019re a hiring manager or a job seeker.\" Giles Daubeney, Deputy CEO, Robert Walters Green Park Corner, Green Park Corner Cnr West Road South and, Lower Rd, Johannesburg, 2196, South Africa","_company_twitter":"","_company_video":"","_filled":0,"_featured":0,"_remote_position":0,"_job_salary":"","_job_salary_currency":"","_job_salary_unit":""},"job_listing_region":[11],"job-types":[12],"class_list":{"0":"post-37166","1":"job_listing","2":"type-job_listing","3":"status-publish","4":"hentry","5":"job_listing_region-gauteng","7":"job-type-full-time"},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jobs.dataaxisnode.com\/southafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/job-listings\/37166","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jobs.dataaxisnode.com\/southafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/job-listings"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jobs.dataaxisnode.com\/southafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/job_listing"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jobs.dataaxisnode.com\/southafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jobs.dataaxisnode.com\/southafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37166"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"job_listing_region","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jobs.dataaxisnode.com\/southafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/job_listing_region?post=37166"},{"taxonomy":"job_listing_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jobs.dataaxisnode.com\/southafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/job-types?post=37166"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}