Job title: Senior Legal Advisor
Reports to: Regional Legal Counsel
Job Summary: The Senior Legal Advisor provides senior managerial support to the Regional Legal Counsel with respect to a broad range of commercial, corporate and regulatory matters to ensure execution of the mandate of the Regional Legal and Compliance Department.
Description of the Candidate: The Senior Legal Advisor will be expected to be proactive and solutions-oriented whilst assisting the Regional Legal Counsel in analyzing complex legal and commercial issues which challenge the business. The candidate will be expected to implement and/or manage strategies and policies developed by the Regional Legal Counsel to ensure that such strategies and policies create tangible improvements in business performance while providing and communicating legal advice constructively and succinctly to internal and external stakeholders.
Job Responsibilities:
• Give accurate and timely advice to senior level managerial staff and executives on a variety of legal topics to ensure that day to day operations of the companies are in line with legislative and regulatory frameworks.
• Manage and monitor the implementation and use of internal governance policies developed by the Regional Counsel and to ensure compliance with same.
• Offer proactive advice on possible legal issues as identified by the Regional Counsel in order to guide the companies in execution of their business mandate.
• Draft, review and settle common operational agreements, contracts (including leases, finance agreements and non-financial business agreements) and other legal documents to ensure the group’s or relevant entity’s full legal rights are protected and commercial goals are met.
• Provide clarification on legal language or specifications in contracts, legislation and other operational documents, to all senior and executive management throughout the Group to ensure that the responsibilities of the Group thereunder are effectively carried out.
• Assist in identifying, through research and analysis of information, initiatives that affect the business of the Group and discuss same with the Regional Counsel for further action.
• Provide support to the Regional Counsel in managing and developing the contents of the internal communications on Regulatory issues to employees and key stakeholders, in order to enable the effective delivery of messages to key stakeholders, and to engage with them in dialogue.
• Provide guidance and support of the work performed by the Legal Officers, as necessary to ensure alignment between the different arms of the Regional Legal and Compliance department.
• Maintain current knowledge of amendments in legislation which directly and/or indirectly impact the business of the Group, to ensure the operations of the Group continue to be aligned with industry trends and standards.
• Provide advice and guidance to the business on potential or actual litigious claims and represent the business as direct or indirect counsel in court hearings and/or other judicial proceedings.
• Assist in the provision of corporate secretarial support services to meet the corporate health needs of the companies that comprise the Regional Group.Job Responsibilities:
Qualifications and Experience
• At least 8 to 10 years proven experience as a legal counsel in a firm or business environment with experience in corporate and/or commercial law
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of corporate law and procedures
• Full comprehension of the influences of the external environment on a corporation
• High degree of professional ethics and integrity
• Sound judgment and ability to analyze situations and information
• Outstanding communication skills
• Bachelor’s degree in Law or related discipline together with a Legal Education Certificate or equivalent from a recognized institution with evidence of admission to practice law in any one or more of the regional jurisdictions.
Knowledge, Skills and Ability
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing
• Ability to work unsupervised to drive a deliverable or effectively as part of a team
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and meet deadlines
• Excellent self-management and organizational skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office