Executive - Group Legal at MTN

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Executive: Commercial Legal will have the following responsibilities:

• Implementing and managing the Group Legal activities and strategic projects of Group Legal 
• Provide advice, guidance and support on legal aspects of transactions, legal risks and other legal matters relevant to the MTN Group, including but not limited to strategic projects of MTN Group, areas of specialisation and/or strategic focus including key commercial transactions, Fintech, Digital Services, Intellectual Property, Tax, Finance and Treasury Support, Competition Law, Data, Procurement, Enterprise Business Unit, Consumer, Technology & information, and commercial operations; 
• Provide advisory support in respect of any risk escalations generally that require legal input and crisis management, as well as risk remediation / mitigation;
• Provide oversight support and guidance in respect of Litigation (in addition to IP & Trademarks), including dispute resolution and arbitration, employee relations and settlements;
• Provide oversight, support and guidance in respect of Mergers & Acquisitions / Divestures and Investments, and Joint Ventures;
• Manage and supervise other lawyers in the Group Legal team, with primary oversight of lawyers involved in advising on Fintech, Digital Services, Intellectual Property, Data, Procurement, Enterprise Business Unit, and Technology; 
• Provide support, guidance and advice to MTN Operating Companies* and OPCO legal teams, where requested or required, regarding legal aspects of transactions, legal risks and other matters and initiatives requiring legal intervention or support;
• Monitor oversee or lead (as applicable) strategic projects undertaken by Group Legal, or the legal aspects of or inputs into Group Projects, including the performance and deliverables of representatives of Group Legal participating, contributing or leading such projects. 
• Support in management and mitigation of legal risks;
• Support in the development and monitoring of KPIs and KRIs of members of the Group Legal team and OPCO legal functions;
• Negotiation, drafting and reviewing of contracts
• Conceptualise and deploy innovative methods for contracting 
• Draft and update legal policies and procedures 
• Monitor and oversee compliance by MTN Operating Companies with group polices falling within the scope of oversight of Group Legal
• Manage and provide legal advice and opinions.
• Manage and participate in various projects and initiatives undertaken by different departments and stakeholders from a legal perspective
• Attend to legal queries from various departments.
• Liaise with, and collate feedback from, other members of the legal team and various internal stakeholders and departments for purposes of transactions, initiatives and projects
• Monitor and keep abreast of legal and industry developments
• Knowledge sharing and providing or organising training to members of the legal team and other stakeholders on legal and industry developments
• Liaise with, and manage, external law firms 
• Assist in the preparation and review of RFX’s (RFPs, RFQs, RFIs etc)
• Assist in selection and evaluation of contractors, vendors and tendering processes.
• Identify possible risks, implement controls, and manage the implementation of mitigating strategies; and
• Representation of Group Legal at Group Exco, Group Risk Committee, Group Audit Committee, Compliance Committee and other operational committees 

Role Dependencies

• Active support from the Group Chief Legal & Regulatory Officer
• Understanding of the business strategy and Regulatory context
• Timely decision making and reporting 
• Alignment of OpCo and Group strategy initiatives
• Collaboration

Responsibility towards: 

• Key customers: Group Chief Legal & Regulatory Officer, Group Executive Committee members and Group Executives, MTN OpCos, different departments in MTN, 3rd Parties like Vendors and trade partners. 
• Key suppliers: Key Law firms, Relevant Industry Bodies

QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Minimum relevant Academic Degree with Honours (LLB or equivalent preferred)
• Admission as an attorney
• MBA / Masters degree
• Fluent in English

Experience:

• Minimum 15 years of post-qualification (i.e. post admission) legal experience, including 10 years post-qualification experience at a reputable law firm or in a senior management role in an in-house legal role.
• Experience managing and negotiating complex or sophisticated commercial transactions, including transactions involving multiple jurisdictions.
• Experience working with and managing multiple stakeholders, including advising and liaison with executive leadership, leadership and governance committees, board representatives and committees, and shareholders;
• Experience working in, or advising, entities operating in the telecommunications industry (an advantage)
• Work across diverse cultures and geographies
• Experience advising on matters, transactions and regulatory issues relating to digital services and digital products, including new media, VAS, video, music, gaming, advertising, and instant messaging.
• Experience advising on matters, transactions and regulatory issues relating to mobile financial services, banking, digital payments and fintech
• Experience drafting and negotiating transactions involving the procurement, development, licensing and support of technology products and services, and intellectual property 
• Experience advising on privacy and data protection, including negotiating relevant agreements
• Experience drafting and negotiating key or strategic commercial arrangements
• Experience drafting and negotiating transactions involving enterprise offerings and B2B offerings;
• Experience advising on litigation, dispute resolution and arbitration, employee relations and settlements;
• Experience advising on Mergers & Acquisitions / Divestures and Investments, and Joint Ventures;
• Understanding of, and familiarity with:
• telecommunications;
• digital services and digital products, including new media, VAS, video, music, gaming, and advertising
• regulatory and compliance requirements and principles impacting, or relevant to, new media, video, music, gaming and advertising
• financial services
• payments and banking environments
• regulatory and compliance requirements and principles impacting, or relevant to, mobile financial services, banking, digital payments and fintech
• intellectual property laws, data protection laws and anti-trust (competition) laws
• emerging technologies
• procurement
• mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and investments
• Interest in the use of technology to deliver legal services
• Knowledge of the Telecoms industry and practices (an advantage)
• Knowledge and familiarity with procurement processes in large organisations (an advantage)