Group Legal Counsel: M&A & Corporate (Kwazulu Natal) at Aspen Pharma Group

JOB PURPOSE:

• To responsibly, pro-actively and efficiently facilitate the business of Aspen by providing a full spectrum of specialist commercial contract drafting and focused legal support to the allocated Business Units (“BUs”), specifically Group Mergers and Acquisitions, Group Treasury, Group Tax (including intercompany transactions), Group Digital Technology, Group Commercial, Group Communications, Group Company Secretariate, Group Ethics and Compliance, Group Finance, Group Human Capital, Group Internal Audit, Group Investor Relations, Group Travel, Group Risk and Sustainability, Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Limited (as applicable) or similar, and other general legal requirements of Aspen, whilst complying with the Group Legal protocol and Group Legal strategy. The position requires the incumbent to think Group-wide, but act and focus on the work of the Group Head: Legal Counsel M&A & Corporate or similar to which he/she has been allocated.
• The level of appointment, degree of independence, complexity of work and scope of accountability will be determined by the successful candidate’s qualifications, experience and demonstrated capability. Internal note, with reference to the Group Legal Roles & Career Progression Framework.

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS:

• Specialised Aspen and BU aligned drafting and general legal work and legal advice to the allocated BUs.
• Efficiently deliver legally sound, subject matter expert quality legal work, as allocated to the legal practice of this role.
• Deliver work in a timely manner in accordance with deadlines and project timeline.Sound electronic Legal practice, file, diary and template management and maintenance.
• Meaningfully contribute and deliver ancillary legal work and cross-functional projects within Group Legal.
• Precedent, template and legal opinion development and improvement.Meet or exceed the Group Legal business unit KPIs agreed by the Group Executive: Legal with Aspen executive leadership.
• Adopt and comply with the ways of working within the Aspen Group Legal BU, including specifically the Aspen Values and honest application of personal Insights® Profile (or similar from an Aspen Group service provider) to enhance interpersonal effectiveness.

Requirements
FORMAL QUALIFICATION:

• Law Degree or postgraduate Degree – LLB.
• Preferably a second degree such a master's or relevant business qualification.
• Admitted Attorney of the Republic of South Africa.
• Certifications/registrations
• Membership of the Law Society of South Africa and of the Corporate Counsel Association of South Africa.

SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE AND REGISTRATION:

• Indicative 5 - 10 years Post-Admission Experience, including relevant legal experience in a corporate / commercial / operational legal environment.
• General business, commercial knowledge and experience is essential.
• Experience in independently drafting and vetting lengthy, complex legal agreements is essential.
• Exposure in drafting and negotiating cross-border legal agreements is essential.
• Experience in due diligence investigations advantageous.
• Pharmaceutical industry including regulatory experience is advantageous.
• Knowledge of applicable laws, policy guidelines and legal practice management.
• Knowledge of business and good corporate governance.
• Basic to intermediate knowledge of financial concepts.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to exercise sound business judgment and work independently but as a member of an integrated legal team.
• Display emotional maturity.
• Demonstrated ability and willingness to work in a team, including a multidisciplinary team.
• Established conflict resolution as a default demeanor.
• Display a high level of interpersonal non-political skill.
• A natural default to accuracy and attention to detail.

SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES:

• Be fluent in English and demonstrate excellent drafting and negotiation skills in English.
• Manage multiple priorities, work efficiently under pressure and consistently meet tight deadlines.
• Able to work independently but as a member of an integrated legal team.
• Taking full personal responsibility for attending to and closing allocated matters.
• Intermediate to advanced computer literacy.
• Database management and maintenance.
• Ability to simplify voluminous, complex information.
• Accurately collate, review and summarise information into manageable dashboards / checklists.
• Basic to intermediate understanding of financial concepts.
• Flexible, outcomes-based, self-motivated and proactive.
• Project management, co-ordination and monitoring.