Head: Property Finance Legal at Nedbank

Job Purpose

• To manage the Property Finance Legal team,  to provide legal services and to monitor, manage and mitigate legal risk in Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking, Property Finance business.

Job Responsibilities

Managed Financial and Business Results

• Ensure risks are mitigated by providing legal services to Loss Control  on claims against Nedbank through strategic legal input.
• Ensure claims and legal risks against Nedbank are adequately managed by supporting Group Legal Litigation by providing business specific legal input.
• Ensure that the best practice advice and opinions are implemented by providing legal advice and producing sound legal agreements for Property Finance transactions , through application of professional and industry knowledge and expertise, with a particular focus on land development solutions, transactions with an equity participation in selected property developments, long term loans secured against large value, complex property portfolios, loans and other finance solutions to the listed property sector, residential development and affordable housing market .

Managed Stakeholder Relationships

• Ensure stakeholders are kept informed and services are delivered according to best practices by keeping abreast of legal developments (legislation and case law) pertaining to all aspects of the business, including its clients and the environment within which it operates through engaging with stakeholders.
• Share knowledge and expertise within Group Legal and other stakeholders during management meetings, conferences and external stakeholders' engagements.

Managed and monitored legal risk

• Formulate operational plans for  Property Finance Legal by aligning business plans to Group Legal, CIB  and Property Finance strategies in support of Property Finance the NCIB Risk strategy.
• Ensure optimal resourcing of function by assessing and monitoring resourcing requirements as per the operational business plans to ensure short - medium term plans (e.g. re-allocation of resources and skills across regions, leverage off expertise and knowledge) and business strategies are achieved nationally.
• Address obstacles and corrective action to be taken with team members
• Ensure quality standards and best practices are met through assessing, monitoring and vetting of legal advice and/or opinions and the drafting of legal documentation delivered by managers and teams and take corrective action where required.
• Ensure delivery of legal risk management that meets business requirements by introducing legal best practice and ensuring that processes and/or standardised legal documentation are complied with.
• Ensure business objectives are achieved by managing property finance legal risks and identifying problems, structuring and negotiating transactions and ensuring timeous efficient delivery to each stakeholder group
• Ensure consistency in legal advice and/or resolving of legal problems are provided by ensuring service excellence by  Property Finance Legal and overseeing that all legal risks and incidences are reported, and advice documented.
• Improve business results and business processes by participating the various  Risk Committees (such as CRAM, ERCO) (as applicable) and reporting on and presenting legal risks and recommendations

Preferred Qualification

• Master of Laws (LL.M)

Essential Certifications

• Admitted Attorney

Preferred Certifications

• Qualified Conveyancer

Type of Exposure

• Managing a team of managers
• Identifying/select talent
• Managing business risks
• Communicating complex information in writing and verbally
• Negotiating settlements
• Litigating
• Managing legal risks
• Making financial decisions/
• Representing the company in Industry related forums
• Establishing and maintaining collaborative relationships with peers / managers

Minimum Experience Level

• 10 - 12 years experience as an Attorney or Advocate, including litigation and commercial, 2 - 5 years experience in managing a team.

Technical / Professional Knowledge

• Capacity planning
• Change management
• Communication Strategies
• Diversity management
• Governance, Risk and Controls
• Legal Risk and practice management
• Legal Risk Methodology
• Litigation and dispute practice
• Relevant regulatory knowledge
• Reputational risk management
• Management information and reporting principles, tools and mechanisms

Behavioural Competencies

• Building Partnerships
• Earning Trust
• Communication
• Continuous Learning
• Customer Focus
• Building talent