IT Legal Advisor II at Shoprite Group of Companies

Purpose of the Job    

• Join Shoprite Group as an IT Legal Advisor II based in Brackenfell Cape Town, Western Cape, where you will leverage your expertise in contract drafting, IT procurement, data protection, and intellectual property law to support our dynamic IT division.
• The purpose of this role is to draft, review, and maintain contracts and legal documents related to the procurement of IT goods and services, ensuring that all agreements comply with relevant laws and regulations. In addition to contract drafting, the Legal Advisor will provide guidance on intellectual property rights, data protection, and cybersecurity regulations affecting the IT Division.
• This role entails assessing and mitigating legal risks within IT projects, developing and implementing policies and procedures to ensure ongoing legal compliance, and supporting the negotiation and execution of strategic partnerships and vendor agreements.
• Furthermore, the Legal Advisor will advise staff on legal best practices and emerging regulations, promoting a culture of legal awareness within the Division. Elevate your legal career with a forward-thinking company committed to innovation, legal integrity, and business growth.

Job Objectives    

Contract Development and Structuring

• Analyse, investigate, and develop contracts and legal documents for the procurement of IT services and goods, ensuring clarity, consistency, and alignment with organisational objectives.
• Categorise, standardise, and optimise contract templates and clauses to streamline drafting processes while maintaining legal integrity and accuracy.
• Review and continuously improve contract structures to enhance usability, reduce complexity, and address evolving business requirements.

Stakeholder Collaboration and Advisory

• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to gather requirements, clarify contractual needs, and support the development and revision of legal agreements.
• Provide legal guidance and advisory on contract-related matters, ensuring stakeholders are informed of risks, obligations, and best practices.
• Support and guide the negotiation of vendor agreements and strategic partnerships, ensuring legal considerations are effectively integrated.

Compliance and Regulatory Alignment

• Monitor and ensure that contracts and legal documents comply with applicable laws, regulations, and organisational procurement policies.
• Stay abreast of legislative and regulatory changes impacting IT procurement and contracts, advising stakeholders on implications and required actions.
• Develop and maintain policies and procedures that promote legal compliance and governance in the procurement of IT goods and services.

Risk Assessment and Mitigation

• Assess and investigate legal risks associated with IT contracts, procurement activities, and projects.
• Identify potential contractual issues and recommend practical risk mitigation strategies to safeguard organisational interests.
• Liaise with external legal counsel, where required, to resolve complex legal matters and mitigate escalated risks.

Data Protection and Intellectual Property

• Advise on and ensure the inclusion of provisions relating to data protection, privacy laws, and cybersecurity requirements within contracts.
• Provide guidance on intellectual property rights relating to IT solutions, systems, and innovations, ensuring appropriate protection and ownership structures.

Contract Governance and Continuous Improvement

• Review contractual agreements on a regular basis to identify gaps, inefficiencies, or opportunities for enhancement.
• Promote best practices in contract management and governance across the Division.
• Drive initiatives to improve contract lifecycle management, standardisation, and compliance monitoring.
• Legal Awareness and Capability Building
• Promote a culture of legal awareness within the Division by ensuring stakeholders understand contractual obligations and legal risks.
• Provide guidance and support to teams to strengthen legal compliance and accountability in procurement and contract management activities.

Qualifications    

• Admitted Attorney with B.Com Law LLB; BA Law with LLB or LLB (essential).
• Certificate of Good Conduct from the Law Society (essential).

Experience    

• +5 years' experience (excluding articles) as an attorney or in-house legal counsel with exposure to applying IT principles, relevant laws, regulations and best practices as they relate to IT specific business areas or similar role/environment - (essential).

Knowledge and Skills    

• Exposure to the retail environment - (preferred).
• Extensive Demonstrated experience in contract negotiation and drafting specifically IT contracts - (essential).
• Familiarity with IT procurement processes, software licensing agreements, data protection regulations, and intellectual property issues - (essential).

Closing Date    

• 2026/07/09