Principal Consultant - Legal Mergers Acquisitions and Business Development at MTN

JOB DESCRIPTION

The function must therefore ensure the successful delivery in context of:

• Diversifying telco-to-techo landscape
• Evolving industry ecosystems
• Multi geographic landscape and cultural context
• Implementing transactions which will support overall shareholder value creation and stakeholder management
• Achievement of top quartile operating efficiency and effectiveness through scale and common policies and processes
• Driving growth through business intelligence and standardization to maximize business impact
• New imperatives concerning data privacy and security and building strong digital trust partnerships
• Constant dynamics and local challenges in the economic, regulatory and legal environments 
• Mitigating risks, and safeguarding security through business intelligence to maximize business impact
• Management of demanding investor, customer and supplier expectations 
• Enhancing MTN reputational position as a leading secure, reliable and safe network and system provider at Group, Platform Business and Markets

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Principal Consultant: Legal will be accountable to achieve the following objectives:

Strategy and Implementation

• Lead the approach and focus on identified M&A \ BD initiatives through legal requirements and future growth strategic themes in connectivity and platform businesses.
• Ensure the legal protocols required for execution of the M&A lifecycle, supporting frameworks, principles and processes in executing the strategy and transactions are in place.
• Provide expertise and stewardship to the M&A and Business Development delivery teams in planning, managing and executing on the legal aspects of M&A and BD operations and initiatives.
• Define performance metrics and measurements which will be applied to assess the effectiveness of and requirements of legal protocols for the execution of M&A and BD. Monitoring, reporting and advising on corrective action planning.

Operational Delivery

• Draft, negotiate, finalise and implement execution agreements related to MTN Group’s Mergers & Acquisitions and Business Development strategy.
• Provide legal expertise and advise acquisition of new businesses acquisitions, in new technologies investments, establishing joint ventures, divestment, restructurings, mergers, equity capital market, ancillary and fund-raising transactions.
• Lead and oversee legal due diligence to assess the legal health and risks associated with target initiatives, opportunities, and companies.
• Define contractual framework for strategic projects that is formulated to protect the interests of the parties involved, manage risks, and facilitate a smooth and legally compliant transition.
• Provide legal opinions, advice and support to Group M&A and Business Development on South African law and International Law.
• Provide guidance on compliance with applicable legislation and manage legal risk for M&A and Business Development.
• Establish and maintain compliance processes to monitor post M&A legal obligations and contractual commitments.
• Support legal negotiation meetings along with M&A and/or Business Lead. 
• Facilitate and/or dispute resolution and support litigation initiatives germane to M&A and Business Development, if required and in conjunction with Group Legal function.
• Advise management and stakeholders on new legislation and the impact thereof on the business M&A and business development landscape.
• Co-ordinate and supervise external counsel advice. 
• Where required, to attend and present at MTN Group Steering Committee and Executive Committee meetings.

Key Deliverables

• Draft, negotiate and formalise legal aspects of commercial arrangements concluded by the MTN Group in implementing its strategy relating to M&A and Business Development.
• Liaise with, collate and incorporate feedback from, various internal stakeholders and departments for purposes of transactions, initiatives and projects.
• Provide support, guidance and advice to M&A and Business Development, regarding labour aspects of transactions, risks and other matters.

Role Dependencies

• Active support from the Executives: Core M&A and Business Development.
• Deep understanding of the MTN and M&A and Business Development strategy. 
• Understanding of the Group, OpCo, business, regulatory and risk context.
• Timely decision making and reporting. 
• Alignment of Group strategy initiatives.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Minimum 4-year Academic Degree with Honours (LLB or equivalent preferred).
• Admission as an attorney.
• MBA / Masters advantageous.
• Fluent in English.

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years senior management experience with at least 3 years of M&A Legal Experience at a reputable law firm (local or International).
• Considerable exposure and participation in negotiations and drafting of highly complex transactions documents (locally and internationally), in particular M&A and equity capital market transactions. 
• Experience in carrying convincing arguments at Group Exco level.
• Multi-lingual, multi-jurisdictional transactions experience. 
• Work across diverse cultures and geographies.