Senior Legal Counsel at Absa Group Limited (Absa)

Job Summary

• In this role you will contribute to management by identifying and mitigating legal risks across the Debt Capital Markets and Advisory businesses (Equity Capital Markets, Debt Capital Markets and M&A) in South Africa and where applicable or required across the continent. You will be expected to provide accurate, expert and specialised legal advice on legal and regulatory matters and be involved in the structuring of transactions in line with the relevant and general banking practices, procedures and regulations. You will also be a key point of contact on a day-to-day basis for the business teams, and responsible for providing on the go pro-active legal advice.
• This role is suited to a candidate with a B-degree in Law, Admitted attorney or Advocate as well as 5-8 years or more relevant experience as an in-house legal counsel in a financial institution, other corporate, in a reputable law firm.

Job Description

Accountability: Legal Risk

• To provide highly specialised legal advice and support to the dedicated area of support.

Accountability: Leadership & Management

• Demonstrates strong relationship management skills with clients
• Plan and manage projects and matters through to completion, including resourcing
• Contribute to the development and implementation of team objectives and strategy and provide high quality support to the business as required by interacting with different legal and business stakeholders.
• Work independently with minimal supervision and demonstrate the ability to supervise where appropriate

Accountability: Commercial

• Demonstrate strong analytical skills and solve complex problems creatively and effectively
• Drives good cost control behaviour, especially around external spend and consistently deliver against a broad range of competing target
• Manage external counsel and represent AGL on relevant industry forums and professional bodies where required
• Add value in commercial as well as technical discussions, and provide training that is beneficial / informative to internal clients 

Accountability: Risk and Control

• Actively raise the profile of the legal function and improve on Legal Key Risks
• Manage and create awareness by embedding legal policies and control requirements in all areas of the business
• Provide appropriate challenge and equally be robust in the face of challenges
• Build strong risk partnerships with colleagues in other functions (especially key control areas)
• Fully understand the role of legal in AGL and how it interacts with other functions and the business.

Accountability: Teamwork: 

• Proactively collaborates across different teams and geographies within Legal to break down silos
• Provide objective and constructive feedback and openly shares knowledge and expertise

Accountability:  Technical

• Acts as a trusted advisor to business and other infrastructure areas; understands market and legal developments and their impact on business
• Contribute to industry-wide initiatives and have a good network amongst peer group externally

Education

• Bachelor Honours Degree: Law, Military Science and Security (Required)