Senior Legal Counsel -Debt Capital Market at Absa

Job Summary

• Responsible for identifying and managing legal risk for the Debt Capital Markets team in local SA, UK, US and Africa markets. Key point of contact on a day-to-day basis for the business team, and responsible for providing pro-active legal advice, support and risk management. This role involves establishing a centre of excellence providing dedicated legal support, putting in place a working model in order to maximise synergies between teams and business areas to ensure that they work together in the most effective way.

Job Description

• Come be part of a driven and well-respected legal team that provides support to business. You also get to be part of a leading bank that is inspired by the people we serve and also determined to be a globally respected organisation which Africa can be proud.

Your key accountabilities will include;

• Effective management of legal risk and continuously improve controls and efficiency of processes (consistent and proactive approach)
• Identify opportunities to develop new processes to strengthen the legal risk control framework. 
• Manage, evaluate and prioritise tasks in accordance with business needs
• Communicate and distil legal concepts to the business function, ensuring that lessons learned are shared within the bank and rehabilitative steps are identified.
• Ensure effective and appropriate verbal and written communication of the legal policies to internal clients.
• Proactive monitoring of compliance to the principal legal risk control framework.
• Immediately report/escalate any breach of the principal legal risk control framework as per reporting/escalation line.
• Identification of risk events and accurate and clear reporting as per reporting/escalation line.
• Display knowledge of regulatory requirements including updates and changes.
• Ensure technical correctness of documents drafted by ensuring that the latest legal precedents have been included in the documents which would be primarily achieved by conducting regular research with respect to legal developments and attendance at applicable training courses.
• To provide concise, accurate, timely legal advice to internal stakeholders.
• To provide legally sound solutions to business problems.
• Assist in structuring, negotiating, drafting and vetting of legal agreements and documentation relating to standard agreements, transactions and new products.
• Help to develop working structures and best practice guides for use within business
• Address all probable risks by seeing to it that they are sufficiently addressed in legal agreements drafted.
• To build relationships with key senior stakeholders within the legal and business functions across the Bank and become a trusted advisor.
• To be the preferred partner for business stakeholders on all legal matters.

Send in your application if you have;

• A Law degree
• Admitted attorney or advocate in RSA or other similar jurisdiction
•  The relevant legal experience, ideally 5-8 years’ PQE.
• Ability to advise at a senior business level and establish credibility very quickly.
• An understanding of the banking business and product offerings would be of benefit.

Education

• Bachelor Honours Degree: Law (Required)

Absa Bank Limited is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. In compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups whose appointments will contribute towards achievement of equitable demographic representation of our workforce profile and add to the diversity of the Bank.

Absa Bank Limited reserves the right not to make an appointment to the post as advertised