Senior Legal Specialist - Commercial at Exxaro Resources

PURPOSE:

• Provide legal guidance and support to the Group Manager Legal and Compliance and the organisation to support Exxaro’s commercial activities.
• Provide specialist legal advice on various legal matters such as commercial contracts, transaction negotiations and various commercial compliance issues.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure that commercial activities align with legal requirements, manage risks, and ultimately assist in the achievement of business objectives.

MAJOR CHALLENGES:

• Dealing with complex commercial and contractual issues
• Keeping abreast of and interpreting new legislation and regulations and the commercial and contractual risks to the business.

Minimum Requirements    

QUALIFICATIONS:

• LLB Bachelor of Law (Essential/Minimum)
• Magister Legum (LLM) (Recommended/Desirable)

EXPERIENCE: 

• 8-10 years Admitted Attorney or Advocate registered with the Legal Practice Council
• Approx. 8 years relevant experience practising law with a focus on commercial transactions and contract law preferably in a corporate legal department or law firm setting.
• Critical role in ensuring the legality, compliance, and commercial success of our operations. This role involves a combination of legal expertise, commercial acumen, and strategic thinking within the context of the mining industry.
• Experience in drafting, negotiating, and interpreting complex commercial agreements and contracts
• Demonstrated excellent analytical and problem-solving and decision- making skills with the ability to assess legal risks and provide practical solutions in a business context
• Strong understanding of commercial law principles, contract law, intellectual property rights and regulatory compliance requirements  (Essential/Minimum)    Management

REQUIREMENTS: 

• Psychometric Assessment (Essential/Minimum)
• Certificate of Fitness (Essential/Minimum)

Duties & Responsibilities    

Cost Management    

• Monitor and enforce effective control, governance, and compliance procedures throughout area of specialisation to prevent and reduce financial wastage.
• Increase operational efficiency and suggest solutions to enhance cost effectiveness.

Internal Business Processes    

• Assist Group Manager Legal and Compliance with performance and budget utilization of the legal function.
• Monitor and review performance achievement and targets.
• Assist with compilation of annual budget and control the expenses.
• Influence the improvement or enhancement of business processes and methodologies.

Legal & Compliance Counsel Provision and Management    

• Assist Group Manager Legal and Compliance to promote and protect the company’s legal rights in contracts and agreements.
• Draft, review, and negotiate various contracts including but not limited to mining leases, joint venture agreements, procurement contracts, and service agreements.
• Identify legal and commercial risks associated with mining activities and developing strategies to mitigate these risks. This may involve conducting risk assessments, advising management on risk mitigation measures, and implementing appropriate risk management protocols.
• Aid the process of obtaining and renewing licenses, permits, and approvals required for mining activities.
• Handle legal disputes, claims, and litigation matters that may arise while mining operations. This includes assessing the merits of legal claims, engaging with external legal counsel when necessary, and representing the company's interests in dispute resolution proceedings.
• Conduct legal due diligence for potential acquisitions, partnerships, or investment opportunities related to mining projects. This includes reviewing legal documents, identifying legal risks, and providing recommendations to senior management.
• Develop and deliver training programs to educate employees on legal compliance and commercial best practices.
• Conduct legal research and analysis on various issues related to mining law, contract law, and corporate law. This may involve analysing case law, statutes, regulations, and legal opinions to inform decision- making and strategy development.
• Stay updated on changes in legislation, regulations, and industry trends that may impact the mining operations and advise the management accordingly.
• Identify opportunities for innovation and process improvement to increase overall efficiency of the legal function.
• Support Mergers & Acquisitions transactions and joint ventures in line with Exxaro’s strategic focus.

Process optimisation and integration    

• Ongoing custodianship and application of relevant functional principles,
• methodologies and standards to ensure sound legal compliance across the Group.
• Identify and implement process and integration optimisation opportunities within the function and across the organisation when conducting legal interventions.
• Provide thought leadership and continuously improve and promote methodologies, processes, and standards to efficiently support legal activities within Exxaro.

Safe and Healthy Work Environment    

• Ensure compliance with all applicable Safety Health and Environmental
• (SHE) policies and procedures in line with set standards.
• Encourage a culture that focuses on safety in all operations.