Senior Manager Commercial Legal (Group Technology) at MTN

Mission/ Core purpose of the Job

The Senior Manager: Commercial Legal (Group Technology) is responsible to manage all aspects of commercial legal requirements, transactions and initiatives within the MTN Group, with a primary focus on the Group Technology Unit of MTN and areas of business overseen by the Group Chief Technology and Information Officer.
This role will manage and provide guidance and advice on all legal aspects of transactions, legal risks and other legal matters, with a primary focus on contracts, transactions and initiatives relevant to the Group Technology business unit.
The role will also be involved in supporting and assisting with technology related matters, transactions and initiatives undertaken by other business units.

Key Performance Areas: Core, essential responsibilities / outputs of the position (KPA's)

The Senior Manager: Commercial Legal will be accountable to achieve the following objectives:

• Draft, negotiate and formalise legal aspects of commercial arrangements and agreements, with a primary focus on those required by the MTN Group Technology team (being the team falling under the oversight of the Group Chief Technology and Information Officer), including with respect to the acquiring of new partners, suppliers and customers
• Act as the primary legal support for the establishment, development and roll-out of the Chenosis business (being an African API marketplace), including all legal activities associated with the business
• Manage and provide legal advice and opinions
• Manage the legal aspects of and participate in various projects and initiatives undertaken by the Group Technology team and, if required, other business divisions of MTN, including liaison with other stakeholders as required.
• Advising on privacy and data protection issues, including ensuring compliance with applicable laws
• Management of litigation (if required) and active engagement in the resolution of any disputes.
• Draft and update contract templates in line with best practices
• Identifying developments and inventions requiring intellectual protection and registration (eg. patents and utility models) and working with the Group IP team to secure such registrations;
• Draft and update legal policies and procedures in line with best practices
• Provide support, guidance and advice to MTN Operating Companies, where requested or required, regarding legal aspects of transactions, legal risks and other legal matters, with a primary focus on the provision of Technology services by the MTN Operating Companies
• Manage legal relationships between Operations, and management of legal relationships between MTN and its trade partners, suppliers and customers.
• Effective negotiation, drafting and reviewing of quality contracts.
• Attend to all legal queries in relation to the Technology* business and contracts and, if required, in relation to other business divisions of MTN.
• Liaise with, and collate feedback from, various internal stakeholders and departments for purposes of Technology-related transactions, initiatives and projects and, if required, those related to other business divisions of MTN.
• Ensure that input of relevant internal stakeholders and departments is addressed and reflected in transaction documents and in policies and procedures
• Advise management and stakeholders on new legislation and the impact thereof on the Technology business and, if required, other business divisions of MTN.
• Monitor and keep abreast of legal and industry developments
• Knowledge sharing and providing training to members of the legal team and other stakeholders on legal and industry developments
• Liaise with, and manage, external law firms, to the extent required
• Ensure all agreements, contracts and other documents of a legal nature comply with company policies and procedures
• Identify possible risks, and manage the implementation of mitigating strategies.
• Track and if necessary enforce key contract terms.
• Manage non-adherence to contractual commitments.
• Ensure subject matter expert opinions and recommendations have been implemented in draft contracts and templates.

Note that the Technology business includes all activities falling with the area of oversight of the Group Technology and Information Officer (which extends to the telecommunications and information technology areas of the business)

Key Deliverables

• Draft, negotiate and formalise legal aspects of commercial arrangements concluded by the MTN Group Technology team (and, if required, other business divisions within MTN) in implementing its strategy
• Liaise with, and collate and incorporate feedback from, various internal stakeholders and departments for purposes of transactions, initiatives and projects
• Provide support, guidance and advice to MTN Operating Companies, where requested or required, regarding legal aspects of transactions, legal risks and other legal matters relating to provision of Technology services by them (and, to the extent required, other business lines of MTN Operating Companies)
• Supporting the launch, implementation, roll-out and day-to-day legal requirements of the Chenosis business
• Keeping abreast and advising the business on the provision and procurement of new and emerging technologies
• Generally managing all matters and issues relevant to the legal aspects of the MTN Group’s Technology activities (and, to the extent required, other business lines of MTN)

Job Requirements (Education, Experience and Competencies)

Education:

• 4-year Academic Degree with Honours (LLB or equivalent preferred)
• Qualified and admitted attorney
• MBA / Masters advantageous
• Technical qualifications or background (an advantage)
• Privacy and data protection qualification (an advantage)
• Completed examinations of the South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law (an advantage)
• Fluent in English
• Fluent in French (an advantage)

Experience:

• Minimum 6 years post-qualification experience
• Post-qualification experience at a reputable law firm
• Drafting and amending a wide range of information technology and telecommunications related agreements
• Experience advising on, managing and negotiating complex commercial transactions and agreements, including experience drafting and negotiating contracts involving the provision of ICT services and support.
• Experience considering and advising on emerging and novel technologies
• Experience advising on Privacy and data protection issues
• Experience advising on, managing and negotiating commercial transactions involving multiple jurisdictions (an advantage).
• Experience working with and managing multiple stakeholders
• Experience working in, or advising, entities operating in the telecommunications and IT industries (an advantage)
• Work across diverse cultures and geographies (an advantage)
• Knowledge and familiarity with procurement processes in large organisations (an advantage)