Senior Manager - Legal and Centralised Securities at Access Bank

Requirements

LEGAL STRATEGY:

• Ensure that strategic business initiatives (e.g., the acquisition of a new business) comply with legislation and the relevant application, regulatory & legislated processes are followed regarding such acquisitions

Conduct research to determine:

• Proposed legislation/regulations
• Amendments to current legislation/regulations
• Trends in the industry
• Trends in international legislation/regulations pertaining to the industry
• Trends related to the Legal Business area
• The impact on other areas
• Make innovative recommendations on future professional Legal practices.

POLICIES, PROCESSES & PROCEDURES & LEGAL AND SECURITIES FRAMEWORKS:

• Oversee & monitor the development of Legal policies based on the strategy & submit to role players for input, finalise for adoption in terms of company procedures & manage the implementation and enforcement of the policies and processes.
• Maintain the relevance of policies and procedures to Access Bank SA changing business needs
• Ensure all Legal policies & processes are in line with relevant local statutory requirements and update of policies in line with audit requirements & findings to mitigate risks
• Service Delivery to Business units aligned to agreed service level agreements
• Champion Legal Support function aimed at enabling Access Bank SA’s vision, thereby delivering the business strategy & underlying tactical plans
• Manage communication plans & approaches to educate the business regarding the Legal and Securities Service Delivery model & approach
• Standardisation of reporting to on legal and securities matters
• Standardisation of legal documents for use in lending / origination in order to improve efficiencies
• Provide legal advice on all corporate, commercial, company & property related issues internally & externally at a senior level as required
• Provision of advice on legal & governance matters before & during meetings as appropriate to Management meetings and sub Exco committee.

LEGAL ADVISORY AND ENTERPRISE RISK MANAGEMENT:

• Offer legal counsel on corporate, commercial, and regulatory matters.
• Review and approve legal documentation for complex transactions if not outsourced to legal services provider
• Manage & mitigate Legal and Securities risks & maintains a detailed & defined risk register for the Division.

SECURITIES MANAGEMENT & LEGAL REFERENCE FRAMEWORK:

• Establish, update & maintain legal & securities register
• Oversee the drafting, review, and perfection of security documents (e.g., mortgage bonds, notarial bonds, cessions, guarantees).
• Ensure timely registration and cancellation of securities with relevant authorities.
• Maintain accurate records and tracking systems for all securities-related activities.
• Ensure all securities are perfected prior to disbursement unless approval was granted for an early pay out
• Sign off on all early pay out disbursements to ensure the criteria was met
• Liaise with external attorneys, legal service provider and regulatory bodies to ensure proper execution of security-related processes.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate legal and operational risks related to securities and lending.
• Ensure adherence to internal policies, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices.
• Conduct periodic audits and reviews of securities processes.

RESOURCE AND RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT:

• Establish & maintain contractual relationships & monitor & evaluate compliance to contractual agreements
• Draft loan agreements, cessions & suretyships for complex deals.
• Provide advice on legal & contractual documentation
• Implement quality assurance guidelines on contracts, tenders & other legal documents between Access Bank & third parties
• Partake in negotiations between Access Bank & third parties
• Accept responsibility for providing legal, contractual & regulatory advice to the various divisions of Access Bank
• Review contracts, tenders & other legal documents for the execution of Investment Contracts between Access Bank & clients.
• Provide legal support to Human Capital cases relating to the business of Access Bank.
• Maintain & promote relevant relationships to support Legal processes & approaches for Access Bank
• Establish strategic alliances with strategic partners identified to provide critical aspects of Legal requirements
• Stay up to date with legal initiatives & developments & further strengthen the relationship to assess further business opportunities to promote long term mutually beneficial relationships.

External Legal Services Oversight

• Act as the primary liaison between the organization and external legal service providers.
• Define scope of work, service level agreements (SLAs), and performance metrics for external providers.
• Review and approve advice, opinions, and documentation prepared by external counsel to ensure alignment with organizational standards and regulatory requirements.
• Monitor compliance with contractual obligations and manage escalation of issues.
• Conduct periodic performance reviews and audits of external provide
• Establish and enforce quality standards for outsourced legal work.
• Ensure timely delivery of services and accuracy of legal documentation.
• Implement risk controls to mitigate dependency risks on external providers
• Facilitate knowledge sharing between external providers and internal teams.
• Maintain institutional knowledge by ensuring proper documentation and archiving of outsourced work

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS:

• Tertiary qualification, LLB or LLM equivalent
• Admission as an attorney or advocate preferred

WORK EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum 10 years in legal practice or corporate legal environment, with at least 5 years in a leadership role or proven ability to lead teams.
• Experience in deal structuring (both credit and investment)
• Strong experience in banking/financial services law and securities documentation preferred.
• Vendor Management experience preferable.

SKILLS/SPECIALIZED KNOW HOW:

• Ability to use independent judgment and to manage and impart information to a range of stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of stakeholders in a diverse community.
• Ability to develop and deliver presentations.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to foster a cooperative work environment.
• Ability to supervise and train employees, to include organizing, prioritizing, and scheduling work assignments.
• Employee development and performance management skills.
• Knowledge of applicable legislation, standards, policies and procedures within specialty area.
• Strategic thinking and decision-making.
• Attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to manage complex transactions under pressure.