Job Description

Empowering Africas tomorrow, togetherone story at a time.With over 100 years of rich history and strongly positioned as a local bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of this exciting growth journey, to reset our future and shape our destiny as a proudly African group.Job Summary Our Absa Corporate and Investment Bank (CIB) Investment Banking Legal (IBD Legal) team has an exciting role for a Senior Legal Counsel. As part of the IBD Legal Team, you will be responsible for managing, identifying and mitigating legal risk within the CIB Business in South Africa and where applicable or required across the continent.
The role will be a key point of contact on a day to day basis with the IBD transaction teams, responsible for providing pro-active legal advice, transactional structuring and legal implementation support and risk management.This role is suited to a candidate with a B-degree in Law, Admitted attorney or Advocate as well as 5 years relevant experience in a financial institution, other corporate, in a reputable law firm or at the Bar.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 and Experience Required

• B-degree in Law: LLB NQF Level 7
• Admitted attorney or Advocate
• Preferred: Post Graduate diploma or masters degree in Banking, Corporate or Commercial Law
• Relevant experience least 5 years in a financial institution, other corporate, in a reputable law firm or at the Bar.
• General knowledge of regulations impacting the Bank required.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Knowledge of Banking and finance law and the regulatory environment of Financial Services Providers
• Ability to manage and apply effective matrix management principles

EducationBachelor Honours Degree: Law, Military Science and Security (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

Absa