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) Legal team has an exciting role for a Senior Legal Counsel in Transactional Banking.
In this role you will contribute to management by identifying and mitigating legal risks across the Transactional Banking business in South Africa and across the continent. You will be expected to provide accurate, expert and specialized legal advice and be involved in the structuring of transactions in line with the relevant and general banking practices, procedures and regulations. You will also be a key point of contact on a day-to-day basis for the business team, and responsible for providing on the go pro-active legal advice, support and risk management.
A specialized knowledge of Supply Chain Finance and Risk Participation Agreements (local and cross border) is preferred.This role is suited to a candidate with a B-degree in Law, Admitted attorney or Advocate as well as five years or more relevant experience as an in-house legal counsel in a financial institution, other corporate, in a reputable law firm or at the Bar.Management of Legal Risks

• Ensure the banks legal is managed effectively in all situations in which legal disputes or regulatory issues arise, at all times safeguarding Absas reputation.
• Increase awareness of the Legal Key Risk Policies and report any breaches.
• Identify and articulate risks associated with proposed transactions, projects and activities that the business intends to undertake.
• Mitigate risks wherever possible.
• Attend necessary training sessions to ensure commerciality and continued legal professional development.
• Ensure regulatory & statutory compliance.
• Provide a clear record of relevant business transactions and legal advice given that effectively mitigates legal risk.
• Develop and sustain effective risk and control frameworks.

Negotiate, draft and review Agreements.

• Assist in structuring, negotiating & drafting legal agreements and documentation relating to standard agreements, transactions, new products and 3rd party agreements
• A general working knowledge of Trade and Working Capital including a specialised knowledge of Supply Chain Finance and Risk Participation Agreements
• 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
• Consider, comment, negotiate and give advice on documents/ agreements for the business
• Give legal advice on transactions or deals to be done, or transactions that have been concluded
• Conduct legal due diligences on transactions
• Provide advice on legality, the lawfulness and enforceability of agreements and documents

Stakeholder Management

• Determine needs of stakeholders by regular interaction with the stakeholders in order to discuss legal developments and matters with them
• Provide stakeholders with legal advice, support and legal solutions
• Provide specialist assistance to country legal teams in the Africa region
• Manage external counsel where required
• Distil and communicate and legal concepts in a simple, concise way that is easily understood by business stakeholders.
• Evaluate, manage and prioritise tasks in accordance with business need

Reporting

• Compile lists of matters and registers of work or instructions received
• Provide reports as required to support the assessment of the legal risk control framework.
• Attend to ad hoc reports as requested by the Head.

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 (at least 5 years) as an in-house legal counsel in a financial institution, other corporate, in a reputable law firm or at the Bar.
• General knowledge of bank regulations required.

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

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