Senior Legal Counsel

Empowering Africa’s tomorrow, together…one 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

CIB Legal is currently looking for a Senior Legal Counsel to join its Global Markets Legal team. The role will contribute to management, identification and mitigation of complex legal risks across the Global Markets (GM) business in South Africa and where applicable or required across the continent outside of South Africa. This position will be expected to provide accurate, expert and specialised legal advice on legal and regulatory matters and involvement in the structuring of transactions in line with the relevant GM and general banking practices, procedures and regulations. The role will be a key point of contact on a day-to-day basis for the GM business team, and responsible for providing on the go pro-active legal advice, support and risk management.

Job Description

Accountability: Legal Risk

• • Provide legal advice in respect of GM transactions in South Africa and across the continent
  • Draft, vet and negotiate relevant complex agreements, specifically Over the Counter derivative agreements (both local ad cross border) including confirmations and other agreements for structured products
  • Draft and/or negotiate ISDA (including CSA), GMRA and other master agreements
  • Assist and advise on complex queries with respect to the operation and content of GM agreements, including in respect of the structuring of transactions, the briefing of external counsel and the provision of opinions on legislation
  • Draft / vet and negotiate confidentiality agreements, clearing agreements and other ad hoc legal agreements for GM

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
  • Keep abreast of local and international developments which impact GM and report on these to business and legal
  • Represent legal in the development of new GM products while ensuring that all relevant legal risks are considered and that suitable documentation and legal processes are put in place prior to the launch of new products

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.
  • Proactively develop and manage relationships with key external stakeholders including external legal counsel relevant to 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

Bachelor 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