In-house Legal Counsel

Placements24; Bloemfontein; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully remote work

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Professional development

Executive-level benefits

Job summary

Placements24 is assisting a growing enterprise based in Welkom, Free State, to appoint an in-house Legal Counsel who will lead the legal function. You will provide strategic guidance to the board on all legal matters, oversee corporate governance, compliance, and the negotiation and execution of commercial contracts.

This senior role involves managing external counsel, shaping internal policies, and advising on mergers and restructuring.

Qualifications

• Admitted attorney with 10+ years post-qualification experience, including in-house.
• Expertise in corporate law, commercial agreements, and compliance.
• Experience managing external counsel and complex portfolios.
• Strong business acumen and pragmatic legal solutions.
• Excellent leadership and negotiation skills.
• Familiarity with mining/industrial sectors in Free State is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic legal advice to the Board and senior management on all legal matters.
• Oversee the drafting, negotiation, and execution of all corporate and commercial contracts.
• Ensure the company's full compliance with all relevant South African legislation and regulatory frameworks.
• Manage and direct external legal counsel on litigation and specialized legal issues.
• Develop and implement robust internal legal policies and procedures to mitigate risk.
• Advise on mergers, acquisitions, and other corporate restructuring activities.

Skills

Corporate law

Commercial contracts

Compliance management

Leadership

Negotiation

Education

Admitted attorney

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a growing enterprise based in Welkom , Free State, is seeking a highly capable In-house Legal Counsel to lead their legal function. This strategic role will involve overseeing all legal aspects of the business, from corporate governance and compliance to commercial contracts and dispute resolution. You will be instrumental in safeguarding the company's interests and providing proactive legal counsel to senior management. This is an exceptional opportunity for an experienced legal professional to take ownership of legal strategy in a key industrial hub of South Africa.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic legal advice to the Board of Directors and senior management on all legal matters.
• Oversee the drafting, negotiation, and execution of all corporate and commercial contracts.
• Ensure the company's full compliance with all relevant South African legislation and regulatory frameworks.
• Manage and direct external legal counsel on litigation and specialized legal issues.
• Develop and implement robust internal legal policies and procedures to mitigate risk.
• Advise on mergers, acquisitions, and other corporate restructuring activities.

Requirements

• Admitted attorney with a minimum of 10 years' post-qualification experience, with a significant portion in-house.
• Expertise in corporate law, commercial agreements, and compliance management.
• Demonstrated experience in managing complex legal portfolios and external counsel.
• Strong business acumen and the ability to provide pragmatic, commercial legal solutions.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and negotiation skills.
• Familiarity with the mining or industrial sectors in the Free State region is a plus.

Benefits

• A highly competitive salary and executive-level benefits package.
• Fully remote work arrangement, allowing flexibility in location.
• Comprehensive health insurance and retirement plan.
• Generous provision for professional development and conferences.
• Opportunity to shape the legal direction of a growing company in Welkom .