Legal and Compliance Officer

Legal & Compliance Officer (Credit & Counterparty Risk)

Our client is seeking a sharp and detail-oriented legal and compliance officer with a passion for financial regulation and credit risk mitigation.

Core Responsibilities:

1. Ensure all credit transactions comply with local (South African) and international regulations (e.g., NCA, FICA, Basel III, IFRS 9).
2. Monitor changes in financial sector laws (e.g., SARB/Prudential Authority guidelines) and update internal policies.
3. Lead anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) checks for counterparty onboarding.
4. Conduct periodic compliance audits of credit portfolios to identify regulatory gaps.
5. Draft, negotiate, and review credit agreements, ISDAs, CSAs, and security documents (e.g., guarantees, pledges).
6. Advise on enforceability of clauses (e.g., termination events, collateral triggers).
7. Liaise with external counsel on complex legal structures (e.g., cross-border exposures).
8. Maintain a central repository of executed legal docs and ensure proper record-keeping.
9. Identify legal risks in credit transactions (e.g., jurisdictional issues, sanctions exposure).
10. Design compliance controls for high-risk sectors (e.g., commodities, politically exposed persons).
11. Train front-office teams on regulatory requirements (e.g., fair lending practices).
12. Manage defaults/recoveries in coordination with Legal and Collections teams.
13. Represent the firm in regulatory inquiries related to credit risk (e.g., SARB inspections).
14. Oversee reporting to regulators (e.g., credit exposure disclosures under Basel III).

Qualifications:

1. Law degree (LLB) or Compliance certification (e.g., CAMS, ICA).
2. 6-8 years in banking/financial services compliance or credit-related legal roles.
3. Expertise in South African financial regulations (NCA, FICA, PPRA).
4. Strong contract drafting and negotiation skills.
5. Strong communication skills.
6. Strong analytical skills.

Desired Skills:

1. Strong contract drafting and negotiation skills.
2. Strong communication skills.
3. Strong analytical skills.
4. FICA
5. FAIS
6. AML
7. CAMS
8. NCA
9. Credit risk
10. Risk Assessment
11. Risk Analysis
12. Risk Management
13. Finance

Desired Work Experience:

1. 5 to 10 years in Investments, Insurance & Assurance.
2. 5 to 10 years in Legal Advisory.

Desired Qualification Level:

1. Degree.