Legal Counsel & Company Secretary - SA

Hr Genie; Durban; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 800,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company is seeking a Legal Advisor to provide comprehensive legal support and ensure regulatory compliance for its South African operations. The role involves leading legal counsel, managing governance, and driving compliance efforts while fostering strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders. Candidates should have 7 to 9 years of post-qualification experience and a proven track record in South African law and corporate governance.

Qualifications

• 7 to 9 years post-qualification experience, preferably in-house.
• Expertise in governance documentation and statutory compliance required.

Responsibilities

• Lead legal advisor to SA leadership, managing various legal functions.
• Coordinate board meetings, filings, and advise on governance best practices.
• Ensure compliance with legislation and manage ethics programs.

Skills

Strong knowledge of South African company law

Contract negotiation

Interpersonal skills

Analytical thinking

Problem-solving

Education

Post-qualification legal experience

Job description

The role provides comprehensive legal, company secretarial, compliance, risk, and insurance support to the South African operations ("SA Operations"). It ensures robust governance and regulatory compliance, provides strategic legal counsel on complex commercial matters, and supports risk mitigation through proactive legal and insurance oversight while complying with the Group Legal & Compliance protocol strategy.

1. Legal Advisory & Commercial Support

Act as lead legal advisor to SA leadership.

Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements.

Manage litigation, disputes, settlements, and arbitration processes.

Analyze legislation (e.g. POPIA, Companies Act, NEMA) and guide operational impact.

Support property transactions and legal due diligence.

Integrate legal risk analysis into decision-making.

2. Company Secretarial & Governance

Coordinate board and committee meetings, filings, statutory registers, and resolutions.

Advise on governance best practices (e.g. King IV).

Maintain corporate compliance with CIPC and related legislation.

3. Stakeholder Engagement

Build relationships with regulators, auditors, business leaders, and external counsel.

Represent the business in consultations and legal / regulatory forums.

Provide legal input in audits and investigations.

4. Ethics & Governance Leadership

Monitor global governance trends and ensure ethical frameworks are up to date.

Guide implementation of ethics programs, Codes of Conduct, and whistleblower mechanisms.

Support the MD in embedding transparency and accountability.

5. Compliance Management

Serve as Compliance Officer for SA Operations.

Drive implementation and monitoring of Group policies.

Respond to legal changes, advise on legislative impacts, and draft compliance submissions.

Collaborate on audits, investigations, and mitigation of non-compliance risks.

Maintain contract repository integrity.

Submit legal reports to senior leadership and Group stakeholders.

7. Customer Service & Relationship Management

Resolve legal queries swiftly and professionally.

Maintain proactive, responsive communication with internal stakeholders.

8. Development & Growth

Identify personal development needs and promote staff learning.

Drive upskilling aligned with legal and compliance goals.

Qualifications & Experience

7 to 9 years post-qualification experience, including in-house legal experience.

Strong knowledge of South African company law, commercial law, and regulatory frameworks.

Expertise in contract negotiation and drafting.

Ability to manage governance documentation and statutory compliance.

High levels of integrity, ethical judgement, and independence.

Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

Analytical thinker with sound problem-solving ability.

Ability to manage competing demands and work under pressure.

Collaborative leadership and ability to influence across functions.