Legal Manager

Copper Quail; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 1,500,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Job summary

Copper Quail is recruiting for a senior corporate commercial lawyer to lead the legal side of M&A, project acquisitions and disposals, corporate finance and energy trading in a fast-paced renewables environment in Cape Town.

You will advise the senior team, run structure, risk and execution calls, mentor a small legal team, oversee governance and compliance, and act as primary counsel to Sales and Trading.

Qualifications

• 8–10 years post-qualification experience in corporate commercial law.
• Proven negotiator on complex, high-value transactions.
• Renewable energy sector experience gets you to the front of the queue.

Responsibilities

• Leading legal workstreams on M&A, disposals, restructures, JVs and project transactions — SPAs, subscription agreements, SHAs, JDAs
• Supporting corporate finance: funding, equity investments, refinancing and security documentation
• Acting as primary legal advisor to the Sales and Trading teams — electricity trading, aggregation, virtual wheeling and grid-related commercial arrangements
• Overseeing corporate governance, compliance and the Group Company Secretary function
• Managing trust and SPV structures, including an employee ownership trust
• Leading commercial contracting across the Group and managing external counsel
• Mentoring a small legal team (3–5)

Skills

M&A

Negotiation

Corporate law

Energy trading

Education

LLB

Admitted attorney

Job description

Overview

Copper Quail is a Recruitment Advisory partner specializing in Executive Search, Contingency Recruitment, Headhunting, Outsourced Labour and training. We apply market knowledge and judgement to help clients recruit the best-qualified individuals across Africa, respecting culture and ethos.

Job Description

Legal Manager: Corporate – Renewable Energy | Cape Town

Copper Quail is recruiting for one of South Africa's leading IPPs — a serious player in utility-scale renewables with an active deal pipeline and a growing asset portfolio. This is a senior in-house role for a corporate commercial lawyer who wants to sit where the transactions happen. You’ll lead the legal side of M&A, project acquisitions and disposals, corporate finance and energy trading — advising the senior team directly and running your own calls on structure, risk and execution.

Responsibilities

• Leading legal workstreams on M&A, disposals, restructures, JVs and project transactions — SPAs, subscription agreements, SHAs, JDAs
• Supporting corporate finance: funding, equity investments, refinancing and security documentation
• Acting as primary legal advisor to the Sales and Trading teams — electricity trading, aggregation, virtual wheeling and grid-related commercial arrangements
• Overseeing corporate governance, compliance and the Group Company Secretary function
• Managing trust and SPV structures, including an employee ownership trust
• Leading commercial contracting across the Group and managing external counsel
• Mentoring a small legal team (3–5)

The basics

• LLB and admitted attorney
• 8–10 years post-qualification experience in corporate commercial law
• Proven negotiator on complex, high-value transactions
• Renewable energy sector experience gets you to the front of the queue

Worth knowing

This is a role with real decision-making authority — you interpret, you advise, you approve within mandate. Fast-paced environment, tight deadlines, complex deals. If you need external counsel to hold your hand, this isn’t it.