Legal Secretary

Role Purpose

The purpose of this role is to provide support for all aspects of the governance, compliance, contracts management and associated matters in the Legal, Risk and Compliance department for Lactalis companies in South Africa, Botswana, eSwatini, Mozambique and Zambia (Lactalis Southern Africa Zone). We are looking for someone keen to take on a varied and interesting role within a fast moving and dynamic team and can work with teams (external company secretaries) in different jurisdictions.

Requirements

• Appropriate qualification in a relevant field, i.e. Legal, Accounting, Business, and Finance or Compliance.
• A minimum of 2 years professional experience as a Paralegal or a Company secretary.
• Experience in legal, compliance, or alternatively experience at a corporate company.
• Fluent in English. Business Portuguese will be an advantage.
• Excellent organization, documentation management and computer skills.
• Expertise in MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook.
• Strong communication skills with a team-player attitude.
• Accurate, attention to details and conscientious.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, react quickly in a time-pressured environment and meet deadlines.

Duties and Responsibilities

Governance

Support The Company Secretary To:

• Maintain and update statutory records, including board minutes, resolutions, and company registers.
• Support the preparation of materials for board and committee meetings, ensuring compliance with corporate governance principles.
• Ensure timely filing of statutory documents with relevant authorities.
• Support the Company Secretary to provide orientation, guidance and training to Directors and Prescribed Officers regarding their duties covering compliance and governance aspects.
• Actively monitor and report on corporate governance trends and laws allowing for timely anticipation of new requirements.

Compliance

Support The Head Of Legal To:

• Monitor regulatory developments and ensure the company’s compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards.
• Coordinate compliance audits and assessments, working closely with internal and external stakeholders.
• Assist in the development and implementation of compliance programs, including support for training and reporting on training statistics.
• Maintain compliance records and track progress on corrective actions.

Contracts Management

Support The Head Of Legal To:

• Review and draft a variety of contracts, including vendor agreements, service contracts, and NDAs.
• Manage the contract lifecycle, from initiation to execution, ensuring that all contractual obligations are met.
• Maintain a central repository for all contracts, ensuring they are accessible and properly organized.

Administration

Provide administrative support to the Legal, Risk and Compliance team.