Senior Legal Advisor – Unlisted Investments

Fempower; Pretoria; On-site; ZAR 600 000 - 800 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading institutional investment organization is seeking a seasoned Senior Legal Advisor to join its Unlisted Investments Legal team in Pretoria. The role involves delivering specialist legal advisory services across unlisted investment transactions, including leading negotiations and ensuring compliance with investment policies. Candidates should have an LLB degree, be an admitted attorney, and possess 6–8 years of post-admission experience in corporate law and investment transactions. Excellent negotiation and communication skills are essential.

Qualifications

• 6–8 years post‑admission experience in corporate & commercial law.
• Preferred exposure to financial services and private equity.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal opinions on corporate, commercial, and investment-related matters.
• Conduct comprehensive due diligence on transactions.
• Draft and negotiate complex investment and finance agreements.
• Structure and execute unlisted transactions, including private equity.
• Manage interactions with external counsel and internal stakeholders.

Skills

Strong transaction execution track record

Solid corporate/commercial drafting capability

Investment and financial analysis fundamentals

Commercial judgement and problem‑solving ability

Negotiation and deal‑structuring skills

Ability to work under pressure on complex, high‑value transactions

Excellent writing, research, and communication skills

High levels of professionalism, ethics, and attention to detail

Education

LLB Degree

Admitted Attorney of the High Court

Job description

Overview

A leading institutional investment organisation, managing one of the largest and most diverse asset portfolios on the African continent, is seeking a seasoned Senior Legal Advisor to join its Unlisted Investments Legal team.

Purpose of the Role

Deliver specialist legal advisory services across unlisted investment transactions, including providing legal opinions, executing complex deals, leading negotiations, mitigating legal risk, and ensuring alignment with investment policies, legislation, and governance frameworks.

Minimum Requirements

• LLB Degree
• Admitted Attorney of the High Court
• 6–8 years post‑admission experience in corporate & commercial law, banking & finance transactions, investment management or private markets legal work
• Preferred additional exposure to financial services, private equity, project finance, structured finance, cross‑border transactions within Sub‑Saharan Africa, and advisory experience involving equity, debt, mezzanine, or hybrid instruments

Key Responsibilities

• Provide legal opinions and advisory support on corporate, commercial, and investment‑related matters
• Conduct comprehensive due diligence across diverse transaction types
• Draft, review and negotiate complex investment, finance, and commercial agreements
• Structure and execute unlisted transactions, including private equity, debt & mezzanine funding, project finance, M&A, energy (oil & gas; renewable energy), and venture capital
• Support litigation, arbitration, restructures, workouts and business rescue processes
• Advise on legislative changes affecting investments (e.g. FAIS)
• Manage interactions with external counsel and internal stakeholders
• Ensure compliance, contract governance, and transaction post‑management (including SharePoint/eFront)
• Provide training to internal teams on legal and regulatory matters
• Supervise junior legal staff
• Lead and support investment‑related projects

Competencies and Skills

• Strong transaction execution track record
• Solid corporate/commercial drafting capability
• Investment and financial analysis fundamentals
• Commercial judgement and problem‑solving ability
• Negotiation and deal‑structuring skills
• Ability to work under pressure on complex, high‑value transactions
• Excellent writing, research, and communication skills
• High levels of professionalism, ethics, and attention to detail