Senior Legal Counsel

BCL Legal; Noordwes; Hybrid; ZAR 400 000 - 500 000; Full time

Job summary

A major international legal firm is seeking a Senior Legal Counsel to join its established in-house team in South Africa. This key leadership role involves advising on a variety of commercial matters, mentoring junior lawyers, and working closely with senior stakeholders on cross-jurisdictional projects. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in commercial law, particularly in negotiating contracts and exposure to FMCG or consumer law. This opportunity promises complex work and career progression within a prestigious organization.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience as a commercial lawyer in large organizations or law firms.
• Proficiency in negotiating contracts, with exposure to SaaS or consumer law being advantageous.
• Experience in FMCG, retail, or consumer-facing sectors is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Advise on, draft and negotiate a variety of commercial agreements.
• Work closely with compliance on regulatory matters.
• Support and guide junior legal team members.
• Lead major cross-functional projects.
• Partner directly with senior leaders across business units.

Skills

Negotiating commercial contracts

Communication of complex legal concepts

Regulatory compliance knowledge

Job description

Overview

Senior Legal Counsel – Manchester | Hybrid | 4 or 5 days

A major international group and household name is seeking a Senior Legal Counsel to join its well established in-house team. This is a really well pitched senior role supporting a complex, fast-moving business operating across multiple jurisdictions.

The Opportunity

You'll take the lead on a broad range of commercial matters-spanning commercial contracts, SaaS, consumer law, marketing and advertising, and business-critical projects. You'll work closely with senior stakeholders across the organisation, partnering with teams across the UK, Europe and further afield.

The breadth and variety of work on offer is exceptional. You'll operate at the heart of a sophisticated, multinational organisation undergoing sustained international growth, giving you exposure to high-value, high-impact work from day one.

This is also a key leadership role: you'll mentor and support junior lawyers, play a central part in shaping processes and templates, and help drive continuous improvement across the legal function.

What You\'ll Do

• Advise on, draft and negotiate a wide variety of commercial agreements;
• Work closely with compliance and data protection colleagues on regulatory matters affecting a large global corporate;
• Support and guide junior legal team members, helping to develop capability across the function;
• Lead or contribute to major cross-functional and cross-jurisdictional projects; and
• Partner directly with senior leaders across multiple business units.

About You

• A senior commercial lawyer with extensive experience in either a large international organisation or law firm, or both;
• Strong experience negotiating commercial contracts; exposure to SaaS, consumer law or advertising is advantageous;
• Technically proficient and also able to communicate complex legal concepts with commerciality; and
• Experience within FMCG, retail or similar consumer-facing sectors is desirable.

If you\'re a senior commercial lawyer looking to take on complex work within a world-class in-house team, this opportunity offers both challenge and progression at a global scale.