Senior Legal Counsel: SuperSport Legal Department

The Organisation

The MultiChoice Group is a multinational media and entertainment group headquartered in South Africa, Dubai and the Netherlands with principal operations in pay television, video entertainment, advertising and content security. Brands within the Group include DStv, GOtv, SuperSport, M-Net, DStv Media Sales, Showmax and European-based content security leader Irdeto. We’re proud to say we serve 20 million subscribers across more than 50 African markets, with a successful history of identifying and adapting to industry trends, allowing us to continuously deliver the best in entertainment.

By joining our passionate and creative team, you can help us achieve our objectives of expanding our pay-TV and SVOD (Subscription Video On demand) subscriber bases, improving advertising sales, spearheading cutting-edge technology, supporting local content and providing an exceptional customer experience.

Join Africa’s most loved storyteller!

Key Customers Internal:

All SuperSport Staff, Shareholders, Stakeholders

External:

External Legal Counsel, Legal Firms, Stakeholders, Rightsholders

Purpose of the Position:

The Senior Legal Counsel: SuperSport Legal is responsible for assisting the Executive Head of legal (SuperSport) on a range of key strategic projects and with day-to-day business as usual legal assistance. The Senior Legal Counsel will primarily be responsible for assisting the Executive Head of legal (SuperSport) to draft a variety of commercial legal agreements, provide expert guidance on complex legal matters including in relation to rights and license agreements with sports rights holders and federations, as well as to interface with various SuperSport departments for the negotiation and drafting of business-as-usual agreements in the sports and production industry. This role will work closely with senior management and the Executive Head of legal (SuperSport) to ensure legal compliance and mitigate risks and implement a future proof structure for the drafting and management of internal and external business agreements.

Key Performance Objectives Tasks

Legal Drafting

• Draft a variety of commercial legal agreements including broadcast rights and license agreements, advertising agreements, service level agreements, independent service provider agreements, freelance and talent agreements.
• Work with the greater SuperSport Legal team to received instructions from and manage the drafting of various agreements for all SuperSport business units.

Stakeholder Management

• Maintain a compliance framework in collaboration with the relevant stakeholders.
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders and maintain healthy relationships.
• Collaborate with all SuperSport business units by providing advice on legal services related to a variety of matters across the entire business.

Legal Advisory

• Provide expert legal advice and guidance on a wide range of legal matters, including contracts, compliance, intellectual property, employment law, and regulatory issues.
• Conduct legal research and analysis to anticipate and identify potential legal risks and implications associated with various business activities, initiatives, and decisions.
• Collaborate with relevant stakeholders to develop strategies, policies and procedures that mitigate legal risks and ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Assess the business needs vis-a-vis the legal team to ensure alignment to the business.
• Proactively assess and manage reputational risks arising from legal and compliance matters, ensuring SuperSport maintains a positive public image and stakeholder confidence.
• Work closely with internal departments to develop and implement measures that align business practices with legal requirements, ethical standards, and industry best practices.
• Provide guidance and support in crisis management situations, helping to mitigate reputational damage and developing effective communication strategies.

Legal Project Management

• Support strategic legal negotiations by conducting due diligence, drafting agreements, and advising on legal implications.
• Lead other key projects requiring leadership by the Head of legal (SuperSport).
• Co-ordinate involvement by different parts of the business in key strategic transactions and projects.

Leadership and Mentoring

• Provide leadership, guidance, and supervision to a small team of junior legal advisors, and legal assistants fostering their professional development and ensuring the delivery of high-quality legal services.
• Mentor and coach junior legal advisors/legal assistants, offering guidance on legal research, analysis, and the development of legal arguments and strategies.
• Conduct regular performance evaluations, provide constructive feedback, and identify training and development opportunities to enhance the skills and capabilities of the legal team.
• To act as support for the Head of Legal in providing systemic legal advice to the business and in developing and implementing new operational systems and schemes of training to empower colleagues within the business to operate within acceptable business risk parameters with a degree of autonomy.

Governance

• Maintain strict adherence to workflows, standard operating procuress and protocols for contract management and drafting.
• Produce and manage a framework to ensure the correct interpretation of, and compliance with policies, rules, regulations and procedures applicable to all staff.
• Manage legal risk, including assisting the MultiChoice Group litigation team with all litigation matters emanating from the various business units.

Qualifications

• LLB or equivalent.
• Master’s degree in law would be an advantage.
• Admitted legal practitioner of the High Court or equivalent.

Experience/Skills

• A minimum of 8 years of experience as a legal counsel or senior legal practitioner, preferably in the media and entertainment industry or a related field.
• Proven experience in contract drafting and negotiation, intellectual property law, compliance, and risk management.
• Strong knowledge of media and entertainment law, including copyright, trademark, licensing, distribution, production, and regulatory compliance.
• Strong understanding of contract law principles, with the ability to draft, review, and negotiate complex agreements.
• Litigation management skills, including dispute resolution strategies.
• Knowledge of sports law, including rights agreements and broadcast and license agreements is highly advantageous.