Advisor, Legal

Company Description

Standard Bank Group is a leading Africa-focused financial services group, and an innovative player on the global stage, that offers a variety of career-enhancing opportunities – plus the chance to work alongside some of the sector’s most talented, motivated professionals. Our clients range from individuals, to businesses of all sizes, high net worth families and large multinational corporates and institutions. We’re passionate about creating growth in Africa. Bringing true, meaningful value to our clients and the communities we serve and creating a real sense of purpose for you.

Job Description

To draft and negotiate moderately complex, bespoke legal agreements. To provide a comprehensive legal advisory service to multiple business areas, and to identify, manage and mitigate legal risks in respect of relevant bank products and services; in accordance with the legal entity mandate and regulatory requirements. To act as counsel to the Bank in multiple party negotiations.

Client

• Adhere to localised SBG client contracts and toolbox standards in order to provide input into contracts of a moderate complexity and provide legal services, where required.
• Provide proficient technical legal advice to Legal Teams within the Country or Product Areas and external legal representatives; utilising an intermediate level of knowledge with some practical application experience.

Technology & Architecture

• Use digitisation effectively to work smarter and faster on document reviews, effective filing of matters and sharing of information with peers.
• Utilise the relevant technology requirements in order to drive the optimisation of work output.
• Respond to business requests and appreciate client centricity through effective, efficient execution of transactions utilising technology.

Data

• Adhere to SBG data security standards, ensuring compliance with data regulations, especially pertaining to data privacy. Maintain a case database, keeping an up to date and accessible record of matters.

Financial Management

• Manage legal costs and minimise the spend on legal matters where possible.
• Adhere to SBG minimum standards for vendor selection and participate in the selection of the most appropriate vendor with required expertise to achieve quality work output.

People

• Build and develop relationships across the different internal legal teams and with various stakeholders so that the business unit remains involved and aware of internal developments.
• Develop and manage relationships with identified external stakeholders relevant to the business and external regulatory bodies so that pertinent business networks and connections may be relied upon.
• Provide ad-hoc advice, assistance, coaching and/or mentoring to team mates so that their developmental needs are identified and met.

Strategy

• Provide input into operational plans and the practical application thereof, to ensure that operational plans are clearly articulated and understood.
• Provide insight into the design, management and implementation of legal policies, processes and systems in order to facilitate the management of legal risks.

Risk, Regulatory, Prudential & Compliance

• Implement processes and tools to support the management of legal risk, including but not limited to risk reporting and the education of the business pertaining to non-compliance, so that risks are managed in a proactive manner.
• Implement localised SBG Legal decisions so that organisational consistencies may be leveraged, and SBG Legal standards are applied; take accountability for decisions, within the appropriate delegated level within that Country or for that Product Area, as determined by agreement with Line Manager.
• Consult with internal clients to understand business requirement and provide sound legal advice pertaining to the drafting, vetting, review, dissemination and/or negotiation of legal documentation and processes of a moderate complexity, and provide clear and accurate legal opinions based on sound judgment.
• Conduct medium-term planning in formulating decisions on a variety of tasks, in order to provide business with legal advice which results in business solutions. Sign off on legal advice.
• Understand the legal entity's operating environment and remain abreast of changes to local, national and international (where applicable) laws that will affect legal operations.
• Conduct legal due diligence on moderately complex transactions in order to assess what legal liabilities exist.
• Gain and maintain a specialist understanding of product offerings and assist with business transactions and ensure that deals and arrangements are valid and legal.
• Understand changes in legislation and regulations, and how they apply to the legal entity. Amend moderately complex legal and business documents to cater for legislative changes.
• Proactively manage litigation cases including undertaking efficient legal research, reviewing pleadings and liaising with external lawyers in order ultimately achieve the best court judgment for the Bank

Qualifications

Type Of Qualification:

Post Graduate Degree - LLB; Qualified  Attorney or Barrister to practice law in Mauritius; Relevant professional membership

Experience Required
Corporate
Legal
5-7 years
Proven experience in the provision of legal advice, drafting, vetting, review, dissemination and/or negotiation, with at least 5 years' experience within the legal and/or financial and/or corporate/commercial sectors. Identification and mitigation of legal risk. At least 3 years' people management experience (not necessarily direct reports), where applicable.

Additional Information

Behavioural Competencies:

• Articulating Information
• Checking Things
• Documenting Facts
• Establishing Rapport
• Examining Information
• Interacting with People
• Managing Tasks
• Meeting Timescales
• Providing Insights
• Showing Composure
• Team Working
• Upholding Standards

Technical Competencies:

• Contract Management
• Financial Industry Regulatory Framework
• Legal Advisory & Interpretation
• Legal Drafting
• Legal Knowledge
• Legal Research
• Operational Planning
• Verbal Communication