Lead Specialist: Legal (Trade and Working Capital)

at  Absa Bank Limited

Empowering Africa’s tomorrow, together…one story at a time.
With over 100 years of rich history and strongly positioned as a local bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of this exciting growth journey, to reset our future and shape our destiny as a proudly African group.
Job Summary
Absa CIB is a leading and award-winning Corporate and Investment Bank (CIB) in Africa, backed by a bank of scale, Absa Group Limited. We are a truly Pan-African brand, unified and united with one goal: to bring your possibility to life. Our impressive client portfolio includes global and Africa-based multinationals, public sector and institutional clients, as well as financial institutions and global development organizations.
In this role you will contribute to management by identifying and mitigating legal risks across the Trade and Working Capital business in South Africa and where applicable or required across the continent. You will be expected to provide accurate, expert and specialized legal advice on legal and regulatory matters and be involved in the structuring of transactions in line with the relevant and general banking practices, procedures and regulations. You will also be a key point of contact on a day-to-day basis for the business team, and responsible for providing on the go pro-active legal advice, support and risk management.
Send in your application if you are an Admitted Attorney or Advocate with over 5 years post qualifying experience. Experience in advising at a senior business level as well as an understanding of the banking business and product offerings.
Job Description

Accountability: Transactional Banking Legal Support to Business & Functions & Legal Risk Management 80%

• Ensure that the TxB Legal teams provide effective legal support, and legal risk management of CIB products and services.
• Work closely with and report to the General Counsel CIB on all aspects of Legal Risk Management in the cluster business unit.
• Monitor, control and reduce the Group’s internal and external Legal spend, while remaining within the Group’s Risk appetite as determined by the board.
• Actively manage the total cost (internal and external), of providing effective legal support and legal risk management to ensure the optimal mix of internal and externally provided legal support.
• Establish and build relationships with potential external Legal Counsel and make recommendations to on which external firm/s to use for which legal component.
• Monitor the overall performance of such external counsel and ensure performance standards are as agreed and are being adhered to.
• Develop and market the Legal function as an advisory, ambassadorial, enabling and enforcing function and make use of appropriate communication channels to ensure that there is a broad understanding within the business unit for the services provided.
• Participate in industry associations and act as trusted advisor to heads of business/infrastructure teams, industry bodies and relevant internal committees.
• Provide legal solutions for commercial problems while demonstrating sound judgement and decision-making skills.
• Deliver a high standard of Legal work for Transactional Banking and improve the quality of legal work performed in Transactional Banking and generally by the Legal function and its service providers.

Education and Experience Required

• B-degree in Law: LLB NQF Level 7
• Admitted attorney or Advocate
• Preferred: Post Graduate diploma or Masters Degree in Banking, Corporate or Commercial Law
• Relevant experience (at least 8 years) as an in-house legal counsel in a financial institution, other corporate, in a reputable law firm or at the Bar.
• Relevant experience operating in multiple jurisdictions across Africa.
• General knowledge of bank regulations required

Knowledge & Skills:

• Extensive knowledge of Banking and finance law and the regulatory environment of Financial Services Providers
• Ability to manage and apply effective matrix management principles

Education
Postgraduate Degrees and Professional Qualifications: Law, Military Science and Security (Required)
Absa Bank Limited is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. In compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups whose appointments will contribute towards achievement of equitable demographic representation of our workforce profile and add to the diversity of the Bank.
Absa Bank Limited reserves the right not to make an appointment to the post as advertise

• Ensure that the TxB Legal teams provide effective legal support, and legal risk management of CIB products and services.
• Work closely with and report to the General Counsel CIB on all aspects of Legal Risk Management in the cluster business unit.
• Monitor, control and reduce the Group’s internal and external Legal spend, while remaining within the Group’s Risk appetite as determined by the board.
• Actively manage the total cost (internal and external), of providing effective legal support and legal risk management to ensure the optimal mix of internal and externally provided legal support.
• Establish and build relationships with potential external Legal Counsel and make recommendations to on which external firm/s to use for which legal component.
• Monitor the overall performance of such external counsel and ensure performance standards are as agreed and are being adhered to.
• Develop and market the Legal function as an advisory, ambassadorial, enabling and enforcing function and make use of appropriate communication channels to ensure that there is a broad understanding within the business unit for the services provided.
• Participate in industry associations and act as trusted advisor to heads of business/infrastructure teams, industry bodies and relevant internal committees.
• Provide legal solutions for commercial problems while demonstrating sound judgement and decision-making skills.
• Deliver a high standard of Legal work for Transactional Banking and improve the quality of legal work performed in Transactional Banking and generally by the Legal function and its service providers