Senior Legal Advisor: Corporate Operations

The Senior Legal Advisor is responsible for providing legal advice and support by interpreting and applying relevant legislation and regulations and mitigating legal risk. The role protects the organisation’s interests through effective legal guidance, contract reviews, and dispute resolution.

a) Litigation and Dispute Management

Demonstrated ability to manage complex litigation, regulatory matters, procurement disputes, judicial reviews, and other disputes, including the instruction and management of external counsel.

Ability to assess legal merits, evidentiary requirements, prospects of success, litigation exposure and public law risk.

Capacity to develop and implement dispute resolution and settlement strategies aligned with organisational objectives.

b) Written communication

Understands that different writing styles are required for different documents or audiences.

Writes effective correspondence and prepares questions, reports, statements of circumstance and briefing notes.

Reviews others’ documents for clarity and impact.

Has a solid mastery of writing principles such as grammar, sentence construction, etc.

c) Presentation skills

Can reinforce key presentation points with examples.

Can translate technical terminology into language understandable to the audience.

Has insight into the audience’s behaviour and motivation and responds appropriately and professionally, adapting communication style as appropriate.

d) Reporting

Designs/customises reports to meet user needs.

Prepares complex or tailored reports, gather information from a variety of sources, analyses and includes in a report.

Keeps standard reports under review and proposes improvements to meet user needs.

e) Legal Knowledge

Extensive knowledge and understanding of the legal, governance and regulatory framework applicable to DBSA.

Wide-ranging knowledge of industry best practice, and keeps abreast of, interprets and informs on developments in the area of new laws and regulations relevant to DBSA.

Sound knowledge of corporate and commercial law, together with an understanding of public law, administrative law, public procurement, governance and regulatory frameworks applicable to public entities and development finance institutions.

f) Legal Policy Knowledge

Ability to represent DBSA in litigation, reviews and other dispute resolution proceedings when required.

Ability to draft non-standard legal documents per procedures.

Ability to draft more sensitive policies and legal procedures for DBSA stakeholders, and to review and refine them in response to input from relevant stakeholders before approval.

Ability to understand legal rights and responsibilities and the possession of authority to make legal decisions.

Protects the organisation’s legal rights, utilising a broad knowledge base of all major legal disciplines.

g) Presentation Skills

Knows how to deliver arguments persuasively by employing a range of advanced presentation techniques (e.g., the appropriate use of body language, how to close a presentation so that the audience continues to think about the subject matter, etc.).

Has knowledge of various feedback mechanisms to check levels of audience understanding.

h) Business Acumen

Takes actions to fit business strategy.

Assesses and links short-term tasks in the context of long-term business strategies or perspectives.

Reviews own actions against the organisation's strategic plan; includes the big picture when considering possible opportunities or projects, or thinks about long-term applications of current activities.

Anticipates possible responses to different initiatives.

Understands the projected direction of the industry and how changes might impact the organisation.

i) Negotiations

Has an appreciation of cultural sensitivities and differences.

Effectively employs a variety of advanced behavioural/interpersonal competencies to control the negotiation situation.

Is able to take the lead in a variety of sensitive negotiation situations requiring high levels of tact and diplomacy.

Is able to place a discrete negotiation situation within the context of a broader long-term relationship and is not threatened by conceding ground to protect the longer-term interests of DBSA.

Minimum Qualification

A Bachelor of Laws degree (LLB) or Legal postgraduate qualification.

Admitted Attorney/Advocate of the High Court of South Africa.

Minimum Experience

A minimum of 8–10 years of experience in a commercial, finance, banking, public law or corporate law environment gained at a commercial bank, specialist law firm, corporation or similar institution.

In-depth experience in providing legal advice in corporate operations covering a broad range of business areas such as Corporate Services, Finance, Supply Chain, and ICT.

Experience in managing complex litigation and other dispute resolution matters.

Proven experience in contract drafting, legal risk management, and regulatory compliance.

Desirable Requirements

A postgraduate qualification in law.

Experience in the financial services or banking industry.

*The KPAs, competencies and relationships listed in this document are not exhaustive, and the incumbent will be expected to undertake additional duties within their capacity to meet the needs of the business and/or the business unit.*

1. Legal Advisory Services and Contracting

Provide legal advice and support to DBSA’s corporate units, including Corporate Services, Finance, Treasury, Procurement, Strategy, Information Communications Technology (ICT), Communications and Marketing units.

Provide sound, practical and commercially focused legal advice and opinions to the Bank on a broad range of legal matters including public law and administrative law.

Provide legal guidance on negotiations with service providers and consultants.

Participate in governance and management committees to provide legal context on legal matters raised.

Provide support in liaising with external attorneys and prepare comprehensive briefs for them.

Draft, review and negotiate a broad scope of corporate legal contracts, including corporate operations, consultancy, software/hardware support, lease, finance and grant agreements.

Review and verify that contractual terms adequately protect the organisation’s interests and align with applicable legal requirements.

Maintain oversight of contractual obligations and guide contract interpretation.

Provide guidance and leadership to junior legal advisors.

2. Compliance and Regulatory Support

Research and communicate the risks and legal issues involved in a broad range of commercial transactions and operational issues specific to DBSA’s corporate units.

Review all documents and decisions made for compliance with various legislation, policies and regulations.

Monitor and advise on relevant legislative and regulatory developments impacting the organisation.

Support the implementation of governance and compliance frameworks.

3. Dispute Resolution and Litigation

Provide legal guidance on corporate disputes and potential litigation matters.

Liaise and brief external legal counsel on disputes and litigation matters and provide all required information.

Assess cases and support the organisation in resolving disputes in a cost-effective and timely manner.

4. Stakeholder Management

Collaborate with internal stakeholders to provide practical and commercially sound legal solutions.

Build effective working relationships with business units to support informed decision-making.

Provide legal training and awareness on legal and regulatory developments to internal stakeholders.

Key Measurements of Outputs

1. Time taken to prepare and/or review contracts, agreements and legal opinions.

2. Quality and accuracy of agreements, opinions and solutions provided.

3. Effective management of legal claims and litigation risks.

4. Management of total case, agreement, opinion and other legal costs.

5. No litigation due to contractual errors and/or omissions.

6. Effective monitoring