Corporate Senior Legal Advisor

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 provide legal advisory and transactional support to the Corporate & Investment Banking business unit by drafting, reviewing and negotiating credit, security and other banking-related documentation, conducting legal due diligence, identifying and mitigating legal risk, and ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations. To act as legal counsel to the Bank in complex and multi-party negotiations and provide commercially focused legal advice in support of strategic business objectives.

Qualifications

• A minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in Law. 
• Admitted legal practitioner with a minimum of 5 years' post-qualification experience in corporate, banking and finance law.

Experience Required

• 5–7 years' experience in the provision of legal advice, drafting, vetting, reviewing, disseminating and negotiating legal documentation.
• At least 5 years' experience within the legal, financial, corporate or commercial sectors.
• Experience identifying and mitigating legal risk.
• At least 3 years' leadership or people management experience (direct or indirect), where applicable.
• Strong, demonstrable experience in credit transactional work and corporate banking transactions.
• Proven track record negotiating complex lending, security and commercial transaction documentation.

Additional Information

Key Job Functions

• Lead the drafting, review, and negotiation of credit lending and other legal documentation, including facility agreements and security documents.
• Provide legal advice on complex credit transactions, structured finance facilities, corporate transactions and strategic business initiatives.
• Manage legal risk on transactions and product documents, escalating significant issues appropriately.
• Act as a senior point of contact within the Legal Division for the Corporate & Investment Banking business unit on transactional, contractual, credit and regulatory legal matters.
• Coach, mentor and supervise junior legal team members.
• Manage relationships with external law firms, including negotiating fees and overseeing instructions.

Behavioral Competencies:

• Ability to work independently and provide pragmatic, commercially focused legal advice.
• Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Effective stakeholder engagement and relationship management.
• Strong communication and influencing capability.
• High levels of integrity and professional judgement.

Technical Competencies:

• Sound understanding of Corporate & Investment Banking products and services.
• Expertise in credit, lending and transaction documentation.
• Strong legal drafting and negotiation skills.
• Legal risk identification and management.
• Financial services regulatory and compliance knowledge.