Legal Counsel (Fixed Term Contract)

Lets Write Africa's Story Together!

Old Mutual is a firm believer in the African opportunity and our diverse talent reflects this.

Job Description

To provide high-quality, independent legal advisory, transactional, and dispute resolution support to the Bank, ensuring effective management of legal risk, regulatory compliance, and business continuity and other tasks assigned by the Head of Legal Services. The role requires a qualified Advocate capable of handling complex legal matters with minimal supervision.

KEY TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Litigation & Dispute Resolution

• Independently manage litigation and dispute resolution matters, including arbitration support.
• Coordinate case strategy, documentation, and court processes.
• Liaise with external counsel and monitor performance and cost efficiency.

Contract negotiation

• Review all contracts or any other documentation to which the Company has committed itself and assess legal implications that need to be brought to the executive management’s attention.
• Prepare, review and modify contractual instruments to assist and support various business activities.
• Development of standard contract templates
• Formulate compliance checklists to be used for the purpose of ensuring that all information required is provided accordingly and timely.

Policy development and advisory

• Review and advise the business on the legal implications of internal policies and procedures.
• Draft and review contracts, agreements and internal policies and ensure that they are in compliance with all statutory or legal requirements.
• Assist the business in interpreting and applying statutes, agreements, contracts, rules and regulations through legal opinions.
• Proactively carry out research on emerging legal issues and advise the business on necessary compliance measures to be undertaken.
• Maintain and update the database on legal opinions issued to the business for reporting to management.

Legal Risk

• Collaborate with the Head of Legal Services in undertaking legal & governance audits, recommend, monitor and ensure the mitigation of potential risks.
• Liaise with relevant departments to ensure that where legal risks have been identified, appropriate courses of action have been taken.
• Provide legal and risk management advice to the business especially on contract management.
• Provide and interpret legal information, conduct training and disseminate appropriate legal requirements to staff.

Governance & Company Secretarial Services

• Collaborate with the Company Secretary and other stakeholders to ensure compliance to the regulatory landscape of the business and Regulator directives.
• Prepare monthly and quarterly reports to the Head of Legal Services for reporting in executive management meetings, Board meetings and Group meetings.
• Support the Company Secretary in organizing, preparing agendas for and taking minutes of the board and board committee meetings and annual general meetings (AGMs)
• Ensure that management meetings are operating within the said governance structure.
• Support the Company Secretary in regularly reviews terms of reference of board and board committees as well as management committees.
• Support the Company Secretary in addressing regulatory matters and liaising with the regulators.
• Maintaining of statutory books, including regulatory filings with the respective regulators. 
• ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING (AML) EXPECTATION
• The incumbent will be responsible for ensuring adherence to, implementation of, and adoption of Compliance, Anti-Money Laundering (AML), and Sanctions-related policies, procedures, and process requirements within Old Mutual and its subsidiaries. This includes execution of customer due diligence processes, ensuring compliance with Know-Your-Customer (KYC) standards, conducting ongoing and enhanced due diligence, and maintaining data quality. Additionally, the role involves identifying and monitoring potential AML, Sanctions, or Compliance breaches and unusual activities, and escalating these concerns to the Risk and Compliance Office for further action.