Senior Commercial & Investment Manager

Job Description

Role Title:

Senior Commercial & Investments Manager

Client Summary:

Our client is a highly successful diversified African enterprise with a multi-million-dollar portfolio spanning mining agriculture infrastructure and strategic asset investments. Known for its deeply entrepreneurial culture and rapid growth the group is transitioning into an exciting new phase.

Job Description:

This is not a traditional slow-moving corporate legal or contract administration role. It is a high-impact transaction-driven execution role designed for a commercially minded professional who wants to step out of a purely advisory capacity and actively help build businesses.

Working directly alongside Exco you will act as a trusted commercial partner taking ownership of acquisitions joint ventures and strategic restructurings from concept to completion. This role offers an extraordinary opportunity within a fast-growing entrepreneurial environment. If you are energized by negotiating complex transactions solving commercial puzzles and driving real-world business growth this opportunity offers unparalleled exposure.

Responsibilities:

• Lead Transaction Execution:Drive the commercial execution of acquisitions strategic investments and joint ventures from initial evaluation through to final close.
• Draft and Negotiate Agreements:Structure review and negotiate shareholder agreements commercial contracts service level agreements and strategic partnerships.
• Conduct Commercial Due Diligence:Rigorously evaluate new investment opportunities analyzing risks and identifying commercial upsides.
• Manage Cross-Border Stakeholders:Coordinate and drive external legal counsel financial advisors and local partners across multiple African jurisdictions to keep transactions moving forward.
• Mitigate Commercial Risk:Apply sharp commercial and legal judgment to identify exposures within agreements developing practical solutions that protect the business without stalling progress.
• Enhance Governance:Work closely with the Group Secretary to implement simple disciplined and effective governance frameworks across the asset portfolio.
• Provide Strategic Counsel:Act as a key sounding board for the Executive Director on deal structures negotiation strategies and business development.

Requirements:

Must-Haves (Essential):

• Strong Legal/Commercial Qualification:An LLB or equivalent legal qualification is highly preferred combined with a sharp commercial mindset.
• 812 Years of Relevant Experience:Proven track record in commercial law M&A corporate finance or complex commercial transactions (either in private practice or in-house).
• Proven Execution Capability:Demonstrated ability to manage and close commercial transactions from start to finish.
• Commercial Mindset over Purely Legal:Ability to balance risk against opportunity accepting calculated commercial risks to enable growth rather than shutting deals down.
• Resilience & Autonomy:High level of initiative execution drive and comfort operating in a fast-paced hands-on and entrepreneurial environment.
• Willingness to Travel: Ability to travel into Africa.

Nice-to-Haves (Beneficial):

• Sector Experience:Prior exposure to mining agriculture logistics infrastructure or heavy industries.
• Cross-Border Exposure:Experience working on commercial transactions involving African jurisdictions outside of South Africa.

Required Experience:

Manager

Employment Type : Full-Time
Experience: years
Vacancy: 1