Legal Counsel Corporate & Cross-Border Expansion (Africa)

Job Description

Role Title

Legal Counsel - Corporate & Cross-Border Expansion (Africa)

Client Summary

Our client is a high-growth innovative FinTech and digital payments leader driving financial inclusion and commercial technology solutions across Africa. Operating at the intersection of financial services payments infrastructure and digital commerce they are actively scaling their footprint across multiple international territories. They offer a fast-paced collaborative and entrepreneurial environment where the legal team operates as a core strategic partner to the executive leadership team.

Job Description

Are you an ambitious corporate or commercial attorney looking to make a decisive high-impact move in-house

As Legal Counsel you will play an active role in steering international expansion negotiating high-value commercial agreements and structuring complex cross-border transactions across dynamic African jurisdictions.

Working closely with senior leadership and cross-functional teams you will provide commercially focused actionable guidance that enables sustainable growth while effectively mitigating risk. If you thrive in an evolving landscape and want to shape the legal framework of an expanding international tech business this opportunity offers unmatched career trajectory and strategic exposure.

Responsibilities

• Lead Commercial Contracting:Draft review and negotiate a wide array of high-value commercial agreements joint ventures and strategic partnership contracts across various African markets.
• Drive International Expansion:Manage legal workstreams required for entering and operationalizing new international territories including entity establishment operational structuring and licensing frameworks.
• Manage M&A & Corporate Transactions:Steer end-to-end corporate transaction processes spearheading legal due diligence exercises deal structuring and completion workstreams.
• Cross-Border Regulatory Advisory:Coordinate with leading external counsel across multiple jurisdictions to address local regulatory approvals exchange control requirements and compliance considerations.
• Enable Commercial Strategy:Partner directly with finance product commercial and executive teams to translate complex legal and regulatory challenges into pragmatic business-enabling solutions.
• Proactive Risk Management:Conduct risk assessments for new product rollouts commercial arrangements and strategic initiatives to safeguard the business as it scales.

Requirements

Must-Haves

• Qualifications:Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree and an Admitted Attorney of the High Court of South Africa.
• Experience:Minimum of 3 to 5 years of post-qualification experience (PQE) developed within a leading medium or large corporate law firm practice.
• Practice Area Focus:Proven track record in Corporate M&A Banking & Finance or Commercial law.
• Cross-Border Exposure:Practical experience dealing with cross-border agreements structuring or multi-jurisdictional matters.
• Location:Based in Cape Town (or willing to relocate) for a hybrid working model.
• Commercial Mindset:High business acumen with the ability to deliver practical solutions-driven legal advice under fast-paced deadlines.

Nice-to-Haves

• Prior exposure to the fintech payments banking or broader technology sectors.
• Direct experience handling legal and regulatory frameworks across sub-Saharan African jurisdictions.
• Familiarity with South African and regional cross-border exchange control regulations.

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