General Counsel

An established non-profit organisation based in Johannesburg is seeking an experienced General Counsel to provide expert and strategic legal advice to the Board of Trustees, Chief Executive Officer, and Executive Management.

The General Counsel will lead, coordinate, and facilitate the delivery of the organisation’s legal, governance, company secretarial, intellectual property, and risk management portfolios, ensuring effective governance, regulatory compliance, and sound legal risk management across the organisation.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE JOB

• Promotes the Founder’s Legacy and mandate of the Foundation guided by its core values
• Lead and strengthen the Foundation’s intellectual property and governance systems, policies and processes.
• Manage Board related matters in support of the Chief Executive Officer and the Board of Trustees
• Provide legal, governance and company secretarial support towards the achievement of the Foundation’s strategic objectives. Embed sound governance and risk management principles in internal processes including into funding proposals, institutional reports and submissions to the Board of Trustees. Cultivate and maintain positive and constructive working relationship with staff and all relevant stakeholders
• Safeguard the Foundation’s reputation through effective legal, governance and intellectual property oversight.
• Lead and support transformation and organisational change relevant to the role and the Foundation. Oversee the Foundation’s legal matters and provide strategic legal advice to the Chief Executive Officer, executive management and Board of Trustees.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Matric
• Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
• Registration with the relevant professional body
• Post Graduate Qualification in Risk Management, Intellectual Property, Compliance and/or Governance
• Minimum seven (7) years’ experience in Legal
• Minimum five (5) years’ experience managing people
• Proven track record of Company Secretariat experience

RELEVANT SKILLS

• Strategic decision-making and complex problem-solving abilities
• High standards of ethics, integrity and profressional independence
• Expert knowledge of corporate governance principles, including the applicable King Report Sound knowledge of the Trust Property Control Act, Nonprofit Organisations Act and other legislation relevant to the Foundation
• Understanding of the fiduciary duties, responsibilities and functioning of boards and board committees
• Company secretarial expertise, including governance records, resolutions, statutory records and regulatory filings
• Expert legal analysis, research and advisory capability
• Commercial awareness and financial acumen
• Enterprise risk management and regulatory compliance
• Intellectual property portfolio management, protection and enforcement
• Contract drafting, review, negotiation and management
• Litigation, dispute and external legal counsel management
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex legal matters clearly
• Stakeholder engagement, relationship management and influencing skills Understanding of the Foundation’s social justice mandate and the relevant national and international context Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and Virtual / digital platform collaboration

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