SUMMARY:
Corporate Lawyer – Governance, Transactions & Legal Compliance
Location: Middelburg or Witbank, Mpumalanga, South Africa (Local candidates preferred)
Job Type: Full-Time, Permanent
Salary Range: R800,000 – R1,300,000 per annum (depending on qualifications and level of experience)
Position Overview
A fast-growing group of companies operating in mining, infrastructure, logistics, engineering, and private equity is seeking a qualified and commercially strategic Corporate Lawyer to support the group’s corporate governance, internal legal risk management, mergers & acquisitions (M&A), and corporate restructuring efforts. This role will interface directly with senior executives, boards, investors, and regulators and requires deep experience in corporate law, compliance frameworks, and transactional law.
This is a high-impact role suited for a forward-thinking, highly organized legal professional with strong drafting skills, board-level advisory experience, and the ability to oversee complex commercial and corporate matters.
POSITION INFO:
Core Responsibilities
1. Corporate Governance & Legal Structuring
- Provide legal support on company formation, directorship changes, shareholder arrangements, and legal structuring across group entities.
- Draft, update, and maintain MOIs, shareholder agreements, resolutions, board charters, and committee terms of reference.
- Ensure board and committee activities align with the Companies Act, King IV, and best practice governance standards.
2. Legal Compliance & Regulatory Management
- Monitor compliance with Companies Act, CIPC filings, FICA, POPIA, PAIA, B-BBEE regulations, and other sector-specific legislation.
- Coordinate with external compliance officers or auditors on legal due diligence, audits, and filings.
- Develop and implement internal legal SOPs and frameworks for company-wide compliance.
3. Mergers, Acquisitions & Restructuring
- Assist in the legal evaluation, negotiation, and execution of M&A transactions, business sales, and restructures.
- Conduct or manage legal due diligence, contract reviews, deal term analysis, and documentation.
- Draft and review term sheets, sale agreements, subscription agreements, resolutions, and closing documentation.
4. Contract Management & Legal Advisory
- Draft and negotiate a wide range of corporate and commercial contracts, including joint ventures, shareholder agreements, MOUs, licensing, finance agreements, and business services contracts.
- Provide strategic legal input into risk allocation, limitation of liability, indemnity clauses, and exit terms.
- Review legal implications of operational decisions and support business strategy from a legal lens.
5. Board & Stakeholder Engagement
- Advise executive management and boards on legal implications of business decisions, governance gaps, or stakeholder concerns.
- Draft board packs, resolutions, and legal memoranda for internal and external stakeholders.
- Support corporate secretarial functions and maintain group-wide statutory records.
Qualifications & Experience
- Minimum Education: LLB Degree
- Professional Admission: Admitted Attorney of the High Court of South Africa
- Preferred: Postgraduate qualification in Corporate Law, Company Law, or Commercial Law
- Experience:
- Minimum 7–10 years post-admission experience, with at least 5 years in a corporate/commercial legal environment.
- Experience working in-house or as external counsel for multi-entity, high-growth, or regulated businesses.
Technical Skills
- Strong drafting skills for corporate and transactional documents.
- Familiarity with CIPC platforms, regulatory filings, and corporate secretarial tools.
- Proficiency in contract management systems and document retention policies.
- Able to interpret and apply governance frameworks (King IV, JSE rules, BEE Codes, Companies Act).
Core Competencies & Attributes
- Strategic Thinking: Balances legal compliance with business agility and growth.
- Governance-Oriented: Maintains clean structures, legal records, and stakeholder integrity.
- Commercially Fluent: Understands business strategy and provides aligned legal guidance.
- Highly Ethical: Maintains discretion, confidentiality, and a strong moral compass.
- Detail-Oriented: Manages board documentation, filings, and reports accurately.
- Resilient & Composed: Handles pressure during high-stakes negotiations or restructuring.
- Articulate: Communicates complex legal principles clearly to non-legal stakeholders.
Additional Requirements
- Valid driver’s license and own transport preferred for board meetings, site visits, or regulatory engagements.
- Must have a clean criminal and credit record, subject to verification.
- Willingness to work extended hours or travel when needed for transactions or regulatory deadlines.
- Willing to comply with the group’s lie detector and integrity testing policies.
Remuneration
- Salary Range: R800,000 – R1,300,000 per annum
- May include performance bonuses, profit participation on transactions, company shares, and professional fee support.
- Clear advancement path to General Counsel, Chief Legal Officer, or Board Legal Advisor for high-performing candidates.
