Legal Risk & Compliance (LRC) Advisor

SUMMARY:

POSITION INFO:
Minimum Requirements LLB \/ Bachelor of Laws degree 5-8 years' relevant experience in legal, regulatory compliance, risk and\/or governance roles. Admission as an Attorney of the High Court of South Africa. At least 3 - 5 years experience within payments, fintech, banking, financial services, merchant acquiring, card payments, digital payments or a closely related regulated environment. Proven experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating complex commercial agreements. Experience applying regulatory requirements within a commercial operating environment. Experience conducting compliance monitoring, risk assessments and control reviews. Experience advising on new products, commercial partnerships, technology arrangements or outsourced services. Experience preparing reports for management, risk committees or governance forums. Experience engaging with regulators, auditors, external legal advisers or industry bodies. Experience managing regulatory, audit or compliance remediation activities. Key Skills & Competencies Strong legal drafting and contract negotiation skills Contract lifecycle management Regulatory interpretation and impact analysis Risk assessment and mitigation Audit and remediation management Strong analytical and problem-solving ability Commercial acumen Excellent written and verbal communication Stakeholder engagement and influencing Strong attention to detail and sound judgement Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities Strong organisational and project management skills High ethical standards and professional integrity Key Responsibilities Legal Advisory & Commercial Support Provide practical, commercially focused legal advice to business units and management. Draft, review and negotiate complex commercial agreements, including customer, merchant, supplier\/vendor, strategic partnership, technology and outsourcing agreements. Identify contractual, regulatory, liability, indemnity, data protection, intellectual property and operational risks. Manage contracts throughout their lifecycle, from drafting and negotiation through to execution, renewal and termination. Prepare legal opinions, advisory memoranda, reports and briefing documents. Support legal due diligence for partnerships, suppliers, acquisitions, investments and strategic projects. Advise on the legal and regulatory implications of new products, technologies, services and business models. Regulatory Compliance Monitor and interpret applicable legislation, regulations, regulatory directives, payment industry rules and relevant standards. Assess regulatory impact on business operations and translate requirements into practical controls, policies and procedures. Develop, review and maintain compliance frameworks, policies and procedures. Conduct compliance monitoring and reviews. Support compliance relating to merchant onboarding, customer due diligence, transaction monitoring, data protection, complaints management and third-party relationships. Ensure adherence to relevant payment industry regulations and standards. Risk Management Identify, assess and report legal, regulatory and operational risks. Maintain legal, compliance and operational risk registers. Support enterprise risk management activities and risk assessments. Monitor risk mitigation plans and corrective actions. Assist business units in implementing effective controls. Support audit remediation and regulatory findings management. Stakeholder Management Build strong relationships with stakeholders across business, operations, finance, technology and product teams. Liaise with regulators, legal service providers, auditors and industry bodies where required. Provide practical, business-focused legal and compliance guidance.