Senior Legal Advisor: Workout & Restructuring

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Division Legal Services Unit Legal Services Job Type Classification Permanent Location - Town / City Woodmead Job Advert Summary The Land and Agricultural Development Bank of South Africa (Land Bank) is South Africa’s only specialist agricultural bank established in 1912, the bank’s sole objective is to serve South African commercial and emerging farmers and bring specially designed financial services within their reach. These services enable farmers to finance land, equipment, improve assets and obtain production credit. The Land Bank provides financial services that have moved with the times and continues to provide services to agri-business and constantly reviews its offerings to ensure that they match the needs of an industry. As change has swept across the sector in South Africa the socio-economic makeup of agriculture has altered, bringing new entrants from historically disadvantaged backgrounds on to the land, these new farmers, facing the challenges of establishing sustainable agri-businesses across the agricultural value chain, Land Bank has been a commercial lifeline offering appropriately designed financial products that facilitate personal and commercial viability in a sector that is vital to the sustainability of South Africa and its people. MAIN PURPOSE OF THE JOB The position is dedicated to all Legal matters pertaining to the Workout & Restrucuting Business Area. To provide legal advice, legal opinions and solutions for all matter related to workout & restructuring to ensure best practice and manage or mitigate legal risks on behalf of the Land Bank while ensuring compliance and governance. Act as counsel on issues involving company compliance and provide advice on appropriate action within area of responsibility and coordinate legal matters requiring external legal assistance. Will include the following: - Manage external resources - Develop and review standard legal templates - Conduct legal reviews - Participate and provide legal input/advise in investment committees of the Bank Key Performance Areas 1. Business Support and General Legal Advice - Voting member in approving credit applications and reviewing applications - Custodians of all legal agreements in the Bank and responsible for developing and reviewing them from time to time to ensure legal compliance - Assisting business units with the process of deal structuring from a legal perspective - Drafting complex legal agreements for high net worth clients which include but are not limited to securitisations, restructures, mergers and acquisitions 2. Review and Development of Policies and Procedures - Identify loopholes and make recommendations on policies and processes for improved service delivery - Monitoring and compliance to the policies and procedures and making recommendations in case of non-compliance - Assist in Delegation of Powers (DOP) development and review - Drafting agreements and general legal assistance to the Bank as a whole including ensuring product compliance and alignment with the Bank’s policies 3. Resource Management - Management of panel of attorneys in terms of giving them instructions and subsequent communication - Manage delivery of outsourced work - Managing costs and reviewing invoices in respect of outsourced works and ensure compliance with the signed SLA - Manage expectations and relations with internal and external stakeholders and to negotiate with them from time to time - Evaluate performance of external service providers from time to time 4. Manage Stakeholder relationships - Proactive building of internal relationships with all Business Units - Understanding operational business needs - Providing business solutions in area of expertise - Understanding internal client’s areas of operation - Proactively building relationships with attorneys/advocates/bank clients - Good working relationship with the team 5. Reports and Document Management - Prepare reports to Board and management on matters pertaining to the business of the Bank - Prepare legal summaries post legal reviews for the Board / Credit Risk and Investment Committee (CRMC) - Ensure proper records keeping within area of responsibility Preferred Minimum Education and Experience - 4 year LLB Degree or equivalent - Admitted Attorney or Advocate ( having undergone pupilage programme) - Post admission experience in a corporate and commercial environment which includes workout & restructuring - Experience in a banking environment will be an added advantage Critical Competencies - Legislation - Legal opinions - Report writing - Compilation of policies and procedures - Legal reviews - Research - Skills transfer to juniors Additional Requirements - Travel as and when required. - Extended hours as and when required.