Lawyer Africa Region
An exciting opportunity for an experienced commercial lawyer: with its continued growth our client is recruiting an additional in-house lawyer to its legal group.

Based in its Sutton office reporting to the Region Senior Counsel and working as part of the Africa Region team the emphasis is on the provision of commercially astute solutions to a wide range of issues and a proactive engagement with the business.

Position Overview

Manages legal risk for designated work within a Region/Business Unit.
Provides proactive legal support in all areas of commercial law to the Company.
Drives initiatives in raising awareness of legal and contractual issues in relevant areas of the business.
Ensures compliance with the Companys policies and procedures.


Reporting Relationships

The position reports to either a Counsel or Senior Counsel for a specific Region or Business Unit or dependant on the role direct to the Vice President Legal. If assigned to a specific Region or Business Unit the position also reports to the relevant Region/Business Unit Vice President. The position works as a team with the other members of the global Law Department.

The position requires strong interfaces with the other functions in the Company particularly Tax Finance Business Acquisition and Commercial & Procurement.


Position Responsibilities

Provide a proactive timely legal resource across all commercial areas that is aligned with the Companys five year plan.
Advise draft and negotiate all types of commercial contracts.
Manage the legal aspects of the merger acquisition and divestiture of assets and businesses.
Implement appropriate due diligence and review of potential and ongoing international business relationships including agents joint ventures and consortia.
Review and advise on commercial disputes and resolution mechanisms including arbitration and litigation.
Manage arbitration and litigation cases.
Maintain awareness of laws regulations and judicial developments impacting the Companys business.
Ensure compliance with stock exchange rules and regulations.
With the Finance and Tax groups develop business operating structures in each of the Companys areas of operation including the establishment of representative offices branches and new legal entities.
Act as Company Secretary to designated group entities and provide support to other group entities on company secretarial matters.
Advise on intellectual property issues including technology development agreements patent applications and licensing arrangements.
Implement continuous improvement in respect of the processes systems and tools available to the legal function.
Ensure visibility to and understanding of the Companys outside counsel spends for the positions areas of responsibility.
With Commercial & Procurement ensure systems provide full export and import compliance.
Maintain appropriate Company style contracts.
Drive compliance with Company business practices ethics and controls.
Maintain global overview of relevant industry legal and contracting forums and developments.
Participate in audit and peer review programmes in both the Law Department and Commercial and Business Acquisition functions.


Key Success Factors

Creates solutions to legal issues that are accessible and easy to implement.
Contributes positively to the management of our commercial risks.
Obtains greater value from outside counsel through strategic relationships innovative fee structuring and reduced risk and cost.
Achieves highly effective interfaces with other relevant functions particularly Business Acquisition Commercial & Procurement Tax and Finance.
Champions the use of Companys standard contracts and forms and its Contracts Database & Management System.
Leads mentors trains and develops more junior personnel within Law Department.
Provides training to relevant groups outside of the Law Department in legal and contractual issues
Develops effective business relationships with key client legal counsel in designated area/Region.
Increases own awareness of Companys business and its commercial risks.


Position Safety Criticality
The position has a Medium Safety Criticality Rating.
The role involves keeping the Company advised of legal developments impacting HSEQ risk and management.

Presentation
Personal:
Presents self in a professional manner
Communication:
o First-class communication skills.

Skills
Attributes / Skills

o High level of self motivation.
o Able to work autonomously within Company policies and authorisations.
o Excellent commercial legal expertise in complex international markets.
o Strong business and commercial awareness.
o Excellent negotiation skills.
o Proven people management skills.
o Proven ability to work with different cultures.

Qualifications and Education
General Education:
o Educated to degree level holding a law degree from a recognised academic institution.

Experience
General:
o In-house legal experience ideally in the oil and gas industry.
Technical:
o Extensive experience in commercial law preferably with international exposure.