Overview
Senior Legal Advisor Jobs in City of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa at GIBS Business School (Gordon Institute of Business Science)
Title: Senior Legal Advisor
Company: GIBS Business School (Gordon Institute of Business Science)
Location: City of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
KEY ROLE
The Senior Legal Advisor is responsible for safeguarding the organisation’s interests in all third-party contractual engagements and ensuring that internal processes and procedures comply with applicable legal requirements. The role provides commercially sound legal advice and support across the business, aligned to the needs of a dynamic, innovative, and high-performing business school. In addition, the Senior Legal Advisor leads and manages the legal function and contributes to the achievement of the business unit’s strategic objectives.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Legal Advisory:
- Provide expert legal advice and guidance to the School across a broad range of matters, including contracts, compliance, intellectual property, employment law, and regulatory issues.
- Conduct legal research and analysis to proactively identify and assess potential legal risks and implications associated with business activities, initiatives, and decisions.
- Collaborate with stakeholders to develop and implement strategies, policies, and procedures that mitigate legal risk and ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
- Advise on the legal implications and potential consequences of proposed actions, initiatives, and changes in business practices to safeguard the School’s interests and reputation.
- Partner with internal departments to align business practices with legal requirements, ethical standards, and industry best practice.
- Provide legal guidance and support during crisis management situations to mitigate legal and reputational risk.
- Ensure efficient and effective management of litigation for and against the School.
- Review, draft, and negotiate contracts, agreements, and other legal documents to safeguard the School’s interests and ensure compliance with applicable legal requirements.
Intellectual Property (IP) Management:
- Manage and protect the School’s IP portfolio, including trademarks, domain registrations, and copyright assets.
- Oversee IP renewals, licensing agreements, and royalties where applicable
- Manage IP enforcement and infringement matters in collaboration with external attorneys.
Risk and Compliance:
- Monitor regulatory developments, conduct compliance reviews and risk assessments, and support regulatory reporting as well as the effective management of governance structures.
- Ensure the School’s compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and industry standards by developing, implementing, and maintaining robust legal compliance programmes and monitoring mechanisms.
- Support the identification and application of risk prevention principles, sound governance practices, and compliance processes, including the use of appropriate tools to identify, assess, and manage risks.
- Develop and deliver compliance training and awareness initiatives to promote a strong culture of compliance across the School.
Stakeholder Management and Relations:
- Maintain and continuously enhance the compliance framework in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
- Liaise with internal and external stakeholders to build and sustain effective, professional relationships.
People Management & Leadership
- Manage the employee value chain process (end to end) encompassing recruitment, onboarding, learning and development, performance enablement, reward and recognition, employee well-being, employee relations and offboarding.
- Lead and manage direct reports by providing on-the-job training, clear direction, guidance, coaching & mentorship to ensure efficient and effective performance.
- Manage performance according to their roles and responsibilities, team and individual charters, and goals of the organisation.
- Champion a culture of excellence actively supporting collaboration, sharing learnings, and instilling a spirit of mutual growth and innovation among all members.
- Lead ethically by upholding GIBS values.
- Foster accountability and ethical behaviour within the team.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
- Relevant legal degree (LLB);
- Minimum of 7 years’ post-admission experience, either in a law firm or in-house within a corporate environment;
- Admission as an Attorney or Advocate of the High Court of South Africa;
- Strong commercial awareness and business acumen;
- Experience in designing and delivering business or compliance training programmes.
COMPETENCIES
Knowledge
- Experience in the tertiary education environment (advantageous)
- Strong mentoring, coaching, and team development abilities and team management.
Skills
- Proficient in MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Quick thinker, with a clear and concise communication style
- Strong commercial acumen and significant experience in corporate commercial matters.
- Ability to manage and develop the Legal Officer (Junior Legal Advisor) in the department.
Attributes
- Detail-oriented, accurate, and thorough.
- Ethical and professional conduct with the ability to maintain confidentiality.
- Strong governance and ethical decision-making.
- A solutions-oriented and commercially practical approach.
- Shows confidence, integrity, and a high level of energy and enthusiasm.