Legal and Governance Associate

About the role

Experian, a global data and technology company, is hiring a Legal and Governance Associate in Stellenbosch. The role covers contract drafting, review and negotiation, day-to-day legal advice to business units, legal research, regulatory compliance and governance support, and litigation support.

Key responsibilities

• Draft, review and negotiate commercial agreements (sales, procurement, service-level, NDAs) and maintain contract templates and playbooks
• Identify legal risks and propose mitigation strategies, and interpret laws, regulations and policies for internal teams
• Advise on the impact of the NCA and POPIA, and ensure compliance with high-risk legislation such as the Companies Act, PAIA, RICA and the Consumer Protection Act
• Research new laws, regulatory changes, industry standards and case law, and prepare legal opinions
• Advise staff and clients on data access and credit regulatory queries (e.g. Reg 19(13), prescribed purposes), draft legal letters including termination and breach of contract letters, and manage the legal email inbox
• Investigate unauthorised data access allegations
• Support regulatory submissions, evidence collation for NCR inspections and responses to Information Regulator submissions and investigations
• Monitor legislative and regulatory developments affecting Experian Africa, including NCR guidance notes, Information Regulator notices and Central Bank of Lesotho publications
• Support corporate governance: board and committee minutes, terms of reference, resolutions, registers, statutory filings and the governance records repository
• Support end-to-end litigation and regulatory dispute management, liaising with internal stakeholders and external counsel, monitoring legal spend and reporting on litigation risks
• Maintain the departmental risk register and policies, and perform other tasks requested by the legal manager or General Counsel Africa

Required profile

• Legal bachelor's degree (LLB)
• Admitted attorney
• Minimum 3 years' experience in a legal office or role, preferably in financial services; experience with sales departments is an advantage
• At least 2 years' experience in the credit or credit bureau industry is an advantage

Required skills

• Experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating contracts
• Experience with data protection and national credit laws is an advantage