Legal Counsel – Founding Executive Team (South Africa)

About the role

This is a unique opportunity to join the founding executive team of a newly created credit guarantee institution in South Africa. The Legal Counsel will shape the legal, governance and regulatory foundations of the organisation while working closely with the CEO, Board, regulators and key stakeholders.

Key responsibilities

• Provide strategic legal advice on governance, commercial, regulatory and operational matters.
• Establish the institution’s legal, governance and compliance frameworks from inception.
• Lead legal support for guarantee transactions, commercial agreements and institutional partnerships.
• Draft, negotiate and execute complex contracts, guarantee agreements and shareholder documentation.
• Advise on transaction structuring, legal due diligence, funding arrangements and risk allocation.
• Support Board governance, executive decision‑making and regulatory engagement, including with the Prudential Authority.
• Develop legal policies, governance processes and institutional documentation to enable long‑term growth.
• Collaborate with finance, risk, origination and operations teams to embed legal considerations across the organisation.

Required profile

• Admitted Attorney or Advocate in South Africa.
• Significant post‑admission experience in corporate, commercial, financial services, regulatory or project finance law.
• Background in a leading law firm, development finance institution, insurer, investment organisation or similarly complex environment.
• Experience with guarantee, insurance, infrastructure finance, structured finance or project finance transactions.
• Proven ability to advise Boards and senior leadership on governance, regulatory compliance and legal risk.
• Strong commercial mindset and excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.

Required skills

• Legal drafting and negotiation of complex commercial contracts.
• Knowledge of South African insurance legislation and Prudential Authority requirements.
• Understanding of development finance, infrastructure finance, PPPs and structured finance.