Senior Legal Counsel: Regulatory and Privacy

About the role

Absa is looking for a Senior Legal Counsel focused on regulatory and privacy matters in Johannesburg. The role develops tactical strategy and delivery plans for legal methodology, governance and delivery, and manages complex privacy and regulatory matters independently, turning legal requirements into practical business solutions. It calls for substantial hands-on data privacy experience, including advisory, drafting and negotiation.

Key responsibilities

• Provide specialised legal advice and act as a subject-matter expert on data privacy, data protection, regulatory and financial crime matters
• Review and assess Privacy Impact Assessments, compliance assessments, new products, projects, technologies and proposed data-use arrangements
• Advise on data use, sharing, disclosure, retention and cross-border transfers, and draft, review and negotiate data protection provisions, processing and sharing agreements, consent wording, privacy notices and related documents
• Manage a broad portfolio of matters from instruction to completion, build client relationships and represent the Bank at internal committees, governance forums and industry engagements
• Manage external counsel, control costs and deliver against competing priorities and deadlines
• Contribute to legal risk identification and mitigation, and partner with Risk, Compliance and other control functions
• Share knowledge, give feedback and help deliver Legal's knowledge sessions
• Monitor domestic and international privacy and regulatory developments and advise business and infrastructure functions

Required profile

• Bachelor Honours Degree in Law (required)
• Admitted attorney qualified to practise in South Africa, ideally with 5-8 years' post-qualification experience
• Substantial specialist experience in data privacy and data protection, including drafting and negotiating data protection provisions and agreements
• Experience in a fast-paced, highly regulated environment; financial-services experience is advantageous
• Advantageous: experience with financial-sector regulation such as market conduct and financial crime, multi-jurisdictional advice (especially African jurisdictions), and representing organisations at governance and industry forums

Required skills

• Deep expertise in POPIA and domestic and international data privacy and data protection laws, and financial-sector regulation
• Strong legal analysis, research and drafting, including contractual drafting and negotiation
• Ability to distinguish legal, compliance, risk, control and operational responsibilities
• Strong written and verbal communication, stakeholder management and independent judgement
• Proactive horizon scanning and attention to detail