Legal Counsel – Southern Africa

About the role

We are seeking a Legal Counsel to join DHL’s Sub‑Saharan Africa Legal team, providing strategic legal support across Southern Anglophone Africa. Reporting to the Head of Legal SSA, you will advise DHL Express operations in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia and the agent in St Helena, while also contributing to regional initiatives and cross‑functional projects.

Key responsibilities

• Provide commercially focused legal advice on business, operational and regulatory matters.
• Draft, review and negotiate commercial contracts and other legal documentation.
• Identify legal risks and propose practical solutions that enable commercial growth.
• Advise on competition law, compliance, data protection and corporate governance.
• Support regional marketing, sales and strategic initiatives with timely legal guidance.
• Manage external counsel across multiple jurisdictions for litigation, employment, corporate, regulatory and commercial matters.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory developments and communicate business impacts.
• Deliver legal training and guidance to internal stakeholders.
• Maintain oversight of regional legal matters and prepare legal reports.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Law from a reputable university.
• Admission to practice law in a relevant jurisdiction.
• Fluency in English (written and spoken); French is an advantage.
• Minimum 8 years post‑qualification experience in a leading law firm, multinational organization or corporate legal department.

Required skills