Senior Specialist : Legal (Corporate)

At Liberty, we employ more than 6,000 people across 7 businesses in 18 African countries.

Every day, our employees grow their knowledge by working with diverse groups of people who specialise in a wide range of skills across insurance, asset management, investment and health products.

We continually seek to engage, develop, recognise and reward the people who make our business great. To provide specialist legal advice and support in areas of specialisation required in Liberty Corporate.

Liberty Corporate Benefits is a Business Unit within Liberty Group Limited that provides tailor-made solutions for employers to provide their employees with retirement savings, insurance benefits and annuities. The purpose of the role is to manage and mitigate legal, regulatory and commercial risks by providing effective, concise, accurate and timely legal support and advice to the Business.

The incumbent will also be responsible for providing legally sound solutions to the Business not only relating to products, services and applicable legislation, but must also ensure that such solutions contribute to the Business goals and realisation of the Business' strategic objectives.

Qualification and Minimum Requirements

1. An admitted attorney or advocate;
2. Minimum 3-5 years' legal experience in Financial Services especially in the pension funds industry;
3. Technical and practical knowledge and understanding of the pension funds industry, insurance and financial services sector;
4. An understanding of relevant financial services legislation;
5. A good working knowledge of the legislation and regulations impacting the financial services sector with specific focus on the pension funds industry;
6. Commercial thinking and business acumen with an awareness of commercial and strategic objectives of the organisation;
7. Ability to negotiate settlements, resolve disputes with members, regulators, Pension funds adjudicator and propose possible workable solutions;
8. Ability to proactively identify issues and legal risks that may affect the business;
9. Ability to effectively manage working relationships with team members as well as internal and external clients.

Responsibilities

1. Assist Head of Legal: Liberty Corporate in achieving and executing legal strategy relating to Liberty Corporate.
2. Provide legal advice to the business on various legal and technical matters in line with legal framework and best practice (including divorce and maintenance orders, section 37C distributions, fund rules, product queries).
3. Keeping abreast of new legislation, case law and regulatory changes and advising business stakeholders of potential impact (including the PFA, LTIA, TCF, POPI, FAIS Act, ITA, FSR Act, Insurance Act).
4. Provide legal and regulatory support to the Liberty Group sponsored funds.
5. Support and assist the Complaints Management team with FSCA, Pension Funds Adjudicator and ombudsman complaints and queries.
6. Provide legal and technical support to the Rules Drafting team and review Rules and amendments when required.
7. Review, vetting and approval of policy documents, member communication, forms, reports and marketing relating to the business.
8. Drafting, vetting, and negotiation of contracts, and service level agreements relating to the business.
9. Researching complex legal matters and providing legal opinion into business projects and product development.
10. Deliver exceptional legal service that exceeds customers' expectations through proactive, innovative and appropriate legal solutions.
11. Research and issue quarterly publications on legal and regulatory issues.
12. Training of internal staff as and when required on legal matters.
13. Cultivate and manage objective working relationships with a variety of stakeholders, including external attorneys and counsel, industry bodies and regulators and act as ambassador of the organisational brand.
14. Work collaboratively across Liberty to provide excellent and effective legal advice.
15. Contribute to a TCF service excellence culture, which builds relationships and provides opportunity for feedback and exceptional service.
16. Complete specific reports, statutory documentation and registers, in order to ensure that administrative procedures associated with litigation functionality are complied with and specific deadlines are adhered to.
17. Cost Management.