Legal Counsel – Corporate Drafting, Acquisitions

Job Purpose

To responsibly, pro-actively and efficiently facilitate the business of Aspen by providing a full spectrum of specialist commercial contract drafting and focused legal support to the allocated Business Units (“BUs”), specifically Group Strategic Development / Mergers and Acquisitions, Group Treasury, Group Tax (including intercompany transactions), Group Digital Technology, Group Commercial, Group Communications, Group Company Secretarial, Group Corporate Services, Group Ethics and Compliance, Group Finance, Group Human Capital, Group Internal Audit, Group Investor Relations, Group Marketing, Group Supply Chain, Group Travel, Group Risk and Sustainability, Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Limited (as applicable) or similar, and other general legal requirements of Aspen, whilst complying with the Group Legal protocol and Group Legal strategy. The position requires the incumbent to think Group-wide, but act and focus on the work of the Group Head: Legal Counsel M&A & Corporate or similar to which he/she has been allocated.

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS

• Specialised Aspen and BU aligned drafting and general legal work and legal advice to the allocated BUs
• Efficiently deliver legally sound, subject matter expert quality legal work, as allocated to the legal practice of this role
• Deliver work in a timely manner in accordance to deadlines and project timeline
• Sound electronic Legal practice, file, diary and template management and maintenance
• Meaningfully contribute and deliver ancillary legal work in Group Legal cross - swim lane projects as allocated by the Group Executive: Legal
• Precedent, template and legal opinion development and improvement
• Meet (or exceed) and manage Group Legal BU KPIs
• Adopt and comply with the ways of working within the Aspen Group Legal BU, including specifically the Aspen Values and honest application of personal Insights Profile (or similar from an Aspen Group service provider) to enhance interpersonal effectiveness
  
  

EDUCATION

• Law Degree or postgraduate Degree - LLB and preferably a second degree such a masters or relevant business qualification
• Admitted Attorney
  
  

CERTIFICATIONS/REGISTRATIONS:

• Membership of the Law Society of South Africa and of the Corporate Counsel Association of South Africa
  
  

Experience

• 5-7 years post admission legal experience in a corporate / commercial / operational legal environment
• General business, commercial knowledge and experience is essential
• Experience in independently drafting and vetting lengthy, complex legal agreements is essential
• Exposure in drafting and negotiating cross-border legal agreements is essential
• Experience in due diligence investigations advantageous
• Pharmaceutical industry including regulatory experience is advantageous
• Knowledge of applicable laws, policy guidelines and legal practice management
• Basic to intermediate knowledge of financial concepts
  
  

Work-specific Skills & Exposure

• Strong analytical skills and ability to exercise sound business judgment and work independently but as a member of an integrated legal team
• Display emotional maturity
• Demonstrated ability and willingness to work in a team, including a multidisciplinary team
• Established conflict resolution as a default demeanour
• Display a high level of interpersonal non-political skill
• A natural default to accuracy and attention to detail
  
  

Skills And Attributes

• Be fluent in English and demonstrate excellent drafting and negotiation skills in English
• Manage multiple priorities, work efficiently under pressure and consistently meet tight deadlines
• Able to work independently but as a member of an integrated legal team
• Taking full personal responsibility for attending to and closing allocated matters
• Intermediate to advanced computer literacy
• Database management and maintenance
• Ability to simplify voluminous, complex information
• Accurately collate, review and summarise information into manageable dashboards / checklists
• Basic to intermediate understanding of financial concepts
• Flexible, outcomes-based, self-motivated and proactive
• Project management, co-ordination and monitoring
  
  

COMPETENCIES

• Positive, solutions-orientated and logical facilitating approach
• Ability to communicate efficiently and work with business representatives at all levels of seniority
• Ability to plan & organise independently and to guide others
• Ability to identify and focus on material provisions using a risk-based approach
• Attention to detail and absolute accuracy
• Corporate governance ethos with utmost confidentiality
• Willingness and ability to effortlessly take instructions and follow pre-determined processes when called-upon to do so
• Stress tolerance and conflict resolution
• Ability to work under pressure whilst maintaining a high level of accuracy and meeting deadlines
• Team player with uncomplicated personality is essential
  
  

ASPEN COMPETENCIES

Business:

• Performance Driven
• Ability to make Good Decisions, specifically legal
• Accountability & Ownership
  
  

People:

• Deals with ambiguity and embraces change
• Communicates effectively
• Develops self and people
  
  

Self:

• Contributes special Expertise
• Takes action with integrity
• Demonstrates Passion for Aspen and Law
• Willing and able to work as a team including taking and providing guidance
  
  

Aspen is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity. Preference will be given to applicants from designated groups through a fair recruitment and selection process in line with Aspen’s Transformation Agenda.

Internal Applicants must inform their direct line managers of their application. Applications must be completed using an Aspen email address.

If you have not heard from the HC department within 30 days of this advert closing, please consider your application unsuccessful.

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