Head Of Legal

Brief Job Description:
The Head of Legal at SAPO is responsible for leading the organization’s legal strategy and ensuring compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and governance requirements. This role provides legal oversight on contracts, regulatory matters, litigation, and risk management. The incumbent also advises executive leadership and the Board on legal implications of strategic initiatives, while managing internal legal teams and liaising with external counsel to protect SAPO’s interests.

Key Outputs:

• Develop, implement, and monitor the legal strategy to align with and support SAPO’s organizational objectives, ensuring legal compliance, risk mitigation, and effective governance across all operations.
• Provide expert legal advice and guidance to SAPO’s Management, Executive Committee, Board of Directors, and employees on all legal matters to support informed and compliant decision-making across the organization.
• Oversee, evaluate, and draft contracts for general use, providing recommendations to ensure legal soundness, risk mitigation, and alignment with SAPO’s strategic and operational objectives.
• Proactively safeguard the legal rights and interests of the South African Post Office and its subsidiaries, while ensuring full compliance with applicable legal and regulatory obligations.
• Manage the registration of trademarks and implement actions to protect SAPO’s trademarks, trade names, and related intellectual property rights.
• Conduct and oversee legal research, benchmarking, and interpretation of laws to support informed legal advice, policy development, and compliance within SAPO.
• Represent SAPO at legislative sessions and provide legal support and coordination with legal counsel and relevant bodies, including the High Court, Magistrates’ Courts, and Small Claims Courts (manage all litigations).
• Ensure and facilitate the implementation of good corporate governance by promoting and managing effective ethics programs and compliance initiatives within SAPO
• Manage and nurture positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support collaboration, trust, and effective communication.
• Ensure efficient management, control, and reporting of the legal function and its resources in compliance with the PFMA, fraud prevention measures, risk management principles, relevant legislation, company policies, processes, regulations, and delegation of authority.
• Manage the Legal department, provide support to and manage the performance of the legal Team. Provide legal advice to the BU leaders in managing their Teams.
• Be a custodian of all legal issues at SAPO and ensure compliance across the company, including statutory regulatory requirements (e.g. ICASA).

Qualification:

• Bachelor’s degree in Law (LLB) or equivalent legal qualification
• Admission as an Advocate or Attorney in the relevant jurisdiction
• Postgraduate qualification (e.g., LLM, MBA) is advantageous

Experience:

• Extensive experience (typically 8+ years) in corporate legal practice, preferably with leadership or management experience
• In-depth knowledge of commercial law, corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and contract law
• Strong understanding of industry-specific regulations relevant to the organization (e.g., postal regulations for SAPO)
• Proven ability to provide strategic legal advice to senior management and Boards
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and leadership skills