Legal Advisor MMH260724-11

Role Purpose

The Employee Relations Legal Advisor will provide strategic employee relations guidance and advisory services to executives, HR leaders, and business stakeholders across local, national, and international operations. The role will be responsible for proactively managing employment related risks and navigating complex people matters while ensuring compliance with applicable labour and employment legislation.

Requirements

• LLB, BCom Law or relevant Law degree (completed).
• Masters in Law will be advantageous.
• Minimum 5-7 years’ experience in practice.
• Must be an admitted legal practitioner.
• In-house counsel experience is advantageous.
• Employee Relations and Labour Law experience gained within private practice in Human Capital or Employee Relations environments.
• Demonstrated experience in Labour Court litigation and CCMA representation.
• Proven experience managing organisational restructures, workforce optimisation initiatives and complex organisational change processes.
• Experience providing executive level advisory services on complex Employee Relations matters.
• Experience within the Financial Services industry or another highly regulated environment will be advantageous.
• Seasoned practitioner in labour litigation, arbitration, investigations and dispute resolution.
• Driver's license and own vehicle.
• It is a requirement that the incumbent will be able to travel.
• Awareness of latest local legislation and regulations.
• Technically minded with the ability to convert business management principles into coherent Legal documents.

Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Employee Relations Advisory

• Influence employee relations strategy and culture initiatives to minimise workplace conflict and reputational risks.
• Identify employee relations risks and recommend preventative interventions.
• Analyse employee relations trends and provide insights and recommendations to business leaders and Human Capital leadership.

Contracts and Policies

• Responsible drafting and reviewing employment and independent contractor agreements.
• Prepare and review internal employee correspondence and communications.
• Formulating special clauses in an everchanging workplace.
• Drafting and reviewing workplace policies and such other policies and procedures.

Workplace Investigations

• Oversee and manage complex workplace investigations relating to misconduct, governance breaches and employee conduct matters.
• Oversee whistleblowing, forensic, fraud-related, protected disclosure investigations and other sensitive employee matters.
• Manage disciplinary, incapacity and grievance processes.

Regulatory Conduct and Employment Risk

• Support employment related regulatory investigations and inquiries.
• Partner with Compliance, Risk, Legal and Forensics functions on employee conduct and governance matters.

Analytics and Reporting

• Analyse employee relations trends and identify emerging organisational risks.
• Produce management reporting and dashboards on grievances, disciplinary matters, disputes, investigations and litigation outcomes.
• Recommend proactive interventions based on Employee Relations analytics and trends.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

• Facilitate mediation and alternative dispute resolution initiatives.
• Promote early resolution strategies to minimise workplace conflict.
• Reduce litigation costs through proactive dispute resolution and conflict management practices.

Organisational Change

• Responsible for leading and managing restructures, mergers, take-overs, integrations, transformation initiatives and transfers of going concerns.
• Manage consultation processes associated with restructuring and organisational change activities.

External Employee Relations Support

• Responsible for external dispute resolution which includes the complete handling of disputes referred to the CCMA, Department of Labour, private arbitration and litigation in South African and International courts, including the Labour Court and Labour court/dispute resolution forums in Namibia, Lesotho and Botswana.
• Provide employment law guidance across jurisdictions where the Group operates, through direct support or the management of external legal counsel.

Workplace Conduct and Employee Wellbeing Matters

• Provide labour law and employee relations guidance on harassment, discrimination, misconduct, whistleblowing and workplace conduct matters in alignment with our organisational culture, governance standards and regulatory requirements.

Training and Capability Building

• Develop and deliver labour law, employee relations and workplace conduct training.
• Build line manager capability in the management of discipline, grievance, incapacity and performance matters.
• Coach leaders on Employee Relations best practice, legal compliance and risk mitigation.

As an applicant, please verify the legitimacy of this job advert on our company career page.-346021336