A global leader in specialty chemicals and ingredients distribution is seeking an experienced I ...

R - R Annually Cost To Company (Medical Aid, Pension Fund)

A global leader in specialty chemicals and ingredients distribution is seeking an experienced In-House Legal Counsel to join their South African operations. This is a broad, high-impact role within a well-resourced international legal function, offering genuine autonomy and exposure across multiple African jurisdictions.

This is a rare opportunity to step into a commercially focused, multi-disciplinary in-house legal role within a publicly listed multinational operating across 60+ countries. Based in Johannesburg and reporting to the Managing Director locally - with dotted reporting into the Financial & Operations Director and the EMEA Legal Counsel - you'll be the primary legal resource for South Africa and Kenya, while forming part of a centrally managed international legal department headquartered in the Netherlands. The scope is broad, the environment is fast paced, and the role carries real strategic weight.

• Providing day to day legal advice and support to business teams across South Africa and Kenya
• Advising on commercial, distribution, supply chain, antitrust, export, HR & labour law, and debt collection matters
• Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating a wide range of commercial contracts and agreements
• Managing the full contract lifecycle including execution, loading, and governance via contract management systems

• Acting as the African Compliance Officer, leading and overseeing compliance programmes across the region
• Overseeing dissemination of the Group's Code of Conduct and Business Principles, including ethics investigations and staff training
• Monitoring corporate governance for all group entities in South Africa and Kenya
• Managing BBBEE compliance and monitoring
• Heading the Social & Ethics Committee

• Identifying and managing legal risks associated with business operations
• Overseeing litigation and supporting outside counsel on complex matters
• Advising on intellectual property portfolio strategy and enforcement

• Providing legal support for mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and entity formation
• Assisting with integration projects for acquired companies
• Supporting the company's broader strategic initiatives with timely legal analysis

• Performing company secretarial functions, including board meeting materials and minutes
• Overseeing delinquent debtor collection processes
• Managing outside counsel relationships effectively and efficiently
• Developing and implementing internal legal policies and best practices

• LLM with 7+ years of relevant post qualification experience - essential
• Good standing with the relevant legal licensing authority
• Strong commercial law knowledge, particularly in distribution and agency law - essential
• Proven experience drafting and negotiating contracts in a commercial environment
• Solid understanding of corporate governance, BEE legislation, and regulatory compliance
• Experience with M&A transactions and due diligence
• Familiarity with international legal issues and cross border regulations
• Excellent negotiation, drafting, and communication skills - both written and verbal
• Ability to operate autonomously with a high degree of integrity
• Experience in a fast paced in house legal environment
• Knowledge of the chemical manufacturing or distribution sector - advantageous
• Experience with contract management software (e.g. OnBase by Hyland) - advantageous
• Experience with training platforms (e.g. Cornerstone) - advantageous