Job Description

We are JTI, Japan Tobacco International, and we are present in 130 countries. We have spent years innovating, creating new and better products for the consumers to choose from. This is our business. But not only. Our business is our people. Their talent. Their potential. We believe that when they are free to be themselves, and they are given the opportunity to grow, travel and develop, amazing things can happen. Thatxe2x80x99s why our employees, from around the world, choose to be a part of JTI. It is why 83% of employees feel happy working at JTI. And why wexe2x80x99ve been awarded Global Top Employer status, nine years running. So when youxe2x80x99re ready to choose a career youxe2x80x99ll love, in a company youxe2x80x99ll love, feel free to #JoinTheIdea. Learn more: jti.com
Legal Director- Johannesburg
What this position is about:
The primary responsibility is to drive departmental strategic objectives and manage Legal departmental activities for all of the South Africa businesses (South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Maldives, Mauritius and La Reunion). This includes providing legal advice and guidance to the Market management teams, participating in the decision-making processes, helping the business to navigate through the complexities of legislation and dynamic environment, and developing legal strategy, in line with the Regional business objectives, local regulations and internal Policies & Procedures and acting as Company Secretary to ensure good corporate governance. Also, support establishing and developing local entities where the company operates or wishes to expand.
Responsibilities:

• Stay abreast with government legislation and developments in the tobacco industry locally and globally and provide input into JTI's strategies with regard to implications. This includes liaison with HQ, Legal and SRA, local external legal counsel in order to produce opinions, submissions, reports and communication to the business.
• Provide legal advice at the general management level in a manner that allows to achieving business objectives of JTI, having regard to legal and reputational risk, including managing litigation and representation at labor disputes.
• In collaboration with CA&C supporting the business to establish and develop relationships with external stakeholders, focusing on TISA and competitive manufacturers.
• Corporate Governance and company secretarial management: ensure proper corporate controls and policies are implemented, manage efficient tax/legal structure of financing the entity, and initiate/execute amendments to articles of association and internal by-laws.
• Drafting and negotiation of commercial agreements whether in respect of complex and/or high-value legal matters or in support of more day-to-day market business, including trading, supply, purchasing, distribution agreements etc.
• Ensure compliance of JTI activities with JTI policies and procedures and binding national laws, taking part in legal analysis of JTI projects and managing them to mitigate the risks (particularly with competition laws); executing Corporate
• Compliance activities in South East Africa.
• Manage external counsels within the cluster. Establish and manage annual legal budgets in SA cluster. Track legal spending for cost-effectiveness and supervise the work of external counsels closely to ensure that the JTI's objectives are met.

Who we are looking for xe2x80x93 Requirements:

• University degree in law, at least 10 years of holding attorney at law/advocate status
• Minimum 12 years of legal experience within either an international corporation as in-house counsel or a commercial law firm
• Excellent understanding of the legal system especially in the tobacco, FMCG or travel retail industry is highly desirable
• High level of fluency in English, with superb written and verbal skills and computer literate
• Communication Skill, Financial Skills, Coaching & Counselling, Negotiation Skills, Planning and Organizing, People Management, Decision Making, Analysis & Problem solving, Competition Law, Labor Law, Commercial Law, Litigation, Regulatory Affairs, Compliance & Anti-Illicit Trade, Business insight, Time Management, Interpersonal Skill, Relationship Building

What are the next steps in the Recruitment process:
Thank you very much for your interest in the role. You are welcome to apply.