Job Description

Job Title: Legal Advisor
About L'Oreal South Africa: L'Oreal, the world's leading beauty company, is driven by the purpose of creating the beauty that moves the world. Our diverse portfolio of international brands covers all categories of beauty and is present across various distribution channels. In South Africa, we are committed to sustainable business practices and fostering an inclusive and innovative work environment. Our Legal and Compliance team plays a critical role in safeguarding our business, ensuring ethical operations, and supporting our strategic growth.
Role Overview: The Legal Advisor will be a key member of the Legal and Compliance team in South Africa, providing comprehensive legal advice and support across various business functions. This role is crucial in ensuring that all company operations, commercial activities, and strategic initiatives comply with South African laws and regulations, as well as L'Oreal's internal policies and ethical guidelines. The successful candidate will play a proactive role in identifying legal risks, offering practical solutions, and contributing to a robust compliance culture.
Key Responsibilities
Legal Advisory & Support:

• Provide sound, pragmatic, and timely legal advice to all departments (e.g., Marketing, Sales, HR, Finance, Operations, IT) on a wide range of legal issues, including commercial law, consumer protection, advertising law, competition law, data privacy (POPIA), labour law, and general corporate matters.
• Interpret complex legal documents and regulations, translating them into clear, actionable advice for non-legal stakeholders.

Contract Management:

• Draft, review, and negotiate a variety of commercial contracts, including supply agreements, service agreements, marketing agreements, distribution agreements, digital agreements, confidentiality agreements, and property-related contracts.
• Ensure all contractual arrangements protect the company's interests and comply with legal requirements.

Compliance & Risk Management:

• Monitor and advise on new and evolving South African legislation and regulatory developments relevant to the beauty industry and L'Oreal's operations.
• Assist in the development, implementation, and maintenance of compliance policies, procedures, and training programs, particularly in areas such as POPIA, competition law, anti-bribery & corruption, and consumer protection.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate legal and compliance risks across the business.
• Conduct internal investigations as required, particularly concerning compliance breaches.

Dispute Resolution & Litigation Management:

• Assist in managing and resolving disputes, claims, and litigation, including liaising with external legal counsel, preparing briefs, and managing evidence.
• Provide advice on potential legal actions and strategies.

Intellectual Property:

• Provide support on intellectual property matters, including trademarks, copyright, and patent issues, collaborating with global IP teams and external counsel.

Corporate Governance:

• Assist with corporate secretarial duties and ensure compliance with the Companies Act, where necessary.

Training & Education

• Develop and deliver legal and compliance training sessions to employees to foster a culture of legal awareness and ethical conduct.

Qualifications and Experience

• Education: A Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from a reputable South African university is essential.
• Admittance: Admitted as an Attorney of the High Court of South Africa.

Experience:

• Minimum of 3-5 years post-admission experience in corporate/commercial law, either within a leading law firm or as an in-house legal counsel in a multinational company.
• Proven experience in contract drafting, negotiation, and providing legal advice across various business functions.
• Experience with South African regulatory frameworks such as the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), Competition Act, and advertising regulations is highly advantageous.
• Experience in the FMCG, retail, or beauty industry will be considered a strong asset.

Skills and Competencies

• Legal Expertise: Strong understanding of South African commercial law, contract law, regulatory compliance, and corporate governance principles.
• Analytical Skills: Excellent legal research, analytical, and problem-solving abilities, with a keen eye for detail.
• Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex legal concepts clearly and concisely to diverse audiences.
• Negotiation: Proven negotiation skills with a focus on achieving mutually beneficial outcomes while protecting company interests.
• Proactive & Commercial Mindset: Ability to anticipate legal risks, offer practical and business-oriented solutions, and integrate legal advice seamlessly into commercial strategies.
• Integrity & Ethics: Highest level of integrity, ethical conduct, and professional judgment.
• Collaboration: Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Organization: Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Technology Proficiency: Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and legal research platforms.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and take pride in a diverse environment. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, medical condition or disability. We adhere to all local Labour Relations legislation.
Closing Date: 10 December 2025

Skills Required