Overview
Legal Compliance Specialist (Legal Counsel) Jobs in City of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa at SANY Group
Title: Legal Compliance Specialist (Legal Counsel)
Company: SANY Group
Location: City of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
An exciting vacancy exists at SANY South Africa based in Johannesburg for a Legal Compliance Specialist (Legal Counsel) to join the team.
Job Purpose
To provide comprehensive in-house legal and compliance support across Southern Africa, with South Africa as the primary jurisdiction. The role ensures compliance with applicable legislation and regulatory frameworks, mitigates legal risk, supports corporate governance, manages external counsel, and delivers commercially sound legal advice to support business operations across multiple jurisdictions.
Key Responsibilities
The successful candidate will be responsible for but not limited to the following functions:
- Provide legal advice and support on corporate, commercial, and operational matters across the business.
- Draft, review, and negotiate commercial agreements, including supplier, customer, service, and employment-related contracts.
- Support corporate governance requirements, including board resolutions, policies, and internal controls.
- Identify, assess, and mitigate legal and compliance risks through practical and commercially sound advice.
- Ensure compliance with South African legislation, including the Companies Act, POPIA, labour legislation, and applicable industry regulations.
- Support compliance requirements across other Southern Africa jurisdictions in coordination with external legal advisors.
- Develop, implement, and monitor internal compliance frameworks, policies, and procedures.
- Conduct compliance reviews and internal audits and address identified gaps.
- Liaise with regulatory authorities and manage relationships with external legal counsel.
- Coordinate and oversee external counsel across multiple jurisdictions to ensure effective risk management and cost control.
- Provide legal support on cross-border contracts, disputes, regulatory matters, and compliance assessments.
- Support dispute resolution processes, claims management, and litigation coordination.
- Maintain legal and compliance registers, records, and reporting dashboards.
- Deliver compliance guidance, training, and awareness initiatives to internal stakeholders.
- Act as a trusted legal advisor to management and cross-functional teams across multiple countries.
- Collaborate with regional business teams, international stakeholders, and Chinese counterparts on legal and compliance matters.
Minimum Requirements
- Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
- Minimum 3 -5 years’ experience in in-house legal, compliance, or corporate legal role
- Experience within a similar industry or a Chinese-owned company will be a strong advantage
- Admission as an Attorney
- MS Office Suite
Skills and Competencies
- Strong analytical and critical thinking ability
- Excellent stakeholder engagement skills
- Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities
- Advanced contract drafting and negotiation skills
- Strong knowledge of South African commercial and compliance law
- Experience in a multinational or cross-border business environment
