Legal & Compliance Officer (South Africa)

Prax South Africa Proprietary Ltd (“PRAX SA”) is a newly constituted entity formed following the Prax Group’s acquisition of a stake in a refinery and associated midstream and downstream operations in Southern Africa. 

The company wishes to engage a resource on a retained basis to assist PRAX SA in ensuring compliance with all statutory obligations related to its manufacturing and trading activities in Southern Africa - Scope of which includes, South Africa and Botswana, as well as limited trade activity in other adjacent SADEC states.

Key Responsibilities:

Legal:

• The Legal and Compliance Officer will be based in Johannesburg and will be responsible for overseeing and ensuring legal and regulatory compliance of PRAX SA’s operations across Southern Africa.
• This role is fundamental in providing expert legal advice, managing and negotiating contracts, in particular petroleum trade contracts, crafting and reviewing legal documents, overseeing corporate governance, ensuring compliance with local and international laws.
• Oversee contract administration, including renewals and terminations.
• Participate in negotiations with key stakeholders such as customers, suppliers, joint venture partners, banks etc.)
• This role is critical in helping the organisation develop and implement monitoring policies and procedures to ensure adherence to all relevant statutory obligations.
• Identify any legal issues and impact that may arise from changing regulatory landscape and develop proactive measures to mitigate them.
• Thus, important that the individual stays abreast of changes in laws, regulations, and industry standards applicable to the company’s operations.

Compliance:

• Conduct KYC and Third-Party onboarding and due diligences as necessary across all Prax SA Customers and Vendors
• Serve as a primary point of contact for regulatory authorities
• Prepare and submit regulatory filings and reports in a timely and accurate manner
• Interpret and apply regulatory requirements to the company’s operations.
• Provide guidance to management and other stakeholders on compliance obligations and potential regulatory risks.
• Formulate, implement and maintain a risk-based register, with mitigation and/or compliance plan on an annual basis.  Review same monthly with management.
• Deliver training to employees on legal compliance matters to ensure employees understand their obligations and responsibilities under applicable laws and regulations.
• The job would involve providing advice and training on a full range of compliance matters, including personal data protection, sanctions compliance and anti-bribery (including gifts and entertainment), whistleblowing and on Know Your Customer checks.

Company Secretarial Duties:

• Manage corporate governance processes to ensure compliance with the Company’s Act of South Africa and other relevant legislation or best practices.
• Organise and facilitate board meetings, prepare meeting agendas minutes and resolutions.
• Maintain up to date records of all minute books, registers and corporate books.
• Prepare and file statutory returns and other compliance documents with regulatory authorities.  This includes annual returns, statutory declarations, notifications of changes in corporate structure or ownership.
• Monitor compliance with corporate governance policies and procedures, including adherence to board-approved governance principles and guidelines.

Skills, Experience & Qualifications:

• Qualified Lawyer with a minimum of 10 years post-admission legal experience in commercial law, corporate governance, litigation, and contract management in corporate environment,
• Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LLB) or equivalent ,
• Advanced degrees (LLM or MBA) are an advantage,
• Fluent in English with excellent written and oral communications skills to interact confidently and effectively with internal and external stakeholders,
• Proven Experience in legal and compliance roles within the Oil Industry or adjacent sectors,
• In-depth knowledge of South African, African and UK laws and regulations including customs laws and international trade laws,
• Ability to lead project workstreams and handle timelines.
• Experience in ISO Auditing and oil refineries will be advantageous,
• Excellent contract drafting and negotiation skills,
• Excellent interpersonal skills and capability to build trusted working relationships with internal and external stakeholders across different functions and cultures, positively influencing the behaviour of others,
• Detail-oriented with strong analytical and problem-solving abilities,
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, environment,
• Experience of matrix reporting work environments, and Professional certifications in compliance and ethics are a plus.