Role Overview

The Legal Consultant: Legal Affairs – Technology and Enablement Functions is responsible for providing legal advisory, contract review and execution support to technology, digital platform, data and enterprise enablement functions.

The role supports the Senior Manager: Legal Affairs – Technology and Enablement Functions in delivering practical, commercially sound and risk-based legal support across technology platforms, cloud services, APIs, data, cybersecurity, AI, digital infrastructure, outsourcing, procurement, HR, Finance, Risk, Company Secretariat and shared services.

The incumbent ensures that legal risks are identified, documented and managed while enabling fast, compliant and scalable execution of technology and enterprise initiatives. The role supports contract negotiation, legal research, policy implementation, vendor contracting, data protection requirements, legal risk tracking and stakeholder advisory.

Key Performance Areas

Strategy Development and Implementation

• Support implementation of the Legal Affairs strategy for technology and enablement functions in line with organisational priorities.
• Provide legal input into technology, digital platform, data, procurement and enablement function initiatives.
• Support development of legal templates, standards, clause libraries, playbooks and checklists for recurring technology and enterprise legal matters.
• Translate legal requirements into practical guidance for business, technology and enablement stakeholders.
• Monitor legal, regulatory and market developments relating to technology, data, cybersecurity, AI, outsourcing, employment and procurement, and highlight potential impact to the Senior Manager.
• Support a future-fit legal service model that enables faster contracting, stronger risk controls and consistent legal support across business units and operating entities.

Operational Delivery

Technology, Platform and Digital Legal Support

• Provide legal advisory support for technology platforms, digital infrastructure, cloud services, APIs, systems integration, digital channels and platform transformation initiatives.
• Draft, review and support negotiation of technology agreements including SaaS, PaaS, IaaS, software licensing, managed services, outsourcing, professional services, support, maintenance and implementation agreements.
• Review legal terms relating to service levels, liability, indemnities, warranties, intellectual property, confidentiality, data protection, audit rights, exit rights, business continuity and regulatory obligations.
• Support legal review of technology procurement, vendor onboarding, platform partnerships and third-party service arrangements.
• Provide legal input into technology lifecycle matters including renewals, change requests, migration, decommissioning, supplier performance issues and contract close-out.

Data, Privacy, Cybersecurity and AI Legal Support

• Provide legal support on data governance, privacy, cross-border data transfers, data processing, cybersecurity, information security and records management requirements.
• Review data protection clauses, data processing agreements, cybersecurity schedules, breach notification provisions and third-party data obligations.
• Support legal assessment of AI use cases, automated decisioning, data ethics, model governance, customer transparency and responsible AI adoption.
• Work with Information Security, Technology, Risk, Compliance and Data teams to identify legal risks in data-led and technology-led initiatives.
• Support implementation of organisational policies and standards relating to data, privacy, cybersecurity, AI and digital risk.

Enablement Functions Legal Support

• Provide legal support to HR, Finance, Risk, Procurement, Company Secretariat and shared services on operational and enterprise matters.
• Support HR on employment law, labour relations, employee documentation, workforce transformation, mobility, disciplinary processes and people policy matters in collaboration with local legal teams where required.
• Support Finance and Risk on legal aspects of finance arrangements, intra-group documentation, guarantees, audit support, risk governance and control frameworks.
• Support Procurement on tender documents, vendor terms, supplier frameworks, contract governance, dispute prevention and third-party risk requirements.
• Support Company Secretariat and governance teams with legal inputs into Board-related documents, policies, approvals and governance matters where required.

Contracting, Negotiation and Legal Documentation

• Draft, review and negotiate contracts supporting technology, data, procurement and enablement function requirements.
• Maintain and use approved contract templates, fallback positions, clause libraries and negotiation playbooks.
• Provide clear legal comments and recommendations to stakeholders on contract risks, commercial positions and required approvals.
• Support contract lifecycle management by tracking key obligations, renewal dates, service levels, termination provisions, approval requirements and risk clauses.
• Coordinate with internal legal teams, external counsel and internal stakeholders on complex or specialist legal matters.

Legal Risk, Governance and Compliance Enablement

• Identify, assess and document legal risks arising from technology operations, data use, outsourcing, vendor engagements and enablement function activities.
• Support alignment with governance frameworks, Delegation of Authority, internal policies and applicable laws.
• Maintain matter trackers, legal risk logs and action plans for assigned technology and enablement legal matters.
• Support legal impact assessments for new technology deployments, vendor engagements, internal policies and regulatory developments.
• Provide input into legal policies, procedures, operating models and control improvements relevant to technology and enablement functions.

Disputes, Escalations and External Counsel Support

• Support management of disputes, claims and escalations relating to technology vendors, enterprise contracts and third-party relationships.
• Prepare factual summaries, document packs, timelines and issue notes to support dispute resolution and legal decision-making.
• Coordinate with external counsel where required and ensure advice is tracked, documented and shared with relevant stakeholders.
• Monitor external counsel work on assigned matters to support cost-effective and timely legal delivery.

Legal Operations and Continuous Improvement

• Support improvement of legal processes, templates, workflows, matter tracking and contract repositories.
• Maintain legal documentation, contract records, advice notes and matter files in an organised and audit-ready manner.
• Support legal knowledge-sharing through guidance notes, checklists and stakeholder awareness sessions.
• Identify opportunities to reduce repetitive work, standardise legal review and improve turnaround times.

Governance Strategic Meetings

• Participate in relevant strategic and operational meetings and provide legal input on technology, platform, data and enablement initiatives.
• Provide guidance on contract risks, legal implications, regulatory developments and governance requirements.
• Support risk mitigation and control discussions through practical legal recommendations.
• Prepare inputs for legal frameworks, policy updates, contracting improvements and process enhancements.

Escalations

• Escalate legal matters that may result in material time, cost, operational, regulatory, reputational or contractual impact.
• Support resolution of legal escalations affecting Technology, Data, HR, Finance, Risk, Procurement, Company Secretariat or shared services.
• Ensure assigned legal risks, issues and dependencies are documented, tracked and closed within agreed timelines.

Functional Tactical

• Support review of legal initiatives and projects linked to technology and enablement functions.
• Identify legal risks, issues and dependencies and recommend mitigation actions.
• Prepare documentation required for approvals, legal positions, contract negotiations and governance decisions.
• Provide guidance on tactical legal decisions within delegated authority and agreed escalation protocols.

Performance

• Deliver legal support in line with agreed service expectations, turnaround times and quality standards.
• Track contract status, legal matter progress, risk themes and stakeholder feedback for assigned matters.
• Support continuous alignment between legal support and the priorities of Technology, Data, HR, Finance, Risk, Procurement and Company Secretariat.

Reporting

• Report periodically to the Senior Manager: Legal Affairs – Technology and Enablement Functions on assigned legal matters, risks, contract status, disputes, regulatory developments and progress against priorities.
• Provide ad hoc updates on urgent legal matters, escalations, strategic projects and management requirements.

Budgets

• Support cost-effective delivery of legal services, including efficient use of external counsel where required.
• Provide input into legal spend tracking for assigned matters and support adherence to approved budgets.

Job Requirements

Education

• Minimum of 4-year tertiary degree in Law or related field.
• Postgraduate qualification (LLM, MBA, or equivalent) advantageous.
• Admitted Attorney / Advocate with relevant professional registration.

Experience

• Existing track record of not more than 5 years post-admission experience within the financial sector or banking industry, fintech products, and service management.
• Experience within financial services, fintech, banking, or digital platforms advantageous.
• Proven experience operating in multi-country or multinational environments.
• Exposure to complex commercial transactions, partnerships, and regulatory environments.
• Experience in defining and executing legal affairs strategies, policies, and frameworks in a scalable/large-scale Financial Services and/or Consumer Finance multi-country environment.
• Deep understanding of the digital ecosystem, players, business models and industry-related best practices.
• Experience in e-commerce and electronic payment business is advantageous.
• Entrepreneurial spirit, self-driven and ability to motivate a fast-paced team.
• Experience working across diverse cultures and geographies.
• Pan-African multi-cultural experience is advantageous.
• English speaker. French, Portuguese, Zulu, Swahili, and other African languages are a plus.

Competencies

Functional Knowledge

• Legislative Management & Monitoring
• Legal Risk Management
• Technology & IT Law
• Data Protection & Privacy
• Cybersecurity & Digital Risk
• Litigation – General / Class Action / Investigation
• M&A Legal Advisory
• Legal Due Diligence
• Negotiation & Deal Review
• Legal Analysis
• Dispute Management
• Labour & Employment Law
• IP Law & Legislation

Skills

• Business Acumen
• Analytics and Interpretation