Manager: Legal Services at National Radioactive Waste Disposal Institute

Minimum Qualification

• An LLB degree plus nuclear law qualification is a requirement. A Master’s degree will be an added advantage.

Minimum years relevant experience

• At least 5 years legal experience, ideally in a public sector entity, with a proven track record in providing accurate and effective legal counsel.

Minimum Requirements

• Management / Leadership
• Legal Services
• Litigation Management
• Legal Compliance
• Regulatory Compliance
• Contracts
• Nuclear Related Legal Services

Job Description

• The legal services manager is responsible for the effective and efficient management of the legal services unit, whose role is to provide legal advisory services and ensuring effective management of legal and contractual risks.

Key Areas of Responsibility
The ideal candidate will perform the following job activities:

• Liaise with NRWDI Executives to ensure that where legal risks have been identified, appropriate courses of action are taken.
• Provide legal advisory and interpretation services to the management and board on various aspects on existing laws and regulatory requirements.
• Set up an effective and efficient legal process flow.
• Prepare legal opinions and advice to management and the board on general issues that may arise from time to time.
• Provide legal protection and legal risk management advice to management, especially on contract management.
• Review on-going cases and advise management accordingly on litigation matters.
• Instruct external lawyers and follow up to conclusion all litigation instituted for and against NRWDI.
• Follow-up and update management on court matters.
• Review progress of outstanding litigation and liaise with and manage external lawyers.
• Recommend cases for write off where recovery through litigation has proved futile.
• Review and advise management on legal implications of internal policies and procedures.
• Review and draft contracts and agreements, ensuring they are in compliance with all statutory or legal requirements.
• Formulate compliance checklists to be used for the purpose of ensuring that all information required is provided accordingly.
• Continuously monitor compliance with statutory obligations and advise management accordingly.
• Prepare quarterly reports on legal matters.
• Draft and maintain best practice basic/general/standard contracts, service level agreements, and partnership memoranda of agreement/understanding.
• Review all contracts or any other documentation where NRWDI has committed itself and assess legal implications that need to be brought to the executive management’s attention.
• Review and provide advice on MoUs/MoAs between NRWDI and other organizations.
• Prepare, review and draft communication for business transactions and prepare and advise on the necessary checklists to be adopted to ensure information is submitted on time.
• Ensure that NRWDI complies with national and international requirements and obligations as dictated by international nuclear law and conventions.

Knowledge, Skills & Attributes
Skills:

• Leadership / management skills (strategic management, change management, people management, planning and organizing, risk management).
• Analytical skills (analyzing complex information, concepts and ideas, applying theoretical and conceptual knowledge, dealing with ambiguity, creativity and innovation).
• Communication skills (active listening, effective writing, presenting, providing feedback, mentoring, coaching, mediating, negotiating).
• Business skills (project management, financial management, performance management and development, problem-solving, decision-making).
• Effective interpersonal skills.
• Computer literacy.

Knowledge:

• Excellent relationship management and communication skills necessary for interaction with stakeholders including the judicial system and negotiating parties.
• Knowledge and experience with laws dealing with government and/or commercial contract administration, particularly contract negotiation, preparation and administration.
• Ability to provide independent advice (orally and in writing) to senior and executive management.
• Success in managing and conducting a variety of litigation matters.
• Proven ability to delicately solve sensitive matters.
• Ability to influence and persuade executive management.
• Influencing & resolving differences across organizational boundaries; treating staff with fairness and objectivity, while being sensitive to cultural and gender differences.
• Knowledge and understanding of corporate governance principles applicable within South African state-owned entities.
• Knowledge of financial management prescripts within the public sector (PFMA knowledge required).
• Knowledge and/or application of strategic and business planning methodologies.
• Talent management.
• Risk management (how to identify and control risks that fall within the realm of the Legal function).
• Working knowledge of policies and legal frameworks related to nuclear waste disposal and management.
• Ability to communicate at Top Management level, and to influence and persuade executive management.

Attributes:

• Initiative
• Self-starter
• Solution-oriented
• Flexibility
• Concern for quality and order
• Information seeking
• Results focused and professionalism
• Organizational commitment