Legal Advisor: Intellectual Property

**Job Advert Summary**:
Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) is a talent driven, customer-centric and impact focused organisation. In our endeavour to support technology innovation with socio-economic outcomes, we seek to infuse the organisation with team players that find resonance as value creators, agile thinkers, progressive attitudes, customer-centricity, dynamic work ethic and an optimistic disposition. We aim to harness these attributes in a manner that they culminate into a culture of teamwork, impact and accountability.

**Job Purpose**

To provide legal services, including intellectual property (IP) support and advice to all TIA Business Units in respect of TIA projects/programs.

**Minimum Requirements**:

- Bachelor degree in Engineering (Chemical) **or** Bachelor degree in Science.
- A Law degree
- Admission as an Attorney or Advocate
- At least four (4) years’ post admission experience.
- Two (2) years’ experience in an intellectual property environment and/or prior exposure to the technology innovation environment.
- Experience in Local and International Intellectual Property trends in relevant industries.
- Litigation experience.
- Laws, legislation and compliance requirements for the various operational aspects of TIA.
- Sound Knowledge of the Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act No. 1 of 1999).
- Skills:

- Assertive
- Critical judgment
- Customer-centricity
- Decisiveness
- Decision-making
- Negotiation skills
- Analytical and interpretation skills

**Duties and Responsibilities**:
**Financial Perspective**
- Contribute towards saving for TIA by limiting operational costs, also complying with the National Treasure Cost Containment Measures (NTCM).

**Stakeholder Management**
- Participate in establishing cooperative customer relationships with stakeholders internally and externally.
- Provide quality services that meets corporate programme and project needs of TIA.
- Represent the Head: Legal Services on various committees, as may be required.

**Internal Processes**
- Perform Intellectual Property (IP) due diligence on TIA’s projects and programs and issue report on outcomes.
- Draft and/or review contracts for TIA operations, TIA projects and TIA programs, also focusing IP clauses.
- Draft legal opinions.
- Provide input in the formulation of legal policies, guidelines, frameworks and business processes.
- Provide input in the review Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of the Legal Services BU.
- Capture all legal information relating to TIA operations on the applicable systems.
- Produce workflow management status reports, as and when required.
- Assist with quality assurance of work produced by the Legal Advisors.
- Identify and report on potential legal risks.
- Identify and implement development opportunities to ensure continuous improvement of work effectiveness and efficiency.
- Identify root causes of delays in the processes and implement measures to address the delays.
- Provide support and assistance to other Legal Advisors to achieve their milestones.

**Governance and Compliance**
- Participate in the internal and external audit exercise and resolution of all audit matters in the Business Unit.
- Ensure compliance with all TIA’s policies, frameworks, guidelines and systems (performance management, HR, finance, Stakeholder information, fund management, reporting, etc).
- Proactively identify and address internal and external risks to protect the organisation.

**Learning and Growth**
- Mentor other Legal Advisors to transfer knowledge and skill.
- Attend work-related, self-development courses including training (both external and internal) seminars, conferences, webinars and workshops.