Legal Investment Manager

**Purpose of Role**:
**About the Company**:
E2 Investments (Pty) LTD (“E Squared”) is an impact investor that operates in the venture capital and private equity sector that invests in and partners with pre-seed to growth stage ventures to nurture entrepreneurial talent and accelerate financial and social returns across all sectors. Our investment philosophy centres on providing financial and non-financial support to enterprises that meaningfully attack poverty, unemployment, and inequality, while generating strong commercial returns.

We seek to combine capital, capacity building, and catalytic partnerships to help founders thrive and scale ventures that can change the African economic landscape for the better.

**Job Summary**:
The Legal Investment Manager will provide comprehensive legal and financial counsel to the investment team, ensuring compliance with all relevant laws and regulations while strategically managing and closing transactions. This role involves drafting and/ or reviewing legal documents (SAFE notes, Convertible loan notes, ordinary/ preference share subscription agreements, sale and purchase agreements, MOIs, etc.) interpreting laws, and safeguarding the company’s reputation by ensuring adherence to legal guidelines. The Legal Investment Manager will play a crucial role in structuring and managing investments that aim to generate positive social impact and financial returns. The individual will also coordinate and collaborate with external legal counsel to ensure efficient and cost-effective deal execution. This position reports directly to the Chief Investment Officer.

**Objectives of Role**:
**Legal and Financial Counsel**:

- Provide expert legal and financial opinions and advice on various matters related to investments.

**External Counsel Collaboration**:

- Coordinate with and manage external legal counsel during due diligence, drafting, and negotiation processes to ensure seamless and efficient deal execution while optimizing legal costs.

**Transaction Management**:

- Manage and close transactions, in collaboration with the investment team, ensuring efficient and effective deal execution.

**Document Review and Negotiation**:

- Review, draft, and negotiate contracts, agreements, and other legal documents, including term sheets, subscription agreements, shareholder agreements, SAFEs, MOIs, and LPAs.

**Compliance**:

- Ensure compliance with all relevant laws, rules, and regulations, including those specific to impact investing.

**Representation**:

- Represent the organization in legal proceedings such as commercial negotiations, litigation, arbitration, and mediations.

**Research**:

- Conduct legal and financial analysis and research on various legal matters and stay updated with legal trends and developments.

**Career Enablement**:

- Provide training to the investment team on legal and financial compliance matters; contribute to building internal knowledge systems.

**Policy Formulation**:

- Assist in formulating the organization’s internal policies, regulations, and procedures.

**Stakeholder Meetings**:

- Participate in meetings with clients or other stakeholders to clarify legal perspectives and provide advice.

**Collaboration**:

- Collaborate with external legal counsel and coordinate legal activities that form a key part of the company’s investment process.

**Risk Management**:

- Manage potential legal risks and recommend pre-emptive actions.

**Training**:

- Provide training to the organization on legal topics and compliance.

**Impact Structuring**:

- Assist in structuring innovative investment vehicles involving SPVs, grants, hybrid instruments, and any other structures relevant to impact investing.

**Experience and Qualifications**:
**Education**: A degree in Law (LLB or equivalent) and an admitted attorney practicing within the venture capital and/ or impact investment environment. Additionally, a CFA designation or equivalent financial qualification is strongly preferred.

**Primary Experience**:

- Minimum of 8 years proven experience as a legal advisor, preferably in the investment or financial sector, with a focus on venture capital, private equity and/ or impact investing.
- Corporate commercial experience together with drafting, structuring and review of legal agreements such as share subscription agreements, MOIs, SAFEs, LPAs.

**Competencies**:

- Corporate finance fluency, especially around valuation, capital structures, and term sheets.
- Strategic negotiation skills across legal and financial stakeholders.
- Comfort operating in a mission-aligned, fast-paced investment environment.