Senior Legal Counsel: Wealth and Retirement

**Introduction**
- Through our client-facing brands Metropolitan and Momentum, with Multiply (wellness and rewards programme), and our other specialist brands, including Guardrisk and Eris Property Group, the group enables business and people from all walks of life to achieve their financial goals and life aspirations. We help people grow their savings, protect what matters to them and invest for the future. We help companies and organisations care for and reward their employees and members. Through our own network of advisers or via independent brokers and utilising new platforms Momentum Group provides practical financial solutions for people, communities and businesses.

An exciting opportunity is available in the Momentum Investments Legal Team (Wealth and Retirement Funds) for a Senior Legal Counsel. The successful applicant will be based at the Momentum Group Head office in Centurion.

**Disclaimer**
- As an applicant, please verify the legitimacy of this job advert on our company career page.

**Role Purpose**
- To provide the Momentum Investments: Retirement and Wealth (Retail) division (and other divisions within the Momentum Group when necessary) with legal advice and opinions, product development advice and affiliated legal services relating to Long term insurance, Investments, Retirement Funds, Governance and other general legal services.

**Requirements**:
**Qualification and Experience Requirements**:

- LLB degree
- CFP qualification or post graduate qualification on financial planning
- Admitted attorney (an advantage)
- Minimum 8-10 years financial services industry experience dealing with long term insurance, retirement, retail and associated products

**Duties & Responsibilities**

**Role Outputs**:

- Providing general legal services to the business including dispensing advice to all areas within the organisation as required.
- The main focus area will be on retail products and retirement fund governance.
- Keeping abreast of legislative developments.
- Reviewing, interpreting and taking a lead role in implementing relevant legislation in collaboration with the Compliance Team.
- Assisting death claims team and attending various committees.
- Opinion work (written/verbal and formal/informal as required).
- Legal research on pertinent issues that impact on the Momentum Investments business.
- Presenting and training on legal issues and legislation.
- Preparing and drafting legal updates for publication and practice notes for service teams.
- Formulating and drafting of policy documents.
- Render expert legal technical assistance, design, input and approval of new product structures during the product development process in the Long-term insurance, Investments, LISP and Retirement Funds areas.
- General Corporate Governance issues.
- Overseeing/managing retirement fund and legal disputes/litigation and develop/manage relationship with external law firms.
- Drafting pension fund rules and amendments and reviewing any fund related documents.
- Providing tax views dealing with tax and fund administration queries.
- Liaising with and managing trustee relations on the Retail retirement funds.

**Competencies**

**Role Competencies**:

- Knowledge and in-depth understanding of the relevant financial services legislation e.g. Long-Term Insurance Act, Insurance Act, Income Tax Act, Pension Funds Act, Divorce Act, Maintenance Act, Administration of Estates Act, FAIS and FICA as well as the secondary legislation that applies.
- Extensive knowledge of financial products, retirement funds and the structuring thereof.
- Knowledge of public sector funds.
- Retirement planning knowledge.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to operate and think independently and laterally.
- Self-starter/pro-active.
- Excellent team player
- Business acumen.
- Assertiveness.
- Leadership ability and professional.
- Responsible and accountable.