Legal Assistant

ETG has emerged as one of Africa's largest and most respected traders in agricultural products. ETG's supply chains extend across sub-Saharan Africa, North America, Europe, the Middle East and South East Asian countries. ETG annually moves almost five million metric tonnes of agricultural commodities around the world and directly employs more than 7 000 people globally. ETG's portfolio of over 25 different commodities includes: cashews; oilseeds; sugar; coffee; pulses; wheat; fertilizer; rice; maize and sesame seeds. Following a comprehensive strategic review the Group has identified 5 key Verticals aimed at delivering the next phase of growth within select markets. These Verticals are comprised of: Fertiliser; Exchange Traded Commodities; Cash Traded Commodities; Consumer Brands and Warehousing and Logistics.

As one of Africa's leading traders in food-related commodities, ETG has over the past 30 years steadily capitalised on opportunities to improve margins and grow shareholder value by diversifying into consumer branded products across a number of key East, Central and Southern African markets including the UK. The Company's primary customers include retail chains, independents, wholesalers, institutions, commercial operators and distributors ).

Job purpose

The incumbent shall join the Legal Team to provide professional administrative support to the Legal Team within the Group.

Key responsibilities

Characteristics Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Provide support in the vetting of basic commercial legal contracts and legal research.
2. Maintain administrative registers and trackers in excel spreadsheets for the Legal Team.
3. Manage the records of the Legal Team by filing documents both in electronic and paper format.
4. Prepare documents and excel spreadsheets by formatting and proofreading where necessary for the Legal Team.
5. Assist the Legal Team with liaising with internal businesses and externally appointed attorneys in order to update records and maintain administrative records.
6. Liaise with third parties on KYC and other administrative matters.

Minimum Requirements:

1. Matric (Grade 12) required.
2. Legal Secretary or Paralegal Diploma preferred.
3. Minimum of 3 to 5 years of experience in administration or system administration within a legal environment. Experience in a commercial legal, litigation, intellectual property and/or company secretarial environment preferred.
4. Proficiency in Microsoft Office, legal software (e.g. LexisNexis etc) and cloud-based tools.
5. Strong initiative and ability to manage multiple projects and tasks.
6. Articulate with good presentational skills and an appreciation for the demands of conflicting interests.
7. Good analytical & problem-solving skills.
8. Excellent communication and organisational skills.
9. Ability to work well with others (teamwork) in a fast paced and dynamic environment.
10. Highest integrity and ethical standards.
11. Excellent relationship building skills with different departments, locations, and employees within the business.

Teamwork

1. Organise the work allocated, supporting the legal team.
2. Provide the information and other resources needed for Legal team to perform their tasks well.
3. Create and maintain an environment of professional and collaborative support and teamwork.
4. Work well with broader office staff.

Strategic Orientation

1. Use strategic thinking skills and incorporate conceptual, analytical and intuitive abilities.
2. Identify and verify critical information and intelligence for the team.
3. Build an appropriate image for the company and broader organization.

Solving Problems and Getting Results

1. Accept responsibility for resolving a problem to its final conclusion.
2. Drive achievement and the on-going improvement of business results.
3. Strive to achieve agreed deadlines and standards, especially when the going gets tough or the anticipated situation changes.

Interpersonal skills

The ideal candidate must be able to:

1. Speak English clearly and confidently i.e., must be articulate.
2. Listen actively to fully understand the other person's view or perspective.
3. Tailor feedback to the specific needs and communication styles of others.
4. Develop and maintain two-way communication with a variety of people at different levels both within and outside the organisation.
5. Detailed orientated.
6. Build a network of relevant role-players both within and outside the organisation.
7. Maintains confidentiality of information.