Senior Legal Counsel

Senior Legal Counsel

About Mezzanine
Mezzanine designs and builds digital technology solutions for customers across Africa and beyond in order to create productive societies. Founded in 2012 Mezzanine has market-leading expertise in the agricultural health financial inclusion and education spaces and works with mobile network operators to bring about positive change in the lives of people through the opportunities created by digital solutions. Mezzanine is a home-grown African company delivering value to the people of Africa and beyond.
Mezzanine is a subsidiary of the Vodacom Group.

About the Role
We are looking for a Senior Legal Counsel to join our team. This role will be accountable for all contracting and legal matters and be responsible for overseeing the full contract life cycle. The successful candidate will work closely with various departments ensuring legal compliance Vodacom-mandated compliance as well as collaborating on Privacy and Information Security compliance. The ideal candidate is analytical solutions-driven and confident in interpreting legal frameworks and managing risk. They should have strong communication skills an ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and a proactive approach to supporting both operational and strategic business needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Support business teams by reviewing commercial frameworks and providing legal guidance.
• Draft review and negotiate contracts; take accountability for the full contracting process.
• Maintain legal templates contract libraries and legal process documentation.
• Monitor contract renewals expirations and ensure adherence to contractual commitments.
• Conduct due diligence for new suppliers as part of the procurement process.
• Ensure compliance with applicable laws regulations and corporate policies providing guidance on the impact thereof on the business.
• Responsible for internal and Vodacom compliance reporting training and audits.
• Responsible for implementation of compliance policies across the business (examples: Anti-bribery & Corruption Economic Sanctions & Trade Controls and Generative AI).
• Conduct internal legal risk assessments and support ad-hoc legal queries.
• Lead legal and compliance support for data protection and information security by drafting and implementing DPAs policies product terms and controls aligned with ISO POPIA/GDPR and Vodacom requirements.
• Contribute to PIS strategy and governance maintain compliance controls and deliver training to strengthen risk management across the organisation.

Requirements

• LLB degree
• Admitted Attorney (with completed articles)
• Minimum 3 years of work experience in an in-house counsel role or law firm
• Strong business acumen
• Strong contract drafting and negotiation skills
• Sound understanding of compliance and risk management principles
• Proficient in using document management and productivity tools
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple legal workstreams

Advantageous

• Experience in the telco or software industry
• Familiarity with Vodacom/Vodafone compliance processes
• Experience in working with contract or compliance management systems

Location: Stellenbosch/Midrand (hybrid)
Start date: ASAP