Job Purpose
The Legal Manager will act as the Vivo Energy Mauritius legal advisor and as the focal point for all legal matters of the operating unit (OU). The incumbent is expected to develop and implement the OU legal strategy, provide legal support to the different Class of Businesses / Services to minimise legal risk in all commercial relations (Customers / Partners/ JVs / Suppliers and Employees). Manage and closely follow-up all litigation matters of the OU by working in close collaboration with the Central Legal team and External legal advisors of the Company.
Principal Accountabilities:
- Assess and manage all legal obligations, responsibilities and risks of the OU and ensure full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations as well as full compliance with Vivo Energy business principles.
- Provide legal advice, counsel, and opinion on different areas of the business including contract interpretation, dispute resolution, debt recovery, ethics and compliance issues, regulatory issues and labour and employment disputes.
- Provide legal guidance to the OU in the development and implementation of its business strategy. This includes legal implications of strategic decisions of the OU including mergers and acquisitions, disposals and joint collaborations among others.
- Act as the main focal point for all legal matters and manage the relationship with the OU’s external legal advisors. Follow up with the company’s external legal advisors and ensure adequate level of service is provided in line with agreed costs / retention agreements.
- Liaise with the Company Secretary and ensure full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. Ensure that all required Board/Shareholder Resolutions/Proxies are obtained as and when required.
- Conduct legal research and monitor changes in regulatory frameworks to ensure that the OU is always up to date with changes in laws and regulations.
- Act as a focal point for ensuring full compliance with the Code of Corporate Governance.
- Liaise with all functions and departments to facilitate interactive supportive roles and relationships.
- Acts as main focal point for all matters relating to data protection and ensure that the OU adheres to the data protection laws and company policies.
- Increase legal awareness through the provision of legal trainings for staff members on matters of interest to the OU.
- Work closely with the company’s external legal advisors for the resolution of all litigation matters so as to reduce their impact on the OU. Ensure that a quarterly report of all existing/potential litigations is shared with the Management team and assess their potential financial implication for the company.
- Ensure that due diligence exercises are completed for all major projects e.g., acquisitions, JVs etc in line with the Group policy.
- Maintain and manage the OU’s legal risk register and ensure that all critical risks are properly assessed.
- Support the business to adopt and implement the best legal practices as they conduct their day-to-day activities.
- Ensure that monthly/quarterly/yearly reporting to the Central Legal team through Merrill Data Room, Dilitrust and Blue Print are completed on a timely basis.
- Ensure that the OU has all the required licences to operate and that these licenses are renewed as per legal deadline.
- Ensure that the OU has all the titles/rights/contracts for all the properties it owns/purchases.
- Ensure that the different contracts (Contract of Employment, Sales Contracts and Procurement Contracts) used by the OU are aligned to the local legislation and has been vetted by the company’s external legal advisors.
Requirements
Qualifications, Skills amp; Experience
- The incumbent must have at least a bachelor’s degree in law from a recognised university and four (4) years of relevant work experience.
- As a legal advisor, the incumbent must have a broad knowledge of the law.
- The incumbent must be familiar with Group corporate governance, assurance structures and policies to fulfil his/her role as focal point for corporate governance.
- The incumbent must be familiar with the local legislation, policies, regulations, and agreements that make up the various regulatory frameworks specially those impacting the Oil and Gas industry.