Assistant Legal Counsel - Commercial, Operations at British American Tobacco (BAT)

ROLE POSITIONING AND OBJECTIVES

The Role reports to the Legal Counsel - Commercial Operations & Labour Litigations, ESA and aims to proactively manage BAT’s commercial, corporate responsibilities, compliance and governance requirements within EAM and to successfully implement and execute the Legal Functional strategy and objectives.

Responsible for providing strategic advice to BAT entities in EAM on all legal matters pertaining to Commercial legal support, good governance and compliance controls of the business while representing the Legal department on the Functional Leadership Teams.

WHAT YOU WILL BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR

• Drive and communicate an effective area wide governance and corporate reporting framework to senior management and external regulatory bodies as appropriate.
• Advise on and be actively involved in any proposed changes to the corporate structure and governance practices for any BAT EAM entities.
• Develop and monitor the Business’ compliance with the Capital Markets Act, Companies Act 2015, Occupational Health and Safety laws, Data Protection laws, Competition laws and other applicable statutes
• Keep abreast of arising regulatory developments as well as evolving best practices in corporate governance practices and corporate compliance measures.
• Champion and ensure adequate measures are in place for adherence to the BAT Group Standards of Business Conduct, applicable policies and internal controls/systems, and direct internal SoBC investigations appropriately.
• Develop and drive the maintenance of control systems and appropriate company policies to proactively deal with risks, violations of legal, governance guidelines and internal policies and evaluate the efficiency of internal controls for continuous improvement.
• Provide support and advice on governance aspects, compliance and relevant internal controls to the Boards of Trustees of various BAT retirement benefit schemes in EAM.
• Ensure adequate implementation and compliance with the agreed records management programme and policies across EAM and develop cost-effective best practice solutions in line with records management resources.
• Monitor and interpret the legislative environment to ensure that proactive legal advice and support is provided on the company’s statutory obligations, labour laws, health and safety at work regulations.
• Draft, negotiate and review contractual documentation and develop as appropriate standard formats to optimise efficiencies within the Legal sub-function.
• Execute relevant administrative activities in the Function to ensure the availability of resources, continuous flow of information and updated records.
• Support with conveyancing and land related transactions including but not limited to land sale, land titling, land rates and land rent payment and tracking new compliance requirements with respect to property management.
• Co-ordinate, monitor and track licensing and permits compliance within the business and provide advisory opinion on any changes in the licensing and permits requirements.
• Review and update risk assessments and mitigation plans on a quarterly basis.
• Support with Legal Audits and Compliance whether undertaken internally or by an external audit body.
• Draft, negotiate and review contractual documentation and develop as appropriate standard formats to optimise efficiencies within the Legal function.
• Execute relevant administrative activities in the Legal function to ensure the availability of resources, continuous flow of information and updated records.
• Ensure an improved control environment in Legal in line with the business strategy.
• Effectively communicate across functions and within the department to keep all stakeholders informed and to find solutions for problems of mutual interest.
• Participate and contribute to cross functional business projects and initiatives to assess, monitor and anticipate potential threats with a view to removing or minimizing legal risks and ensuring achievement of business objectives.
• Management of the litigation portfolio and strategizing and implementing strategies to prevent and or reduce litigation exposure.

ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

• Recognized legal qualification through a reputable academic institution. Qualification as a Company Secretary is mandatory, Financial Auditor or Governance Auditor is an added advantage.
• At least 3-4 years’ experience in managing compliance issues or advising on good governance practices in a corporate environment.
• Sound knowledge of applicable regulatory requirements, corporate governance practices and emerging trends and issues on the same.
• Excellent knowledge of reporting procedures and corporate record keeping
• Ability to critically analyse and provide direction on compliance and governance issues.
• Collaborative team player with strong negotiation, communication and dispute resolution skills
• High personal and professional integrity and strong work ethics