Consultant: Corporate Legal Services

About the Position

 An exciting opportunity is available for a skilled, results-driven and self-directed Legal Consultant/Advisor to join SARS Corporate Legal Services division. The successful candidate will provide high-quality legal support and advisory services to business, with a strong focus on legal drafting, contract drafting and negotiation, public procurement, IT law, litigation and dispute resolution. The role requires high ethical standards, good communication skills, attention to detail, teamwork, sound judgement, professionalism, the ability to identify and mitigate legal risks in a complex and fast-paced environment.

Job Purpose

To provide legal advisory and specialist drafting services, on non-tax related matters, to various business units within SARS.

Education and Experience

Minimum Qualification & Experience Required

Bachelor’s Degree / Advanced Diploma (NQF 7) in Law or related field AND  5 - 7 years’ experience in a Legal environment, of which 2 – 3 years at a technically skilled level.

ALTERNATIVE #

Senior Certificate (NQF 4) AND 10 years related experience, of which 2 - 3 years at a technically skilled level.   

Minimum Functional Requirements

• Extensive knowledge of public sector governance, including an understanding of the roles and responsibilities assigned to government departments and agencies.

• Thorough grasp of applicable legal frameworks, such as legislation, regulations, and directives that impact IT operations and public procurement.


• Proficiency in organisational policies and procedures, ensuring full compliance with both internal and external standards.


• Capability to interpret and advise on administrative law, data protection, privacy, and cybersecurity laws relevant to the public sector.


• Strong communication skills for effective and productive engagement with stakeholders, including a range of service providers, IT professionals, management, and external legal advisers.


• Analytical ability to evaluate legal risks and propose mitigation or practical solutions within the scope of IT projects and initiatives.


• Provision of reliable guidance to Bid Specifications; Bid Evaluation as well as Bid Adjudication Committees.


• Competence in drafting legal opinions.

• Experience in drafting, reviewing, interpreting and negotiating IT-related contracts, including service level agreements and procurement documents.


• Experience in litigation and dispute resolution support. 

Job Outputs:

Process

• Accumulate information to review work progress that provides input to reporting, decision making and the identification of improvement opportunities. (I)


• Apply practical and applied knowledge and act authoritatively on methods, systems and procedures to identify trends and potential risks. (I)


• Communication of situational interpretation and judgement of work outputs and queries in area of specialisation. (I)


• Coordinate, administer and manage all SARS freedom of information requests.


• Correctly apply policies, practices, standards, procedures and legislation in the delivery of work outputs. (I)


• Draft contracts (SLAs / leases / memo of understanding).


• Draft, vet, update and develop enterprise governance instruments for legal compliance with legislation SARS is required to comply with.


• Draw on own knowledge and experience to diagnose symptoms, causes and possible effects in order to solve emerging problems. (I)


• Drive processes that ensures that disputes i.e. objections and appeals (including high court litigations) are handled timeously and fairly, in line with organisational targets.


• Execute specialist input through investigation and opportunities within the product process including risk concern.


• Initiate process and procedural change, implement the change and provide guidelines and support related to new requirements as a result of the change. (I)


• Participate in all key tenders and makes recommendations in conjunction with other role-players in order to facilitate decision making.


• Participate in tender and related processes, draft and vet contracts.


• Plan for value-added process improvements, initiatives and services to deliver on operational strategy and objectives. (I)


• Provide advise and support in the drafting or vetting of contracts and identify legal risks.


• Provide and oversee legal support for non-tax related legal issues related to the organisation.


• Provide direction and legal advice on draft contracts, agreements and internal policies and ensure that they are in compliance with all statutory or legal requirements.


• Provide direction by establishing a function with legal expertise to advise management on all non-tax legal matters, internal policies and procedures.


• Provide legal advice and support to the organisation on a broad spectrum of corporate commercial matters affecting the business of SARS both internally and externally.


• Provide legal advice relating to Human Resources, Finance and Procurement legal risk assessment, policy consideration and legal compliance so as to ensure sound corporate governance practices.


• Provide specialist input through the investigation of opportunities for operational and process, product and risk optimisation. (I)


• Support the implementation of protection of personal information and advice on compliance.


• Undertake information gathering, research and analyse data within broad guidelines to produce accurate plans and / or recommendations for business issues.


• Provide input into the strategic direction, management and performance of the legal research and development division.

Governance

• Implement and provide input into the development of governance, compliance, integrity and ethics processes within area of specialisation. (I)

People

• Develop and maintain productive working relationships with peers and team members to achieve


• predefined objectives. (I)


• Search for, integrate and share new knowledge attained through formal and informal learning opportunities in the execution of your job. (I)

Finance

• Adhere to organisational policies and procedures to ensure cost effectiveness and reduction of financial costs. (I)

Client

• Contribute to a culture of service excellence, which builds positive relationships and provides opportunity for feedback and exceptional service. (I)


• Liaise and coordinate with relevant key stakeholders in terms of the memorandums of understanding (MOU).


• Provide authoritative, specialist services, expertise and advice to internal and external stakeholders. (I)

Behavioural competencies

• Fairness and Transparency


• Analytical Thinking


• Accountability


• Conceptual Ability


• Organisational Awareness


• Trust


• Respect


• Problem Solving and Analysis


• Honesty and Integrity


• Attention to Detail


• Commitment to Continuous Learning


• Expertise in Context

Technical competencies

• Business Knowledge


• Corporate Legal Services Management


• Data Collection and Analysis


• Efficiency improvement


• Functional Policies and Procedures


• Legal Advisory & Interpretation


• Legal Knowledge & Knowledge of Ethics


• Legal Writing Skills


• Reporting


• Research


• Service Delivery


• Vendor Evaluation and Management

Compliance Competency

• The ability to assess compliance to best practice

Employment Equity

The Employment Equity policy of SARS will be considered as part of the recruitment and selection process and Persons with Disabilities are encouraged to apply. Successful candidates will be required to undertake an oath of secrecy, pre-employment screening, case study, pre-assessment, psychometric assessment and or vetting, and a declaration of private interest. The appointment is also subject to appropriate reference(s) and security clearance where applicable.