SA - Legal Counsel Project Finance

Summary of Role:

This role provides legal support for Mainstreams Project Finance activities in South Africa. As the business grows in Australia, there will be opportunities to support these activities there as well.

The role requires working closely with and advising colleagues in many functions across the business (e.g., Commercial, Project Finance and M&A, Energy Markets and PPAs)

This is a challenging position with wide ranging duties and responsibilities; it will offer you the opportunity to work in a dynamic and entrepreneurial organisation, in a growing market, and a fast-paced industry.

Practice areas:

• Project Finance - debt and equity, project-level versus structured and portfolio financings versus public market debt products.
• Energy Markets - PPA structures, energy exchanges, credit support, bankability.
• Corporate - co-developments, joint ventures, acquisitions, disposals, internal restructurings.
• Legal due diligence.
• Legal relationship management and legal risk management (required of all Legal team members).
• Data privacy, anti-bribery, corruption, and ethics compliance (required of all Legal team members).

What you will do:

(a) Contracts :

• Support in negotiating, drafting and/or reviewing key contracts.
• Be familiar with relevant terms and conditions of the suite of legal documents in the practice areas listed above, and provide commercial support related to the effective execution of these contracts.
• Monitor and develop the effectiveness of all standard legal instruments to ensure utmost protection of Mainstream rights, adherence to local (SA) legal and regulatory requirements, as well as accommodation of the development of business activities.

(b) Legal Advice :

• Advise and assist on issues related to the practice areas listed above.
• Support in addressing, resolving and managing legal issues delegated by the Head of Legal, South Africa and Asia-Pacific.
• Identify key legal risks, research issues and formulate strategies to mitigate exposures; prepare legal opinions as may be necessary.
• Monitor, research and understand relevant legislative changes and case law affecting Mainstreams business and the wider renewable energy sector, including project finance and energy markets matters.

(c) Litigation :

• Receive / issue, address, manage and appropriately defend (as necessary) contractual claims and disputes with third parties (e.g., lenders, equity investors, off-takers).
• Support the Head of Legal, South Africa and Asia-Pacific in initiating or defending legal action against the business, including reviewing/managing the progress of litigation and liaising with external legal and other advisors.

(d) Other Support :

• As required, engage with both external and internal legal/advisory resources.

What we require:

• Completed LLB (or similar) qualification.
• Minimum 5 years experience at a similar level with proven experience in financing energy projects.
• Strong experience in the practice areas listed above.
• Strong negotiation and commercial contract drafting skills essential.
• Experience or secondments in-house to a multinational company would be advantageous but not essential.
• Be a self-starter with the ability to prioritise work, multi-task and work to set deadlines within a dynamic and fast-moving environment.
• Candidates should be capable of managing internal and external resources.
• We are looking for a candidate who can assimilate complex information, who can support a diverse and high-performing team in a demanding environment.
• A creative problem solver and a proven track record in the delivery of solutions to a range of challenging corporate issues.
• As you will be a central point of contact, you will need strong organisational skills, a confident manner and ability to communicate clearly with the executive and senior management.
• A key feature of this role will be collaboration, both internally and externally, with the ability to work cross-functionally with all departments.
• Proficient with MS Office Suite.
• Experience in the renewable energy industry will be an advantage.
• The candidate must be fluent in English; fluency in other languages is considered an advantage.

What we offer:

We offer you the opportunity to work in a dynamic and entrepreneurial organisation, to be part of a diverse workplace with regards to gender, age and cultural background in the most exciting industry in the world today. You will receive a very competitive total benefits package including an excellent base salary and bonus scheme.

Career development

• Excellent training (an average 54 hours a year)
• Career progression
• Self-paced online learning portal for micro courses across a range of functional and inter personal skills

Shared financial success

• A competitive, industry benchmarked and cost-of-living linked salary, reviewed annually
• Performance bonus
• Salary contribution to your pension fund and private medical cover

Work/life balance

• WFH in a hybrid working arrangement
• Generous annual leave, plus a community or charity work day each year
• Paid maternity, parental, adoptive and bereavement leave
• Parental transitional coaching

True diversity & inclusion

• Equal opportunity targets
• GWEC Women in Wind and Mainstream Women in Renewables programmes
• You can be you, whatever your gender, colour or sexual orientation

Care for health & wellbeing

• Life cover
• Free Employee Assistance Program for you and your family