Assist Legal Counsel - Guinness Ghana

GGBL is one of the largest listed companies in Ghana. It produces, markets and sells alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in Ghana.    It is a subsidiary of Diageo Plc, a global alcoholic drinks company.

This role reports into the Legal Counsel and Company Secretary.

The role is in the legal department and will link into the Diageo legal department to ensure access to standard processes including Diageo legal department activities/meetings and initiatives.

Purpose of Role:

• Enable GGBL to achieve its business objectives in a legally compliant way while unlocking commercial opportunities through good practice.

• Preserve value (financial and reputational) by minimising the risk of value leakage and litigation and maintaining compliance with laws and Diageo’s Codes.

• Support the Legal Counsel and Company Secretary in embedding standard process corporate governance.

Top 3-5 Accountabilities:

• Function as a highly effective legal and business partner and stay particularly close to the Legal Counsel and Company Secretary.

• Make significant contributions in ensuring that all the department’s internal and external stakeholders receive excellent service delivery thereby ensuring that the legal department effectively partners with all the functions in GGBL.

• Ensure proper contracts are in place and that the contract management system is maintained and is current.

• Ensure effective support is given to the business on all legal/commercial-related issues.

Qualifications and Experience Required:

• Qualified to work as a legal practitioner in Ghana.

• Strong commercial law background especially in the negotiation and documentation of commercial contracts

• Strong, analytical, drafting and negotiating skills.

• Strong research skills coupled with an ability to deconstruct sophisticated legal issues in order to provide cogent legal advice.

• Open and outward-looking attitude.

• Strong interpersonal skills.

• Ability to work confidently and stand ground with more senior managers.

• A strong commercial and pragmatic approach.

• At least 4 years post-qualification experience as a lawyer.

Barriers to Success in Role

• Inability to draft and review contracts and to advise on contractual arrangements/transactions.

• Inability to constantly reprioritise and manage expectations from a large and demanding business in a role that interacts with a high proportion of senior-level managers.

• Inability to understand and manage ambiguity and risk in an appropriate manner.

• Unwillingness to take and maintain strong positions with various departments in the business.

• Inability to manage and minimise the adverse business impact of external bureaucracy/ process/documentation requirements.