Head of Legal – Non-Banking Financial Services

Cape Town, South AfricaFull-timeExecutiveOn-sitePosted 6 Oct 2026

Job Overview

A leading, highly respected South African financial services group specialising in wealth management, asset management and broader non-banking financial solutions is appointing a Head of Legal in Claremont, Cape Town. The group's ecosystem includes a CIS manager, retirement fund administrator, long-term insurer and treasury outsource business, offering an intellectually stimulating environment with significant legal complexity.

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the Head of Legal will lead and empower a small, dynamic legal team and serve as strategic legal advisor to group entities, executive leadership and operational business units — covering wealth and asset management, linked long-term insurance, collective investment schemes, treasury solutions and marketing.

The role leads legal execution of new ventures, drafts and negotiates complex commercial contracts, interprets regulatory change for executives, represents the group at industry bodies such as ASISA, and partners closely with Compliance.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive legal counsel across wealth management, asset management, linked long-term insurance, CIS, treasury solutions and marketing

• Advise on legal risks and lead legal execution of new business ventures and strategic initiatives

• Draft, vet and negotiate complex commercial contracts, vendor agreements and client-facing documentation

• Proactively interpret regulatory changes, update executive leadership and represent the group at industry bodies (e.g. ASISA)

• Partner closely with Compliance and manage relationships with external legal counsel

• Manage, mentor and drive performance within the internal legal team

Required Qualifications

• LLB degree and admitted as an Attorney of the High Court of South Africa

• Minimum 15 years' post-qualification legal experience (PQE)

• At least 12 years as an in-house legal advisor or practising attorney specialising in non-banking financial services law

• Demonstrated experience leading and managing a team

• Deep knowledge of general commercial law and SA non-banking financial services regulation

• Strong negotiation and contract-drafting skills, high ethical standards, hands-on leadership and business insight

Skills & Requirements

Financial Services LawCommercial ContractsContract NegotiationCollective Investment SchemesLong-term Insurance RegulationRetirement Fund AdministrationRegulatory InterpretationLegal Risk ManagementCorporate GovernanceCompliance PartnershipLegal Team LeadershipExecutive Advisory