About the position
?? About the Opportunity A leading South African development finance institution operating within the agricultural and commercial banking environment is seeking to appoint a Legal Advisor: Recoveries & Insolvency. This role is suited to an admitted attorney with strong recoveries, insolvency and commercial drafting experience, looking to operate within a structured banking and financial services environment. The successful candidate will play a critical role in managing legal recoveries, mitigating legal risk and supporting business units with sound, commercially focused legal advice. ?? Main Purpose of the Role Provide legal advice, opinions and risk-mitigating solutions to business units and branches. Manage the legal recoveries and insolvency process within allocated responsibility. Oversee external panel attorneys and ensure service delivery in line with SLAs. Support the GM: Insolvencies & Recoveries in monitoring performance, reporting and governance compliance. Draft, review and vet legal agreements related to lending and recovery matters. ?? Key Performance Areas 1?? Management of Legal Recovery Process Initiate legal action on instruction from business units. Assess recoverability of debt and recommend appropriate legal strategy. Analyse account information, including securities held. Issue Letters of Demand where required. 2?? Legislative Compliance & Legal Risk Management Provide proactive guidance on legislative changes impacting operations. Advise on risk mitigation strategies aligned to regulatory requirements. 3?? Management of External Service Providers Manage and oversee panel attorneys. Ensure adherence to Service Level Agreements. Evaluate attorney performance and recommend improvements. Vet legal cost statements to ensure compliance with agreed tariffs. 4?? Policy & Process Improvement Identify policy or procedural gaps within recoveries processes. Recommend and support implementation of improvements. Monitor compliance and escalate non-adherence where required. 5?? Functional Oversight & Reporting Provide functional guidance to: Specialist: Insolvency & Recoveries Specialist: Debt Collection & Business Intelligence (BIP) Monitor reporting, record keeping and system updates (AMS). 6?? Stakeholder Relationship Management Build strong working relationships with internal business units et al. 7?? Drafting, Vetting & Legal Advisory Draft, review and interpret commercial agreements, including: Loan Agreements Suretyships Cessions Mortgage Bonds Notarial Bonds Settlement Agreements Provide legal opinions and advice relating to: Commercial and Corporate Law Insolvency and Recoveries ?? Preferred Minimum Education & Experience 4-year LLB Degree or equivalent. Minimum 3 years post-admission experience. Experience within banking, recoveries, insolvency or commercial litigation environments will be advantageous. ?? Legislative Knowledge Required Companies Act National Credit Act (NCA) Consumer Protection Act (CPA) Insolvency Act Trust Property Control Act Other relevant financial and commercial legislation Additional Requirements
Desired Skills:
- Strong knowledge of financial principles
- Legal drafting and analytical capability
- Commercial acumen
- Negotiation and stakeholder engagement skills
- Risk assessment and problem-solving ability
- Strong reporting and organisational skills
About The Employer:
Finance with Roots
Some banks finance malls.
Some banks finance mines.
Our client finances something far more fundamental - the production systems that sustain communities and drive rural economies.
This specialist lender works across the agricultural ecosystem, structuring innovative funding solutions for commercial and developing enterprises alike. The environment is highly regulated, risk-conscious and commercially sophisticated - but grounded in real-economy impact.
If you're looking for a role where your financial, legal or credit expertise connects directly to tangible economic outcomes, this is the place.
