Senior Corporate Counsel
Blue chip company
Rare in house transactional role
Sydney
This is a key role that will be responsible for leading and supporting complex transactions from inception through integration, including partnering with group functional leaders in the identification of acquisition, joint venture and private equity investment targets, then performing legal diligence review, advising internal stakeholders on legal risks and drafting and negotiating all related transaction agreements and ancillary documents.
This is a very active business who will always have at least one big transaction on the go at any one time and who have completed 6 hostile takeovers of substantial businesses in the last 6 years as well as IPO’s and acquisitions of another 10+ smaller companies and selling down major shareholdings in Investment companies.
Our client is looking for a strong Transactional lawyer who can work closely with the business leaders to lead these transactions, whilst also working on the Corporate Governance side of things as well. Someone who is naturally inquisitive and keen to learn about every aspect of this business will be the best fit for this important role.
Experience
• Approximately 7-10 years PQE in a transactional role (Corporate/M&A/Finance), gained within a reputable firm at Senior Associate level and/or in-house experience gained in a blue-chip corporate team specializing in M&A and / or corporations law. (Whilst the PQE level is just a guide, the candidate is expected to be able to run transactions with a high level of autonomy)
• General corporate advisory experience (e.g., Chp 2E, directors duties, insolvency)
• Experience reviewing and negotiating a wide range of commercial contracts.
• Multi-disciplinary experience (IT, IP, Employment, services, procurement) This is a nice to have rather than the focus of the role.
• Experience or understanding of debt financing and DCM markets a plus
• Proven ability to manage competing deadlines and manage key projects simultaneously.
• Experience of working on transactions in infrastructure, construction, mining, other industrial business with multinational operations highly regarded.
Skills and behavioural competencies
• Exceptional drafting, verbal, and written communication skills with the ability to effectively convey an opinion, position, or counter-position on a matter in plain English
• Financial literacy – ability to understand financial information and accounting and corporate finance principles
• Practical commercial approach with exceptional problem-solving skills.
• Resilience and ability to work in fast-paced, high-pressure environment.
• Exceptional influencing, interpersonal, collaboration and negotiation skills with high emotional intelligence.
• Innovative – seeking to drive best for Group outcomes through new and better ways.
• Ability to analyse data and identify trends, intelligence to inform legal approach and priorities.
• Motivated and able work autonomously to deadlines, manage conflicting priorities in a high-volume work
environment.
Key Performance Areas
• Providing high quality, strategic and commercially focused legal and regulatory advice to the Executive and Group Legal Teams across a broad range of legal areas including Treasury, M&A and corporations law.
• Lead legal project management in connection with M&A transactions, including managing the efficient use of external legal resources, and ensuring relevant deal information flow and appropriate coordination between legal and the other cross-functional teams.
• Assist with the management of the clients investments, including reviewing JV board papers and contributing to strategy.
• Manage structuring, due diligence, negotiation, execution, implementation, and post- deal integration for complex acquisitions and investment transactions.
• Ability to draft and develop legal templates, policies, and procedures in line with the broader commercial objectives of the Group to assist in the development of a more efficient transaction environment.
• Draft wide range of legal documents including transaction and ancillary documents.
• Detail key acquisition steps, milestones, timelines, and required resources by utilising concise project plans.
• Conduct proper risk management of transaction activities.
• Monitoring legislative/regulatory changes and provision of legal advice which may impact business operations and processes.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant legal and regulatory requirements across the Group.
• Project managing aspects of legal projects and initiatives with cross functional stakeholders as directed from time to time.
• Continually contributing to the improvement of work systems, processes, and planning systems within the legal team.
• Support stakeholder development of legal strategies, initiatives and change management plans across the Group.
This is a really exciting role in a large, complex, market leading organisation where you will have genuine autonomy and responsibility. You will report directly to the Group General Counsel and work very closely with Head of M&A & Strategy and the Head of Treasury. Its a highly visible role where you will work with the top executives on a daily basis.
Apply with your CV for details to: chris@synergy-search.com.au or call Chris on 0414724747