BRIEF DESCRIPTION:-
The Senior Legal and Technical Specialist will provide expert legal and technical advice on retirement fund and employee benefits matters, interpret regulatory changes, and draft legal documents. Key responsibilities include advising on legal compliance, regulatory monitoring, governance, and training, as well as leveraging technology for efficiency. The role requires advanced legal research, communication, and stakeholder management skills, along with a strong background in pension funds and regulatory frameworks.
Job Title: Senior Legal and Technical Specialist Company: Sanlam Group
Description
Position Overview
The Senior Legal and Technical Specialist will play a pivotal role in delivering top-tier legal, technical, regulatory, and governance support within the Simeka Consult Legal and Technical unit. This role involves providing expert advice to consultants, retirement funds, boards of trustees, principal officers, and employer clients on retirement fund and employee benefits matters. You will interpret legislative and regulatory changes and convert them into practical, client-oriented solutions. Responsibilities include drafting and reviewing legal opinions, fund rules, policies, agreements, and regulatory communications, contributing to trustee and consultant training, and supporting Simeka Consult’s strategic initiatives and thought leadership efforts. The role requires advanced skills in legal research, written communication, presentation, and stakeholder management, along with sound business insight and the ability to handle complex, ambiguous, and sometimes contentious issues. You will demonstrate professional judgement, ownership, and accountability while leveraging technology and AI appropriately, ensuring accuracy, quality assurance, and client-specific application. The position is located in Sandton/Bellville/Centurion and is part of the Sanlam Corporate environment.
Role Responsibilities
Legal- Level 7 - Optimisation
Develop, refine, and implement the organization's legal services under the guidance of senior professionals.
Information and Business Advice- Level 7 - Optimisation
Offer specialized advice on policy and procedure interpretation and application, resolving intricate or contentious issues to enable appropriate actions.
Document Preparation- Level 7 - Optimisation
Compose and edit materials tailored to various audiences, aligning tone and content to meet specific needs.
External Communications- Level 7 - Optimisation
Design and execute a communication plan for significant external interactions, with guidance from senior staff.
Litigation Management- Level 7 - Optimisation
Oversee the implementation of the organization's litigation strategy and methods, ensuring efficiency, effectiveness, and cost-conscious processing.
Required Skills
Presentation Skills - Advanced
Deliver information verbally in a clear, concise, and compelling manner, typically working independently and offering guidance.
Written Communication - Advanced
Express ideas and request actions through clear and effective writing, independently and providing guidance.
Law and Regulations - Advanced
Professionally interpret and apply legal knowledge, independently and offering guidance.
Legal Communication - Advanced
Communicate effectively on legal matters, independently and providing guidance.
Legal Research - Advanced
Research and apply legal concepts and information, independently and providing guidance.
Legal Compliance and Procedures - Advanced
Ensure adherence to relevant laws, regulations, and internal policies, independently and providing guidance.
Key Responsibilities
Legal and Technical Advisory
Deliver specialist legal and technical advice to consultants, retirement funds, boards of trustees, principal officers, employer clients, and internal stakeholders on complex retirement fund and employee benefits issues. Research, interpret, and apply legislation, regulations, regulatory instruments, fund rules, case law, and industry guidance, converting these into practical recommendations and implementation steps. Prepare clear, well-reasoned legal and technical opinions and support complex matters including retirement benefits, membership, contributions, death benefits, divorce and maintenance orders, and other regulatory issues.
Regulatory Monitoring and Implementation
Monitor developments from the FSCA, National Treasury, the Office of the Pension Funds Adjudicator, legislators, and relevant industry bodies, assess their impact, and communicate material developments to consultants and clients. Prepare legal and technical distribution communications, practical implementation guidance, and commentary on proposed legislation, regulatory instruments, discussion papers, and industry consultations. Support funds and boards with regulatory implementation, submissions, rule amendments, and governance changes.
Governance, Drafting and Quality Assurance
Advise on fiduciary duties, board governance, policies, conflicts of interest, service-provider governance, risk management, POPIA, and relevant technology and cybersecurity governance matters. Draft, review, and amend fund rules, policies, governance frameworks, service level agreements, contracts, confidentiality undertakings, regulatory submissions, and other legal documents. Provide peer review and quality assurance to ensure advice and documentation are legally sound, technically accurate, practical, and appropriate to the client context.
Consultant Enablement, Training and Thought Leadership
Prepare and present legal and technical updates at Consultant Connect and other internal forums, and develop practical guidance that enhances consultant capability. Develop and deliver trustee and client training. Contribute to thought leadership and industry publications, and participate in professional or industry forums where appropriate.
Strategic Collaboration, Innovation and AI
Provide legal and technical input into strategic projects and best-practice work, focusing on high-value advisory rather than routine processing. Utilize AI, automation, and other technologies to improve research, drafting, and workflow efficiency. Independently verify outputs against primary legal and regulatory sources, apply professional judgement, and ensure that final advice remains accurate, contextual, and fit for purpose.
Qualification and Experience
LLB degree or equivalent recognized South African law qualification. Postgraduate qualification in Pension Funds Law, Financial Planning, Compliance, Corporate Law, or a related field is advantageous. Minimum 7 years of relevant post-qualification experience, preferably including at least 5 years of substantive experience in retirement funds, employee benefits, insurance, or a closely related financial-services environment. Demonstrated experience providing independent legal or technical advice on retirement fund and employee benefits matters. Experience drafting legal opinions, fund rules or amendments, policies, governance documents, and commercial or service agreements. Experience interpreting and implementing regulatory change and preparing technical communications, training, or presentations. Experience in a consulting, advisory, insurer, administrator, or retirement fund environment is advantageous. Experience contributing to industry commentary, regulatory submissions, or thought leadership is advantageous.
Knowledge and Skills
Advanced knowledge of the Pension Funds Act, retirement fund regulatory framework, fund rules, governance requirements, and fiduciary duties. Strong working knowledge of the Financial Sector Regulation Act, POPIA, applicable tax principles, divorce and maintenance legislation, contract law, and administrative-law principles as they affect retirement funds. Knowledge of financial-sector regulatory developments, governance, risk management, and emerging technology and cybersecurity considerations relevant to retirement funds. Legal research, statutory interpretation, analytical, and problem-solving skills. Legal and technical drafting skills with strong attention to detail and quality assurance. Ability to translate complex legislation and legal principles into practical, accessible guidance for consultants, trustees, employers, and other non-lawyer stakeholders. Strong presentation, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement skills. Ability to prioritize competing deadlines, work independently, and manage complex matters with limited supervision. Digital fluency, including responsible use of AI and automation tools, together with the professional judgement to validate, challenge, and refine technology-assisted outputs.
Required Behavioural Competencies
Manages Complexity Ensures Accountability Instils Trust Business Insight Optimises Work Processes Organisational Savvy
The closing date for this advert is 5th November 2026.
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