Group General Counsel

The Takealot Group is looking for a dynamic individual to join our team, based in Cape Town in the role of Group General Counsel.

Purpose of the role

The Group General Counsel will oversee all legal and regulatory functions within the Takealot Group, ensuring that business operations, policies, and procedures comply with applicable laws. This role will involve acting as a pragmatic trusted advisor to senior management, providing strategic legal advice to mitigate risks and protect the business' interests, and offering insights into the development of South Africa's regulatory environment to enhance the digital economy's potential. The role also includes leading and mentoring the legal team and developing internal compliance programs to support the company's fast-paced growth.

Responsibilities

• To oversee all legal and regulatory compliance functions within the Takealot Group, ensuring all the business operations, policies, and procedures comply with applicable laws. The ability to drive change management and ensure buy-in throughout the Takealot Group is essential.
• To act as a pragmatic trusted advisor to senior management and to provide strategic legal advice to mitigate risks and protect interests of the Takealot Group. The ability to  understand business complexity and to simplify that complexity is essential.    
• To provide substantive insights into the development of the South African regulatory environment to unlock the potential of the digital economy and help identify and drive stakeholder engagement. This includes working closely with external relations work streams. 
• To lead the legal team and provide necessary support and mentorship, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement. This entails ensuring that the commercial, regulatory and platform compliance divisions within the legal team have processes that are agile, collaborative and responsive to the needs for the businesses. To also entail managing the legal department's budget and resources effectively.
• To oversee the development of internal compliance programs that support the fast-paced growth of the businesses, while ensuring shareholders are confident that appropriate governance measures are in place.

Qualification and Experience Required

• LLB degree from a recognized South African university
  
• Admission as an attorney in South Africa, alternatively a practicing advocate
• Minimum of 10 years legal experience, with at least 3 years in a senior legal role, preferably in the eCommerce or Technology sector
• In-depth knowledge of South African laws and regulations relevant to eCommerce
  
• Proven experience in contract negotiation, litigation, and dispute resolution
  
• Strong leadership and team management skills
  
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
  
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced and dynamic environment
• High ethical standards and integrity

Skills, Knowledge and Abilities

• Corporate Law (including Competition Law)
• Commercial Law
• Experience in Retail and eCommerce
• Experience in Dispute Resolution

The Environment

• takealot.com employees are entrepreneurial and dynamic, smart, customer-centric, fun and have the shared ambition of takealot.com being the leading e-commerce company in Africa.
• We have fun, work hard, take ownership, work in teams to create solutions, and are always open to direct feedback/new ideas on where we can improve.
• We are short on ego and high on output.
• We are doers and not only thinkers, it's all in the execution after all.
• We love what we do and what we are creating.

If you meet the above you are an Extraordinary Mind so come and join us!

Takealot is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants from the previously disadvantaged groups and people with disabilities will be given preference

Application Closing Date : 23 October 2026