In-house Legal Administrator

ABOUT THE COMPANY 

Silvertreebrands is a private company operating a group of brands in the retail, online and consumer sector with a strong national footprint.

Each brand is a distinct legal entity and our business is growing. Our legal and risk function plays a key role in supporting expansion, managing commercial risk and keeping our corporate and trust structures in good order.

We are looking for an In-house Legal Administrator (3+ years’ experience) to join our team in Cape Town. The ideal candidate gets excited about improving processes and using AI technology to drive efficiencies, is comfortable working in a fast-moving commercial environment, and enjoys getting deep into contracts, leases, and corporate records. The role is supported by our experienced part-time in-house legal counsel and executive administration team, who have a wealth of institutional and legal knowledge to impart to the successful candidate.

ABOUT THE ROLE

You will report to the Chief Financial Officer and provide high-level administrative, drafting and organisational support to in-house and external legal counsel and the broader executive / risk management team, with a strong focus on:

Commercial contracts - Basic drafting, reviewing, summarising

Retail lease review and administration - Prior experience in this area is a must have for the role

Company and trust administration

Risk and compliance support 

You’ll be embedded in the business, working closely with commercial, finance and operations teams. Please Note - This is not a law-firm role.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Commercial Contracts & Lease Support

Assist with drafting, reviewing, formatting and proofreading commercial contracts (supply, services, NDAs, distribution, marketing, IT, etc.).

Be well-versed in reading and interpreting commercial leases, especially retail leases:

Track key terms (duration, renewals, break clauses, exclusivity, trading hours, landlord’s works, tenant’s works, operating costs, penalties, etc.).

Prepare lease term summaries / deal sheets for internal stakeholders.

Maintain a lease register, diarising critical dates (commencement, renewal, rent review, expiry, notice periods).

Prepare signature packs, manage signing workflows (including e-signatures) and ensure safe custody of originals.

2. Corporate Administration

Maintain company records in conjunctions with our external corporate administrator (share registers, resolutions, minutes, directors’ appointments and resignations).

Assist with CIPC filings and related documentation under guidance from the finance and legal team or external company secretaries.

Coordinate board and risk committee packs (information gathering, collating documents, formatting, checking for consistency, distributing packs, managing action lists).

Assist with FICA / KYC information for trusts as required by banks and counterparties.

3. Trust Administration

Support administration of employee incentive trust related to the group:

Maintain up-to-date trust records (trust deeds, letters of wishes, resolutions, minutes, beneficiary records).

Assist with FICA / KYC information for trusts as required by banks and counterparties.

 Liaise with external fiduciary service providers, accountants and tax advisers.

4. Risk, Compliance & General Legal Support

Assist with risk registers and quarterly risk reporting meetings, contract and lease registers, and other tracking tools.

Help collect and organise information for compliance projects (POPIA, consumer law, FICA / AML, health & safety, etc.).

Maintain and update template documents and clause libraries under the direction of the finance and legal teams.

Conduct desktop research on legal and regulatory topics and collate findings in a clear, business-friendly format.

Provide general administrative support:

 Diary management and meeting coordination for the CFO.

 Preparing presentations and internal comms relating to legal / risk matters.

Organising and maintaining electronic and physical filing systems.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS 

3+ years’ experience as a Legal Secretary / Legal Assistant / Paralegal, preferably:

  in an in-house commercial environment, or

  in a commercial property management company

or in the commercial law department at a law firm.

Relevant graduate diploma or degree, and a legal secretarial, paralegal or commercial law qualification is advantageous.

Solid, demonstrable experience with:

Commercial contracts (drafting, editing, tracking).

Commercial / retail leases – you must be confident reading and understanding lease clauses and spotting key commercial and risk points.

Corporate administration (company records, resolutions, minutes, filings) – either hands-on or closely supporting a company secretary / legal team.

Strong MS Office skills (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint), Google Suite and comfort with document / contract management systems.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

Accuracy and speed in document production and editing.

Competencies & Personal Attributes

Commercially minded – able to balance legal detail with practical business needs.

Exceptional attention to detail and a structured approach to work.

Strong organisation and time-management, able to juggle multiple contracts, leases and projects with competing deadlines.

Discreet and professional; comfortable handling confidential and sensitive information.

Proactive, solutions-driven and comfortable working without constant supervision.

A collaborative team player who enjoys working with finance, property, operations and external advisers.

A willingness to embrace the use of technology and AI tools in achieving work goals in an effort to be more efficient and empowered in your new role.

OUR OFFER

Market-related salary depending on skills, including pension plan and bonus scheme.

Compelling staff discounts on group brands.