Key details

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Requirements

Proven experience providing legal advice on international trade and investment agreements and negotiations.

Experience drafting and legally vetting negotiating positions, legal texts and treaty provisions.

Experience leading or participating in negotiating teams in bilateral, plurilateral and multilateral forums (WTO, AfCFTA, EU, EPA, UK EPA, etc.), Strong research and analytical skills, including ability to conduct statistical and legal research to support negotiations.

Experience preparing technical reports, policy briefs, legal opinions and speaking notes for senior management and stakeholders.

Experience coordinating dispute initiation and defence processes (WTO or regional agreements) and drafting statements of claim or defence.

Stakeholder liaison experience with internal branches, State Law Advisors, external counsel and international partners.

Project and case management experience, including managing multiple files, meeting deadlines and quality standards.

Supervisory experience including staff development, performance management and collating inputs for business plans and reports.

Experience monitoring financial resources and reporting on financial and 65 operational risks for a unit (programme-level budgets).

Excellent written and verbal communication skills and negotiation skills; proficiency in Microsoft Office.

Duties

Prepare country and customs union negotiating positions on international trade and investment issues: Contribute to the development and execution of legal aspects of South Africa’s trade and investment agreement negotiations.

Manage technical legal work for multilateral, regional and bilateral negotiations (e.g., WTO, SADC, AfCFTA, Tripartite, EU, EPA, UK EPA).

Prepare reports, technical notes, analytical assessments, recommendations and briefings on legal aspects in negotiations.

Legally vet positions and formulate or contribute to the formulation of legal text that reflects negotiation outcomes.

Lead or support negotiating teams and provide persuasive legal arguments and analysis.

Provide legal analysis and opinions on various international trade and investment issues: Advise on South Africa’s obligations and rights under international agreements and analyse complex technical information.

Conduct research and provide legal inputs, including statistical research to support negotiations and policy making.

Prepare reports, papers, briefings and speaking notes for senior management and respond to ad-hoc legal enquiries.

Coordinate inputs in the initiation and defence of disputes in the WTO and in terms of SA’s regional trade and investment agreements: Act as contact point for coordination of disputes and provide logistical and technical assistance to line-function departments.

Support management of legal processes in conjunction with external counsel where required and draft statements of claim or defence.

Provide legal advice to the various Branches within the dtic on international trade and investment and input on review of legislation: Provide general legal advice on operational issues arising in trade and investment agreements and support ratification and liaison with State Law Advisors.

Provide input to the review or amendment of existing legislation related to trade and investment.

Sub directorate management: Manage collation of inputs into quarterly and annual reports, business plans and targets.

Monitor financial resources and assets of t-he unit (budget input ±R3 million) and manage human resources of the sub directorate.

Manage reporting on financial and operational risk and ensure performance management processes are completed within prescribed timefra-mes.

How to apply

Email: applications@thedtic.gov.za

Tip: Many government posts require a completed Z83 form. Download it above and follow the guide.

Notes

In terms of the dtic's EE requirements, preference will be given to Coloured female, Coloured male, White male and persons with disabilities.