Legal Counsel at Newmont Mining Corporation

About This Role

• To support the function to deliver its objective of identifying and managing legal risks, and verifying compliance with local laws as well as guaranteeing the management and security of all mineral rights.
• To provide legal advice to internal clients to manage legal risk, guarantee regulatory compliance, review contracts and human resources processes, manage litigation and external counsel, and manage costs of the department.
• Represent Newmont’s interest with business partners across the Region and establish sound internal and external stakeholder networks in regard to Company’s legal interest.

In This Role You Will:

Advise and Support

• Provide legal advice to internal clients to manage legal risk.
• Provide back-up support for evaluating, promoting and addressing compliance with Newmont’s Code of Conduct, policies and standards at site, including but not limited to the Anti-Corruption Standard, Gifts and Entertainment Standard, and Conflicts of Interest Standard, and all associated regional and site-based requirements.
• Advise on applicable laws and regulations, and on mining framework, including Investment Agreement.
• Provide legal advice and assistance to management in relation to Ghanaian legal requirements for key areas such as permitting, environment and social governance, human resources, mining regulations, finance, land and tenements, etc.

Ethics and Compliance

• Certify regulatory compliance by internal functions to comply with laws-advice on issues.
• Review human resources processes to prove that employment decisions are rightfully done to avoid any legal or litigation risk.
• Provide support in ethics and compliance investigations, as appropriate.

Company Governance and Reporting

• Support the Company Secretary in running meetings and activities relating to the Board of Directors and verify that company’s statutory records are up-to-date.
• Act as custodian of key corporate legal documents.
• Liaise with the Corporate records function on records management.
• Complete / oversee, prepare, submit and monitor applications, reports and filings with applicable government agencies.
• Represent the company in meetings with senior regulatory officials.
• Support regional governance process and documentation, done by a cross-functional working group to harmonise and update all governance documents for the region.
• Confirm that the Regional Vice President, Legal is apprised of legal, contractual and regulatory issues affecting Newmont Ghana entities and operations.
• Visit sites and participate in site leadership team meetings to maintain visibility to issues affecting operations.

Contracts

• Draft, review contracts or negotiate contract terms submitted by supply chain department and other internal clients to confirm that the business has the most favourable terms.
• Negotiate and review contracts.
• Review / draft tenancy agreement between the organization and landlords.
• Review / draft agreements between the organization and communities the company operates in.
• Support the acquisition and management of tenements – represent and / or arrange legal representation.

Additional Responsibilities:

Litigation

• Support the management of legal affairs of Newmont Ghana sites and operations.
• Support management of litigation and external counsel for the business to guarantee that the business is victorious and to reduce litigation cost.
• Identify and assess legal risks arising from the Newmont Ghana operations, and in consultation with Department Managers, develop and implement strategies for managing the legal risks.

Relationship Management

• Maintain working relationships with department leaders and key teams, to understand and address legal support needs.
• Maintain strategic relationships with key government / regulatory officials, especially legal officers of key regulators, and represent the company in meetings with senior regulatory officials.
• Work in cooperation with other Newmont legal counsel and managers regarding projects elsewhere in the Africa region and other regions.

Training

• Train internal and external clients / stakeholders in applicable areas.

Your Training, Skills & Experience Checklist:

Formal Qualification (including Professional Registrations):

• Bachelor’s degree and professional qualification in Law.
• Admission to the Ghana Bar.

Additional Knowledge:

• Knowledge of commercial and construction contracts.
• Knowledge of the litigation process and court system.
• Knowledge of corporate law and governance.
• Regulatory compliance knowledge.
• International training or professional experience.

Experience: 

• A lawyer with 8 to 10 years practice.
• Legal background with adequate commercial savvy.
• Experience in engaging in operational or project management issues.
• Strategic relationship management with internal and external stakeholders.

Technical Skills:

• Advanced verbal and written communication.
• Advanced computer literacy skills – MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook).
• Contract drafting.
• Claims management.
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Administrative skills.
• Business continuity management.
• Conflict management.
• Business English.
• Business modelling.
• Advanced interpersonal skills.
• Corporate Governance.

Behavioural Attributes:

• Professional.
• Respect.
• Influential.
• Customer focused.
• Trust and confidentiality.
• Confident.
• Reliable.
• Independent.
• Safety conscious.
• Results driven
• Proactive.
• Accurate.

Working Conditions

• The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to efficiently perform the essential functions of this job.
• The incumbent is exposed to an environment where the need for detailed or precise work is extreme.
• Regular travel is required.