Senior Director, Business and Legal Affairs

About the Opportunity

2U, through its South African subsidiary GetSmarter, is seeking a seasoned professional to join their team as a Senior Director of Business and Legal Affairs. This pivotal role will be based in Cape Town, with the flexibility of remote work within South Africa. The successful candidate will be instrumental in shaping and overseeing the legal and business frameworks that underpin GetSmarter's innovative educational technology offerings. This is a senior leadership position requiring a deep understanding of both legal intricacies and strategic business development within the rapidly evolving EdTech sector.

As the Senior Director, Business and Legal Affairs, your responsibilities will span a wide and critical spectrum of the organisation's operations. You will be tasked with developing and implementing robust legal strategies that align with GetSmarter's business objectives. This includes a significant focus on contract negotiation and management, ensuring all agreements with partners, vendors, and other stakeholders are meticulously drafted, reviewed, and executed.

Your role will involve providing expert legal counsel on a diverse range of matters, including intellectual property, corporate governance, compliance, and risk management. You will play a key part in safeguarding the company's interests while enabling its growth and innovation. Furthermore, you will be expected to collaborate closely with various internal teams, including product development, sales, and marketing, to provide proactive legal guidance and support. This collaborative approach ensures that legal considerations are integrated into business decisions from the outset, fostering a culture of compliance and ethical practice. You will also contribute to the development and implementation of company policies and procedures, ensuring they meet both legal requirements and business needs.

What They're Looking For

To excel in this senior leadership position, candidates will need a strong foundation in law coupled with significant experience in business affairs, ideally within the technology or education sectors. A relevant legal qualification, such as an LLB or equivalent, and admission as an attorney or advocate in South Africa, is essential.

The ideal candidate will possess a proven track record in managing complex legal matters, including significant experience in contract drafting, negotiation, and review. Expertise in intellectual property law, data privacy regulations (such as POPIA), and corporate governance is highly desirable. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills are a must, allowing for the accurate assessment of legal risks and the development of effective solutions. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are crucial, enabling you to effectively liaise with internal stakeholders at all levels, as well as external legal counsel and business partners. A strategic mindset, coupled with the ability to translate legal advice into practical business recommendations, will be key to success in this role. Experience in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, particularly within the EdTech or a related digital services industry, would be a significant advantage.

This role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to a growing and impactful organisation in the South African EdTech landscape. The position of Senior Director, Business and Legal Affairs is a critical component of GetSmarter's continued success, ensuring that its operations are legally sound and strategically aligned.

• Proven experience as a software developer, with expertise in relevant programming languages.
• Strong understanding of software development principles and methodologies.
• Experience with version control systems, preferably Git.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related field.