Legal Counsel | Global Energy Trading

Who we are

World Fuel is a global leader in the marketing, trading, distribution and financing of Land, Marine and Aviation fuel products and services. With 3,000+ employees across all continents, we are headquartered in Miami and ranked within the Fortune 500.
www.worldfuel.com

Position Location

Cape Town, South Africa – Hybrid

Overview

We are seeking a Contracts Counsel to join our exceptional global team, where you will be a trusted advisor to our global fuel trading operations team.

Reporting to the Assistant General Counsel and joining our 35+ member legal team which operates from the US, Singapore, UK, South Africa, Costa Rica and Brazil, we’re looking for a commercially minded attorney to join our high-performing legal team and provide proactive, hands-on legal support to our physical fuel supply and trading business, predominantly in the aviation sector.

This is a unique opportunity to work in a fast-paced, international environment where your legal expertise will directly impact business strategy and operations, and where you will provide high quality legal guidance that balances risk with business opportunity.

World Fuel embraces technology and efficient, flexible working practices. This role offers hybrid working, with regular attendance at our Cape Town office (two days per week), to maintain connection and collegiality.

Responsibilities

• Advising on aviation fuel product sale, purchase, logistics, and service agreements
• Drafting and negotiating commercial contracts across World Fuel’s global operations
• Providing legal advice on a range of commercial issues relating to international fuel trading activities
• Promoting a strong culture of compliance and ethical business practices
• Enhancing legal workflows by developing contract templates and process improvements
• Educating internal teams on legal best practices and contract management
• Building strong relationships with internal stakeholders, customers, and suppliers
• Acting as a visible, collaborative partner across global offices
• Representing World Fuel and its legal team with professionalism, integrity, and a solutions-oriented mindset
• At all times be a positive brand ambassador for World Fuel

Background and Skills

• An attorney qualified at a leading law firm in South Africa with 2–5 years PQE (candidates outside of this range with strong experience will be considered)
• In-house experience in energy, commodities trading, aviation, maritime, logistics or commercial products/services is a plus but not essential
• Strong legal skills, commercial acumen, and ability to deliver practical legal solutions
• Comfortable working with legal and contract technology solutions
• Ability to manage time and multiple priorities in a dynamic, performance-driven culture
• Professional presence, integrity, and strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage workload effectively
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to build trust and maintain relationships
• Ability to multitask in a fast-paced, evolving environment