The job holder is responsible for the effective and efficient management of the Legal Department, provision of legal advisory services to the organization and ensuring effective management of legal and contractual risks. In addition, the job holder will provide corporate governance services including but not limited to the management of Board affairs and ensure that the interests of the company are not prejudiced either before court or in the public domain.

Leadership Role

• Provide leadership and ensure efficient and effective management of staff and resources in the Legal Department including mentorship, coaching and training.
• Liaise with the Human Capital Department in conducting performance appraisals and ensure competency and training gaps are addressed.

Legal Risk

• Review and provide legal advice on tender documents.
• Liaise with relevant departments to ensure that where legal risks have been identified, appropriate courses of action have been taken.
• Provide legal protection and risk management advice to management especially on contract management.
• Implement and ensure that the Legal Risk Policy is adopted across the business.

Policy Development and Advisory

• Review and advise management on legal implications of internal policies and procedures.
• Review and draft contracts, agreements and internal policies and ensure that they are in compliance with all statutory or legal requirements.
• Researching and assisting management in interpreting and applying statutes, agreements, contracts, rules and regulations including drafting legal opinions.
• Sensitize Management on statutory provisions or any legislative changes affecting the Company.
• Proactively carry out research on emerging legal issues and advise management.

Litigation Management

• Maintain and update the database of cases and management of litigation
• Monitor that recoveries are made promptly and within the specified time scales so as to reduce the final cost of the claims.
• Maximize on in-house settlements as opposed to suits going to court so as to reduce claim costs
• Review progress of outstanding litigation and liaise with and manage external lawyers.
• Monitor that reserves are correctly set and regularly retrieved to reflect current position of the company’s liability.
• Monitor the performance of service providers for effective service delivery
• Collate documents and any evidence, identify and prepare witnesses in support of legal cases
• Representing the company in legal issues when required.

Regulatory Compliance & Governance

• Formulate compliance check-lists to be used for the purpose of ensuring that all information required is provided accordingly.
• Working closely with other stakeholders and the regulators to ensure compliance with the applicable legal framework and in like with the Stakeholder Relations Policy.
• Prepare monthly and quarterly reports for the department for executive management meetings.
• Provision of efficient Board secretariat services including organising, preparing agendas for and taking minutes of board meetings and annual general meetings (AGMs) and maintaining statutory books, including registers of members, directors and secretaries.

Contract Negotiation

• Review all contracts or any other documentation where the Company has committed itself and assess legal implications that need to be brought to the executive management’s attention.
• Prepare, review and modify contractual instruments to assist and support various business activities.
• Negotiate, review and draft documentation for business transactions and prepare and advise on the necessary checklist to be adopted to ensure information is submitted on time.

Skills

Employee Management, Ensure Compliance, Leadership, Legal Cases, Legal Practices, Legal Requirements, People Management, Regulatory Compliance

Education

Bachelor of Arts in Law (BA Law): Business Management With Law (Required), Diploma (Dipl.): Law Subjects (Required), Masters Degree (M)