Group Legal Advisor / General Counsel

Purpose

To provide comprehensive legal leadership, safeguard the Group's interests across all EAC/IGAD jurisdictions, and ensure all commercial, operational, and governance activities comply with local and international law.

Key responsibilities

• Corporate & Commercial Law: Draft, review, and negotiate high-value contracts, Joint Ventures (JVs), Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), and multilateral donor agreements.
• Dispute Resolution: Lead litigation, arbitration, and mediation strategies; manage external counsel across Ethiopia, South Sudan, Kenya, and Uganda.
• Regulatory Advisory: Advise the ExCo on evolving corporate, labor, environmental, and trade laws within the EAC/IGAD region.

Qualifications

• LL.B. and LL.M. (International Business Law preferred); licensed to practice in at least one EAC jurisdiction
• 12+ years of post-qualification experience, with 5+ years in a senior in-house counsel role for a multinational or conglomerate

Performance indicators

• 100% Board-required legal review coverage on JV/M&A/PPP
• Dispute resolution cycle time reduction YoY
• Contract Review Turnaround: < 3 business days for standard agreements
• Legal Risk Mitigation: Zero material losses due to unmitigated legal exposure
• External Counsel Cost Management: ≤ 95% of allocated legal budget

Reports to

Group CEO (Solid); Board of Directors / Audit Committee (Dotted)