Country Legal Counsel

Key Responsibilities

Legal Advisory and Regulatory Risk

• Provide practical and advice on legal and regulatory risks affecting the Bank’s operations in Uganda.
  
• Monitor changes in legislation, regulation, case law and legal precedent, escalating material implications where appropriate.
  
• Support business and functional teams in interpreting and applying relevant legal and regulatory requirements.
  
• Develop and maintain policies, processes and standard documentation that support effective management of legal risk.
  
• Deliver legal risk trainings and prepare relevant legal updates and bulletins.
  

Contracts, Transactions and Product Support

• Draft, review, negotiate and advise on banking and finance transactions including cross border transactions, commercial agreements and other legal documentation involving customers, counterparties and third parties.
  
• Ensure that contractual arrangements provide appropriate legal protections, remedies and enforceability under Ugandan law.
  
• Support the development and review of products, Product Programmes and standard-form documentation from a legal perspective.
  

Skills and Experience

Must-have Skills

• Legal advisory and regulatory risk management.
  
• Commercial contract drafting, review and negotiation.
  
• Corporate governance and company secretarial support.
  
• Strong legal analysis, judgement and problem-solving capability.
  
• Effective stakeholder communication and influencing skills.
  
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment and take ownership of matters through to completion.
  
• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail and ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
  
• Proactive, collaborative and solutions-oriented approach, with strong interpersonal and stakeholder management skills.
  

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Laws degree.
  
• Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre, or an equivalent recognised qualification.
  
• Qualified lawyer with eligibility to practise in Uganda.
  
• At least five years of relevant post qualification legal experience.
  
• Demonstrable experience in banking and finance, corporate and commercial transactions, and/or financial services regulation.
  
• Experience in legal advisory, contract drafting and negotiation, regulatory risk and dispute resolution.
  
• Experience in a financial institution or law firm with demonstrable experience in banking and finance matters.
  
• Experience in engaging senior management, regulators and diverse business stakeholders.
  
• Experience in corporate governance or company secretarial matters would be an added advantage
  
• Strong written and spoken English.