Head Legal

Our client, is a key player in the telecoms industry, providing best-in- class network solutions and security services and maintains end-to-end network infrastructure for telecommunications (Wireless telecommunications Managed Services) to Cellular Operators, and 3rd party Network providers including industrial/commercial security is seeking to hire an experienced Head Legal that will provide internal legal services and act as the chief legal advisor to the company on all legal, statutory and constitutional requirements to ensure that the organization is protected from all legal action.

POSITION: Head of Legal

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

DIRECT REPORTS: 

• Contracts Manager

• Head, Regulatory, Govt Relations, Compliance & Community Issues (Lagos and Abuja)

PURPOSE

• To head the legal functions and activities including rendering of in-house legal opinions on all possible contentious matters having impact on legal, regulatory & business issues, and ensure full compliance, and ethical business conduct.

• To coordinate all arrangements for meetings of the Board to ensure that they are properly organized and conducted, and to implement all necessary policies and procedures, and governance structures to ensure that the Company complies with the Memorandum, Articles of Association and its statutory obligations.

• To oversee procurement functions and activities and ensure required goods and services are acquired at the very best value, in the right quality, and quantity, at the right time, in the right place, and from the right sources for the direct benefit of the company.

KEY DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

With limits of delegated authority from the board of directors, the CEO will be responsible for achieving the following responsibilities:

• Manages all legal matters of the company ensuring that all contracts are properly negotiated, executed and filed.

• Provides internal legal services and acts as the chief legal advisor to the company on all legal, statutory and constitutional requirements to ensure that the organization is protected from all legal action.

• Develops and ensure implementation of procurement strategies and contractual arrangement s in conjunction with heads of departments to achieve required outcomes and deliver value for money.

• Develops and monitors the implementation of procurement, purchasing and stores accounting policies and procedures to maintain economy and efficiency of business operations.

• Facilitates and coordinates a competitive procurement tendering process to establish the most appropriate procurement arrangement, taking account of procurement policies and procedures within the company.

• Creates, administer, and monitors the implementation, and updates company legal related policies and procedures designed to insure that the organization and its employees comply with required laws and regulations.

• Oversees the company legal process and compliances, and legal matters pertaining to site acquisition, management of community issues, permits and permits approvals, contracts and Contractual agreements, and company secretarial duties.

• Provides guidance for the Board and senior management team on matters relating to compliance.

• Acts as the depository of Legal records, Laws, Regulations, Licenses, Notices, Conventions and Protocols and disseminates the same to relevant arms of the company.

• Responsible for the updating and maintenance of the company legal and statutory documents, and taking all necessary steps to ensure that the company complies with data protection legislation.

• Drafts and negotiates all legal contracts and verifies the drawing of contracts and other legal documents and ensures the safe custody of security documents.

• Participates in the vetting and recommendation of appointment of External lawyers and their subsequent annual evaluation.

• Sets and develops internal compliance procedures for the Company.

• Coordinates with external legal resource and follows up of litigation by and against the company.

• Ensures internal compliance and permits approvals, contracts and Contractual agreements, and company secretarial duties.

• Provides guidance for the Board and senior management team on matters relating to compliance.

• Acts as the depository of Legal records, Laws, Regulations, Licenses, Notices, Conventions and Protocols and disseminates the same to relevant arms of the company.

• Responsible for the updating and maintenance of the company legal and statutory documents, and taking all necessary steps to ensure that the company complies with data protection legislation.

• Drafts and negotiates all legal contracts and verifies the drawing of contracts and other legal documents and ensures the safe custody of security documents.

• Participates in the vetting and recommendation of appointment of External lawyers and their subsequent annual evaluation.

• Sets and develops internal compliance procedures for the Company.

• Coordinates with external legal resource and follows up of litigation by and against the company.

• Ensures internal compliance and with appropriate law of the land and provides legal advice, service (including standardization, drafting, legal opinion, strategic advise)and consultation to internal stakeholder in the company.

• Develops, initiates, maintains, and revises policies and procedures for the general operation and its related activities to prevent illegal, unethical, or improper conduct in the company.

• Provides management with advice and guidance in identifying the critical problems to which the application of legal principals would yield the greatest opportunities for minimizing risks and maximizing profits.

• Investigates compliance issues and coordinates responses to regulatory inquiries or examinations.

• Identifies potential legal exposure and advises on possible mitigation.

• Provides regular and timely feedback to management; be proactive in the identification and resolution of issues that may have an impact on the operation and business of the Company.

• Develops and reviews legal policies and procedures and recommends areas of improvement.

• Liaises closely with external lawyers on legal matters and monitors and evaluates their activities.

• Prepares a variety of routine and special legal reports and opinions, on departmental related activities including monthly, quarterly and annual reports to the board and management.

• Plays a direct role in the development and growth of the Legal function team through communication skills and delegations, assuring tasks or projects are completed as desired and on time.

• Reviews and controls department budget to support systematically planned programs of legal actions or defenses and to assure optimum deployment of resource within approved budget.

• Supervises indirectly the daily activities of the department including, but not limited to, effective delegation of assignments, development of work schedules, and staff training, ensuring staff performance, good staff discipline and conduct, and optimum staff deployment.

• Develops a professionally competent staff of attorneys and legal and paralegal generalists and specialists.

• Keeps fully informed on all legislation affecting the organization's operations and of all new developments in corporate legal matters, and keeps all levels of management informed of applicable new laws and of the progress and results of court cases.

• Performs duties specific to the position and other functions as assigned.

COMMUNICATIONS AND WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

 Main Internal Contacts:

• The CEO

• The Senior Management Team

• Heads of commercial and support functions

  Main External Contacts:

• The board of directors and various board committees (company secretarial duties)

• Relevant Government Ministries and local government agencies

• Key customers, communities, and suppliers

• External auditing firms

• External Lawyers

SCOPE FOR IMPACT 

Give some recent examples of your work that illustrate in more detail your key result areas, together with the complexities and other significant aspects of the job.

ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• A four year LLB and LL.M degree from a reputed university

• Certified qualified lawyer

• Over 5 years experience of post qualification experience to have worked in corporate legal area preferably in a multinational company

• Masters degree or higher qualifications are desirable.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS REQUIRED

• Work related experience (at least 5 years) must consist of advanced understanding of the company operations and commercial transactions and company secretarial t.

• Demonstrated ability to communicate and interact across to the board and management with confidence and authority.

• Ability to deal with complex problems and ability in applying judgment and independent reasoning in situations where applicable precedence and laws may not exist.

• Demonstrated drafting skills for corporate compliance and legal documentation.

• Advanced Practical experience in negotiations and drafting documenting various types for company transactions.

• Advanced skills in research or investigations of facts and cases.

• Demonstrated ability to communicate and interact at senior levels with confidence and authority.

• Micro soft computer skills to meet production needs of the position.

• Exceptional oral, written and interpersonal communication skills with the ability to carry out instructions and instruct others, interpret documents, understand procedures, write reports and correspondence, speak clearly to management peers and employees.

• Excellent organizational and time management skills and drive for results.

• Ability to work with no supervision while performing duties.