Head of Legal Services

SUMMARY:
To drive and implement the strategy and strategic intent of the Department by ensuring achievement of specified outcomes to support the Corporations strategic outcomes; to lead a team of legal specialists responsible for providing sound, clear and accurate legal advice in order to minimize the legal risks that the company is exposed to in its daily activities; and to provide leadership and ensure efficient and effective management of staff and resources in the Legal Services Department.

POSITION INFO:
Duties and Responsibilities:
To formulate and ensure the achievement of the Legal Services Department’s strategy in line with the corporate strategy.
To formulate and ensure the achievement of the Legal Services Business Plan,
To co-ordinate the Corporation’s dealings with external law firms and ensure that the Corporation benefits from cost-effective legal advice and work
To facilitate the provision of authoritative legal advice to the Corporation, Value Chains, Business Units and Departments on a range of general commercial issues
To facilitate the drafting and review of contracts and other legal documentation (including legal policies, standard terms, agreements and templates) and to develop standard form legal documentation where possible;
To ensure that changes in the law and in regulations that affect the Corporation are identified, and to advise on appropriate action;
Drive a culture of high performance and facilitate skills and knowledge transfer between staff within the Department;
Overall strategic leadership, management and quality control of the Department
To ensure a focused and directed customer centric service by providing legal services that are proactive, appropriate, effective and efficient so as to facilitate achievement of the Corporation’s outcomes.

QUALIFICATIONS:
Minimum Post Graduate Degree; LLB,
An admitted Attorney in good standing.
MBA/MBL would be an added advantage.

EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE:
Minimum 10 years’ experience post admission as an Attorney and a sound track record in the financial services industry
Minimum 10 years’ experience in a broad range of commercial transactions typically concluded in a financing environment
Sound experience in Project Finance
Experience in Project Contracts
Minimum 5 years Leadership and Management experience of a professional legal team;
Experience in engaging, managing and negotiating with relevant stakeholders including but not limited to professional associations/bodies, government institutions, regulators, service providers etc.
Experience of similar work within the SOE/Development Finance environment will be an added advantage
Ability to prioritise conflicting demands and work within tight deadlines
Ability to grasp complex areas of the law rapidly and accurately
Ability to work across all cross-functional teams in order to implement legal risk mitigants in a rapidly changing environment driven by service, market, legal, regulatory, process and product changes.
Must have strong interpersonal skills, maturity, and good judgment. Must be capable of communicating with a diverse range of individuals.
Detail-oriented, with hands-on, roll-up sleeves approach to directing and assisting team.