General Counsel at Village Enterprise

Summary of the Role

• Village Enterprise seeks an experienced, strategic, and mission‑driven General Counsel to establish and lead the organisation’s first formal Legal Department. This executive-level role will serve as the organisation’s principal legal advisor, responsible for designing and implementing a comprehensive legal framework that supports Village Enterprise’s global operations across Africa and the United States.
• The General Counsel will oversee all legal affairs, ensure compliance with international donor requirements, manage organisational risk, and provide counsel to the CEO, Board of Directors, and senior leadership. This is a unique opportunity to build a legal function from the ground up within a rapidly growing, high‑impact international NGO.

Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

Establish and Lead the Legal Department

• Design and implement the organisation’s legal strategy, policies, and operating procedures.
• Build and manage a legal team appropriate to organisational needs and growth.
• Develop systems for contract management, compliance monitoring, and legal risk assessment.
• Create internal training programmes on legal, compliance, and governance matters.

Legal Advisory and Governance

• Serve as the primary legal advisor to the CEO, Executive Team, and Board of Directors.
• Provide legal guidance on organisational strategy, governance, and risk.
• Draft, review, and negotiate complex agreements, including donor contracts, MOUs, partnership agreements, sub agreements data‑sharing agreements, and technology contracts.
• Advise on corporate governance, including Board policies, bylaws, and committee structures.

Regulatory and Compliance Oversight

• Ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations in the jurisdictions where Village Enterprise operates (e.g., Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, UK, US).
• Oversee compliance with international and local donor requirements (e.g., FCDO, EU, Philanthropic donors and Corporate foundations).
• Lead the organisation’s approach to safeguarding, data protection, anti‑corruption, anti‑money laundering, and counter‑terrorism financing requirements.
• Maintain organisational registrations, licences, and regulatory filings.

Risk Management

• Working with the CFO develop and maintain a comprehensive risk management framework.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate legal, financial, operational, and reputational risks.
• Manage litigation, disputes, investigations, and external counsel relationships.
• Oversee insurance coverage and risk‑transfer mechanisms.

Employment and Labour Law

• Provide guidance on employment matters across multiple jurisdictions.
• Support HR in developing compliant employment policies, contracts, and disciplinary procedures.
• Advise on workplace investigations, grievances, and terminations.

Donor, Programmatic, and Field Operations Support

• Ensure legal compliance for program implementation, research activities, and field operations.
• Support due diligence for partners, vendors, and subcontractors.
• Advise on intellectual property, technology platforms, and data governance.
• Support legal aspects of innovative financing mechanisms (e.g., Outcomes funding, Results‑Based Financing).
• Safeguarding: "Safeguarding at VE is everyone’s responsibility."
• Continuously sensitize program participants about possible risks of child abuse, sexual/financial exploitation, prevention, and response mechanisms.
• Ensure compliance with VE’s safeguarding policies and Code of Conduct in all programs, operations, and practices.
• Report any incident of child or adult safeguarding in program operations for appropriate action and follow-up.

Requirements

Qualifications and Experience.

Required

• Law degree (JD, LLB, or equivalent) and active membership in good standing with a recognised bar.
• Minimum 10–15 years of legal experience, including at least 5 years in a senior or general counsel role.
• Demonstrated experience working with international NGOs, multilaterals, or donor‑funded organisations.
• Strong background in contract law, compliance, governance, and regulatory matters across multiple jurisdictions.
• Experience managing legal issues in Africa, US and/or other emerging markets.
• Proven ability to build and lead a legal function.
• Exceptional judgement, integrity, and ability to navigate complex, high‑risk issues.

Preferred

• Experience with FCDO, World Bank, or other major donor frameworks.
• Familiarity with impact measurement, research ethics, and data protection regimes.
• Experience with innovative financing structures (e.g., DIBs, RBF).
• Prior work with social enterprises or organisations operating at the intersection of development and entrepreneurship.

Key Competencies

• Strategic thinking and ability to anticipate legal and organisational needs.
• Strong leadership and team‑building skills.
• Excellent communication and negotiation abilities.
• High emotional intelligence and ability to work cross‑culturally.
• Ability to balance legal risk with operational realities in resource‑constrained environments.
• Commitment to Village Enterprise’s mission to end extreme poverty through entrepreneurship.