Head of Corporate Affairs at Safal Group

Description

Key Performance Areas

Leadership & People Management

• Provide leadership and direction to Corporate Affairs and Legal teams, ensuring effective performance and accountability.
• Foster an inclusive and respectful working environment across the business.
• Embed diversity, equity, and inclusion principles into stakeholder engagement, advocacy, communications, and legal practices.
• Support talent development, succession planning, and capacity building within the function.
• Liaise with the HR department in concluding departmental performance appraisals and ensure competency and training gaps within the function are addressed

External Affairs & Stakeholder Management

• Develop and implement a stakeholder engagement strategy aligned with business priorities and societal expectations.
• Identify, build, and maintain constructive relationships with government bodies, regulators, industry associations, community leaders, civil society, and other key stakeholders.
• Represent the organization in external forums, committees, and public platforms to advocate organizational positions.
• Promote a transparent, respectful, and inclusive approach to stakeholder engagement.
• Build coalitions with credible partners to advance industry development, sustainability, and fair market practices.
• Cultivate high-trust relationships with communities around manufacturing sites.

Advocacy & Public Policy

• Lead advocacy efforts for the development and improvement of policies, regulations, and laws that support a fair, competitive, and sustainable business environment.
• Monitor political, legislative, and regulatory developments and provide timely insights to support informed decision-making.
• Prepare evidence-based submissions, position papers, and policy briefs for engagement with authorities and industry bodies.
• Collaborate with industry associations and peer organizations to advance shared policy priorities.
• Advocate positions that reflect ethical conduct, equity, and long-term economic and social value.

Corporate Communications & Public Relations

• Shape and communicate the Company’s positions on key industry, operations, and market issues.
• Manage the organization’s external communications and public relations strategy to strengthen reputation and trust.
• Lead media engagement, crisis communication, and reputation risk management.
• Grow earned media value for the corporate and product brands and ensure consistent, accurate, and inclusive messaging across all external communication channels.
• Establish effective systems and processes to monitor and respond to the company’s media coverage
• Advise the CEO and senior management team on reputational risks and mitigation strategies.
• Analyse and interpret information relating to activities, issues & events that may impact the business. Manage any remedial actions required to ensure the reputation of the company is not adversely affected.
• Deliver a Corporate Social Investment (CSI) strategy that is aligned to the Safal Group’s focus areas for its markets, underpinned by real community needs and sustainable business actions.

Legal, Governance & Compliance

• Provide legal and regulatory advice to management on operational, contractual, governance, and compliance matters.
• Oversee drafting, review, and negotiation of contracts and legal documentation.
• Manage litigation, disputes, and engagement with external legal counsel.
• Ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and ethical standards.
• Strengthen corporate governance frameworks and promote ethical conduct across the organization.
• Develop and monitor the Business’s compliance with the Capital Markets Act, Companies Act, Occupational Health and Safety laws, Data Protection laws, Competition laws and other applicable local and national statutes.
• Develop and drive the maintenance of control systems and appropriate company policies to proactively deal with risks, violations of legal, governance guidelines and internal policies and evaluate the efficiency of internal controls for continuous improvement.

Risk Management & Intelligence

• Identify and assess external, regulatory, legal, and reputational risks impacting the organization.
• Provide structured intelligence and reports on emerging risks, opportunities, and trends.
• Support leadership in balancing business objectives with regulatory compliance.
• Support Anti Illicit Trade intelligence and enforcement procedures within the relevant legal framework affecting illicit trade in the end market.
• Lead the Company’s enterprise crisis response strategy and actions in the event of a crisis.
• Ensure effective design, maintenance and implementation of Enterprise Risk Management frameworks, including risk monitoring systems/tools.

Corporate Social Investment (CSI) & ESG

• Ensure effective coordination with the Safal MRM Foundation and lead consolidation, planning and reporting of CSI activities within MRM.
• Lead the Company’s ESG strategy to ensure integration of sustainability across operations, supply chain, and product portfolio.
• Oversee ESG reporting (including annual Sustainability report), stakeholder disclosures, sustainability dashboards, and compliance with global frameworks such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Champion initiatives on climate impact, energy efficiency, circularity, community welfare, and responsible business conduct.

 Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with internal stakeholders across functions to ensure alignment on external, legal, and reputational matters.
• Support organizational planning through structured reporting and governance processes.

Requirements

Qualifications required:

• Minimum academic qualification: Bachelor's Degree in Law, Public Policy, Communications, Business Administration, or related field. 

Qualifications as an added advantage:

• Master's in Law, Public Policy, Business Administration, Corporate Communications, or Sustainability.
• Relevant professional qualifications.

Experience required:

• General work experience (years): 15+ years’ experience, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role within manufacturing, FMCG or a similar environment.

Specific to the position

• 7 - 10 years of hands-on previous experience in corporate communications, public affairs, or regulatory affairs roles.
• Experience in dealing with Government Ministries and agencies, Private Sector initiatives, CSI Foundations and other relevant Professional bodies.
• Knowledge of the Government Budgeting and Planning Cycle
• Good knowledge of the various tenets of EAC Protocol, tariffs, trade blocs, fiscal and regulatory processes.
• Industry: Manufacturing Sector and FMCG (Preferred)

Key competencies and skills:

• Strategic thinking and executive influence
• Strong legal and regulatory insight
• High-level stakeholder management
• Risk and compliance leadership
• ESG and sustainability integration
• Communication and media management excellence
• Ethical judgment and decision-making
• Cross-functional leadership capability
• solving and planning skills

Personality profile:

• Strategic Gravitas
• Diplomatic agility
• High integrity and professionalism
• Ethical Fortitude
• Politically astute and culturally sensitive
• Composed under pressure; decisive
• Collaborative and team-oriented
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Low-ego, high-impact leadership style
• Fast-paced, proactive and prompt
• Results-oriented
• Energetic and passionate
• Self-motivated