Head of Legal at Rose Avenue Group

Leadership role

• Provide leadership and ensure efficient and effective management of staff and resources in the Legal department.

Legal risk

• Review and provide legal advice on tender documents.
• Review ongoing cases and advice management accordingly.
• Liaise with relevant departments to ensure that where legal risks have been identified, appropriate courses of action have been taken.
• Provide legal protection and risk management advice to management especially on contract management.
• Provide and interpret legal information, conduct training and disseminate appropriate legal requirements to staff.

Policy development and advisory

• Review and advise management on legal implications of internal policies and procedures.
• Review and draft contracts, agreements and internal policies and ensure that they are in compliance with all statutory or legal requirements.
• Assist management in interpreting and applying statutes, agreements, contracts, rules and regulations.
• Working with Credit Administration, offer legal expertise on perfection of securities.
• Proactively carry out research on emerging legal issues and advise management.

Litigation management

• Maintain and update the database of cases and management of litigation
• Review progress of outstanding litigation and liaise with and manage external lawyers.
• Collate documents and any evidence , identify and prepare witnesses in support of Bank cases.
• Diarize hearing notices for pending cases and follow up on outcome thereof.
• Representing the company in legal issues when required.

Regulatory compliance & Governance

• Formulate compliance check-lists to be used for the purpose of ensuring that all information required is provided accordingly.
• Working closely with other stakeholders and the regulator (CBK) to ensure compliance to the MFI and Banking Act provisions.
• Prepare monthly and quarterly reports for the department for executive management meetings.
• Support the Company Secretary in organizing, preparing agendas for and taking minutes of board meetings and annual general meetings (AGMs) and maintaining statutory books, including registers of members, directors and secretaries.

Contract negotiation

• Review all contracts or any other documentation where the Company has committed itself and assess legal implications that need to be brought to the executive management’s attention.
• Prepare, review and modify contractual instruments to assist and support various business activities.
• Negotiate, review and draft documentation for business transactions and prepare and advise on the necessary checklist to be adopted to ensure information is submitted on time.

Administrative duties

• Provide continuous leadership, supervision, training and development of department staff ensuring an effective and motivated team.
• Liaise with the HR department in conducting performance appraisals and ensure competency and training gaps are addressed.

Bankwide AML KYC & CFT Responsibilities

• Communicating and reinforcing the AML-CTF compliance culture established by the board.
• Implementing and enforcing the board-approved AML, KYC & CFT policy within the Department, Unit or Branch.

Education

• Master’s Degree.
• Bachelor of Laws degree from a recognized University/ Business Administration Degree.
• Postgraduate qualifications from Kenya School of Law (Advocate of the High Court).
• Current membership of LSK.

Experience 

• At least 7 years legal experience either from private practice or in a financial institution with extensive exposure to conveyancing, contracts drafting and business law.
• Familiarity with the legal aspects of financial institutions.
• Practical experience in loan securitization process.
• Exposure to CBK compliance requirements will be a definite advantage.
• Ability to work with minimum supervision.