Legal Officer - 4 Posts at The Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA)

PPRA /LO- /6/2023

Job Purpose

To provide operational support in protecting the interest of the Authority in litigation; drafting of contracts; preparing legal opinions and advisories; and analysis of debarment and administrative review cases, towards the achievement of the Authority’s strategic goals and objectives in the regulation of the public procurement system in Kenya.

Key Responsibilities/ Duties / Tasks
Managerial / Supervisory Responsibilities

• Supervise data entry and generation on administrative review and debarment cases; executed and pending contracts and cases pending in court.

Operational Responsibilities / Tasks

• Draft pleadings and other documents for filing in court;
• Attend court to represent the Authority;
• Prepare documentation to be filed in court in cases where the Authority is a party;
• Prepare witness statements for use in court;
• Provide input in drafting amendments to legislation and regulations to facilitate the Authority’s operations;
• Analyse debarment cases to be presented to the Debarment Committee.
• Provide input in the legal and compliance audit of the Authority;
• Draft contracts, memorandum of understanding, leases and agreements;
• Follow up with external lawyers on monthly status reports and compile the same or prepare status reports for internally handled cases;
• Undertaking conveyancing for the Authority’s properties, conduct searches on the Authority’s properties, and prepare leases and agreements where the Authority is a landlord;
• Provide input in the preparation of annual and quarterly departmental reports;
• Provide support in the Authority’s policy development and advise on legal policy issues;
• Articulate the department’s issues in various fora;
• Drafting legal opinions;
• Providing and interpreting legal information;
• Participating in developing legal documents and instruments;
• Provide support in legal risk reviews and advice;
• Drafting contracts, internal policies;
• Handling pre-litigation legal disputes and inquiries; and
• Drafting court pleadings for filing in court;
• Providing support in carrying out the legal compliance audit;
• Drafting memorandum of issues on bills and legislation;
• Providing support in implementation of the quality management system in the department;
• Draft notices of hearing to all parties to debarment proceedings
• Draft issues for determination and necessary points of clarification to be presented during a debarment hearing;
• Provide support in prosecuting debarment cases before the Debarment Committee;
• Maintain records relating to debarment proceedings;
• Prepare draft decisions for consideration by Debarment Committee;
• Follow up to ensure publication of the names of the debarred firms on the Authority’s website;
• Prepare draft communication to the Cabinet Secretary responsible for public procurement on gazettement of names of debarred firms;
• Research on points of law as instructed relating to the mandate of the Review Board by the Constitution, the Act and the Regulations;
• Research and identify appropriate laws, judicial decisions, legal articles and other material that are relevant to assigned cases;
• ompile statistical analyses of cases handled and activities undertaken by the Review Board;
• Prepare draft legal opinions on ongoing cases that the members of the Review Board can refer to in development of their decisions; and
• Follow up progress and status of judicial review and appeal cases at the Court and compile statistical and legal analyses of judgements rendered.

Job Dimensions:

Financial Responsibility

• Provide input in preparation of the department’s budget;
• Implement the department’s approved budget and procurement plan; and
• Propose expenditure by the department

Responsibility for Physical Assets

• Takes responsibility for the following assets:
• Working tools - Laptop computer and iPad
• Litigation files and records
• Debarment files and records
• Contract Files
• Storage cabinets
• Executive desk and chair

Decision Making / Job Influence

• Operational decisions
• Analytical Decisions

Working Conditions

• Office setting with occasional local travel
• Working within strict timelines

Job Competencies (Knowledge, Experience and Attributes / Skills).

Academic qualifications

• Bachelors of Laws (LL.B) degree from a recognized institution; and
• Post graduate Diploma in Law (Advocates Training Programme).

Professional Qualifications / Membership to professional bodies

• Membership to the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) in good standing;
• Be admitted as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya; and
• Current Advocates Practicing Certificate;

Previous relevant work experience required.

• N/A

Functional Skills, Behavioral Competencies/Attributes:

• Organization skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Communication skills
• Negotiation skills
• Problem solving skills
• Communication skills
• Presentation skills
• Self-driven

Remuneration Package

• Gross Pay-Ksh 127,000- 204,000 Per Month
• 30 leave days per year
• Leave traveling allowance @ I/3 (third) of the basic salary up to a maximum of Ksh 50,000.
• A contributory pension scheme where the Employer contributes 20% and employee contributes 10% of the basic salary per month.
• Medical cover both in and out patient for self-one spouse and up to four children. Current annual limits are Out patient Ksh 300,000 and Inpatient Ksh 4,000,000
• Group life cover at basic salary for 60 months.
• Work Injury Benefit Cover and Group personal Accident Cover