Principal Legal Officer at Kenya National Innovation Agency

Job Purpose

To provide secretariat services to the Board and performance of the legal function at KeNIA.

Key Responsibilities / Duties / Tasks

• Providing legal guidance on contractual and statutory obligations binding to the Agency;
• Safeguarding the Agency’s interests and ensuring that they are adequately defended before the courts;
• Liaising with the Agency’s appointed Advocates to ensure they act in the Agency’s interest while handling cases on its behalf;
• Providing and interpreting legal information, conducting training, and disseminating appropriate legal requirements to staff;
• Managing, reviewing, and monitoring the progress of all outstanding litigation; 
• Ensuring the Agency complies with constitutional, regulatory, and all relevant laws in force through the provision of legal advisory services and contractual risks are efficiently managed;
• Documenting and maintaining a record of all enforcement and compliance assignments undertaken by the Agency personnel and developing legal accountability structures in relation to enforcement of assignments; 
• Maintaining a Register of Regulations, Rules, Guidelines, and By-Laws that affect the Agency; 
• Drafting of the Legal Agency’s regulations, rules, or guidelines; 
• Establishing and managing the Agency’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanism;
• Developing the Agency’s proactive and preventive legal policies and strategies aimed at forestalling disputes, controversies, and litigation;
• Preparing, reviewing, and modifying contractual instruments to assist and support various business activities, and negotiate, review and draft documentation for business transactions; 
• Conducting legal due diligence on all prospective Lessees, Licensees, Partners or other third parties with whom the Agency is to enter a legal relationship with; and
• Developing and vetting policy papers and instruments with legal implications for approval by the Board. 

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

Academic Qualifications

• Bachelors of Laws (LLB) degree from a recognized Institution;
• Postgraduate Diploma in Law (Advocates Training Programme) from the Kenya School of Law;
• Be admitted as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya;
• Management course from a recognized Institution; and
• Proficiency in computer applications.

Professional Qualifications / Membership to professional bodies

• Membership to the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and the Agency of Certified Public Secretaries of Kenya (ICPS (K);

Previous relevant work experience required.

• Served for a cumulative period of nine (9) years relevant work experience three (3) of which should have been in the grade of Senior Legal Officer or in a comparable position in Public Service or Private Sector;

Functional Skills:

• Managerial skills
• Communication skills
• Leadership skills
• Team management skills
• Critical thinking and Decision making
• Problem solving skills.
• Report and minute writing skills.
• IT Proficiency skills
• Organizational skills

Behavioral Competencies/ Attributes:

• Interpersonal skills
• Adaptability and decisiveness
• Proactive, networking and negotiating skills.
• Detail oriented.
• Commitment to work
• Integrity
• Emotional intelligence
• Ability to work in a multi-racial environment and appreciate other cultures