Senior Legal Officer at Pesapal

Job Summary

• We are looking for a proactive, commercially minded, and detail-oriented Senior Legal Officer to provide legal support across the business, with a primary focus on dispute resolution, litigation, commercial contracts, legal advisory, and regulatory matters.
• The successful candidate will work closely with internal stakeholders and external counsel to manage legal risks, resolve disputes, support commercial transactions, and ensure that the business operates in compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and internal policies.

What Success Looks Like at Pesapal:

• Solve for our customer: Provide practical and timely legal solutions that protect the interests of the business while supporting positive outcomes for customers, merchants, partners, and other stakeholders.
• Deliver Exceptional Results: Effectively manage litigation, disputes, contracts, recoveries, and legal advisory matters while meeting agreed timelines and minimizing legal and commercial risk.
• Together we do great Work: Collaborate effectively with internal teams, external counsel, regulators, merchants, and other stakeholders to resolve legal matters and support business objectives.
• Own our Outcomes: Take ownership of assigned legal matters by providing accurate advice, maintaining proper documentation, following through on actions, and escalating material risks appropriately.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage litigation, claims, disputes, and other legal matters involving the Company, including monitoring progress and ensuring timely resolution.
• Lead and support recovery of chargebacks, merchant debts, outstanding receivables, and other financial claims.
• Draft, issue, and track demand letters, settlement agreements, repayment arrangements, statutory notices, and other legal documentation.
• Engage merchants, counterparties, external advocates, and other stakeholders to support dispute resolution and recovery efforts.
• Assess and escalate appropriate matters for litigation, arbitration, enforcement, or other legal action.
• Monitor external counsel and ensure legal matters are handled effectively, within agreed timelines, and in a cost-conscious manner.
• Maintain accurate litigation, recovery, and legal matter trackers and provide regular reports on the status and performance of assigned matters.
• Identify recurring legal and operational issues contributing to disputes, chargebacks, and bad debts, and recommend appropriate preventive measures.
• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial agreements, including merchant, supplier, technology, partnership, and service agreements.
• Provide practical legal advice to internal teams on contractual, operational, commercial, and business matters.
• Review proposed products, partnerships, and business initiatives and advise on associated legal and commercial risks.
• Develop, maintain, and update standard contracts, legal templates, and supporting documentation.
• Advise the business on legal and regulatory requirements applicable to payments, fintech, and financial services.
• Support responses to regulatory enquiries, legal information requests, and other matters involving regulatory authorities.
• Work closely with Compliance, Risk, Credit, Finance, Sales, Customer Support, and other teams to identify and mitigate legal and regulatory risks.
• Monitor relevant legal and regulatory developments and advise the business on their potential impact.
• Escalate material legal risks and significant matters to the Legal Manager in a timely manner.

Education/Experience Needed:

• Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree and Postgraduate Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law.
• Admitted as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya with a valid practising certificate.
• Minimum 5 years' post-enrolment experience in legal practice or a similar role.
• Strong experience in litigation, dispute resolution, commercial contracts, and legal risk management.
• Experience in fintech, payments, banking, financial services, or another regulated industry is an added advantage.

Skills & Competencies Needed:

• Strong legal research, drafting, negotiation, and analytical skills.
• Sound legal and commercial judgement with the ability to provide practical solutions.
• Strong communication, stakeholder management, and relationship-building skills.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• High level of integrity, confidentiality, attention to detail, and professionalism.