Senior Legal Officer at Tugende

About this role

We are looking for an experienced practicing lawyer with a bias toward litigation. The ideal candidate will provide timely high-level litigation and/or legal advice, briefings, and correspondence on complex areas of law and policy issues to ensure efficient and effective legal services.  Legal practice areas include commercial and property law, contracts, liability, discrimination, privacy, employment, civil, criminal, and administrative law, and general litigation.

The successful candidate will exemplify and embrace Tugende’s Core Values of Integrity, Empathy, Solutions Oriented, Working as a Team and Always Growing.

Key Responsibilities

•  Manage complex, contentious, or sensitive cases, reviews, research and other legal and administrative activities and provide advice on new and emerging issues in the relevant area of law and their longer-term implications on Tugende’s business’s operations.
• Provide high-level legal services, advocacy and advice to clients, senior management and staff in accordance with legislation, policy, guidelines and practice standards to ensure consistency and proactively manage those associated risks.
• Conduct litigation, represent the Tugende and arrange representation before courts and tribunals, committees, advisory bodies and working parties, and in contract and settlement negotiations, to ensure optimum outcomes in the resolution of legal matters for Tugende.
• Draft and review complex legal documents including contracts, commercial agreements, instruments, submissions, court processes, orders, civil agreements, drafting instructions, legislation, briefing notes, internal policies and procedures, and instructions to external legal advisors to support Tugende’s operations.
• Reviews all Tugende’s systems, policies and procedures and makes appropriate recommendations to improve productivity, quality service and minimize or manage legal-related risks.
• Advises on the more complex legal issues related to the administration, interpretation and enforcement of laws pertaining to the operations of Tugende.
• Collaborate to develop and deliver legal education and training programs to internal and external stakeholders and clients to build capacity and facilitate the provision of quality advice and services and a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Liaise with external counsel with regard to matters being handled externally, and make a progress report to senior management.

Critical Skills/Experience

The successful role holder should be able to combine corporate skills, research and analysis on legal matters related to both employment and financial services and can collaborate and partner with different key stakeholders towards expediting all raised legal matters.

Work Experience and Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience and knowledge of court procedures and practices and of rules of evidence.
• At least three (3) years of working experience working in a busy law firm or as a company based legal officer in a financial sector will be an added advantage.
• A Bachelor of Law degree from a recognized University, a postgraduate diploma in legal practice and a current legal practicing certificate in Kenya.

Behavioral Attributes

• Strong negotiation, mediation and arbitration skills
• Considerable knowledge of legal principles and practices.
• Ability to analyze and interpret laws and regulations.  
• Ability to present and explain statements of facts and the law, and to argue clearly and logically, orally and in writing.  
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.  
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with both internal and external stakeholders including the police.

What will you gain?

Career Development: You will constantly develop skills and further your career while working with Tugende by understanding the financial sector, and learn how to ride a motorcycle!

Hours and compensation: This position is for a full-time employee who can take on additional responsibilities as new tasks and projects come up.

Meaningful Work: Tugende’s work gives entrepreneurs the tools to earn a living for themselves and their families. We are changing the face of the boda industry in East Africa, and proving that young men with little education can take on the responsibility of financing a significant asset and earning a livable wage. Help be part of this movement!

Great Team: Tugende has a smart, fun, and growing team of hundreds of Employees in Kenya and Uganda. We take our work seriously but love to joke and have fun.