Senior Legal Counsel

Job Description

JOB PURPOSE:

Verify and finalize the drafts of contracts, research on Legal updates, analysis of Legal issues and review of Legal documentation prepared by the Legal Counsel in order to recommend constructive solutions for sound Legal advice

1. Functional Strategy
 Assist the ED - Legal and Regulatory Affairs in the development and implementation of the Legal Functional Strategy to realize the Agency objectives for delivery of Regulatory Services in line with the Agency Vision, Mission and established service levels.
2. Management
 Assist the ED- Legal and Regulatory Affairs in the management of the DTMFZA Legal and Regulatory Affairs functional team, to meet all relevant functional objectives.
 Supervise the implementation of all Human Capital Management processes like Recruitment, Reward Management, Performance Management, Learning and Development, etc. to keep employees in the functional area fully engaged and well motivated to contribute productively to DTMFZA objectives
 Train Legal and Regulatory Affairs functional staff to deliver the respective functional objectives
3. Policies, MOU’s, AOA’s, Agreements, Contracts, Laws, Regulations and Controls
 Verify and finalize the drafts, prepared by Legal Counsel, of various Agency Policies, MOU’s, AOA’s, Agreements, Contracts, Decrees, Laws, Regulations, Pension arrangements for DTMFZA, etc. in order to recommend constructive suggestions or solutions for Legal queries raised
 Review and recommend draft Legal documentation prepared by Legal Counsel e.g. MOU’s, Templates, Forms and various correspondence to meet DTMFZA requirements
 Review and recommend drafts of the Delegation of Authority documents prepared by Legal Counsel for finalisation by the ED - Legal and Regulatory Affairs
4. Budgets and Work Plans
 Develop and recommend to the ED - Legal and Regulatory Affairs the functional budgets and work plans in order to meet all functional objectives within agreed parameters and Service levels
 Ensure all approved functional budgets are implemented and initiate corrective action to ensure expenditure is controlled within budgets
 Supervise the provision of administrative support within the department in relation to filing, custody and retrieval of Legal documents follow up for information requests, take notes in client meetings and record minutes of various meetings.
5. Innovation and Continuous Improvement
 Recommend new tools and techniques to improve the quality and efficiency of delivering Agency services through improved functional processes
 Recommend improvements in Legal Services so that they effectively support the Agency’s core objectives at all times.
 Supervise the process of benchmarking of internal processes against best practice in pursuit of more efficient functional processes to address Agency issues
6. Routine Legal Advice
 Provide Legal Advice on routine Legal issues directly keeping the ED-Legal and regulatory Affairs informed
7. External Legal Counsel
 Liaise with external Legal Counsel in order to obtain Legal Counsel or Opinions
 Review the advice of external Legal Counsel critically and recommend the streamlining of such advice eliminating any inconsistencies with DTMFZA objectives and/or rules regulations. Legislation, and internal policies
AOA’s, etc. for Compliance, Registration and Licensing issues

Skills

Qualifications and Knowledge: A degree in Law, preferably with a Master’s degree in Law
Job Specific Training : Exposure to Free Zone Rules and Regulations in the region.
Job Skills: Functional Management skills, Strong communication skills, good interpersonal skills, relationship building skills. Good computer skills for the job.
Personality & Behavioural proficiencies : Analytical thinking, Problem solving skills, Concern for quality and productivity, Flexibility, Customer Service orientation. Experience: 6 to 8 years of professional experience with at least 3 years in a similar independent role.

Education

A degree in Law, preferably with a Master’s degree in Law