The Group Legal Officer role involves advising management, drafting and reviewing contracts, conducting comprehensive legal research, coordinating litigation and dispute resolution, and ensuring stringent compliance with relevant regional and national laws across the group's East African operations. The Legal Officer is expected to proactively manage legal risks, provide robust support for contract negotiation and corporate governance across multiple jurisdictions, maintain statutory records, monitor legislative changes, and contribute to strategic advocacy efforts designed to safeguard the group’s business interests.
Key Responsibilities
- Deliver timely, practical legal advice across the group on commercial, operational, labor, and employment matters, including providing necessary guidance on the legal implications of significant business decisions.
- Carry out detailed legal and factual research focusing on East African laws and maintaining up-to-date knowledge of legislative and regulatory changes affecting the group’s business operations.
- Prepare, review, and support negotiations for a wide range of commercial agreements, including those related to suppliers, partnerships, Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), investments, and Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) activities, ensuring complete compliance with all applicable laws.
- Oversee adherence to strict legal and corporate governance requirements across all business units, manage company secretarial duties, board documentation, and statutory filings.
- Manage the group’s litigation portfolio by liaising effectively with external counsel, preparing accurate case documentation, tracking litigation progress, and actively supporting alternative dispute resolution processes.
- Develop comprehensive legal policies, conduct necessary training, lead internal legal audits, and proactively assess and address legal and contractual risks throughout regional operations.
- Maintain an organized repository of legal documents, oversee execution and archiving processes, and meticulously track key contract and regulatory deadlines.
- Act as a key liaison with internal teams, external counsel, and regulators; manage departmental communication and budgeting; and establish robust procedures to accurately detect, report, and respond to legal breaches or incidents.
Key Qualifications
- Admission to the bar in an East African jurisdiction with a valid practicing certificate is an advantage.
- Familiarity with the legal and regulatory frameworks, complemented by excellent research, analytical, and robust problem-solving skills.
- Proven ability to draft, review, and successfully negotiate contracts, interpret complex regulations, and translate them into practical, actionable policies.
- Experience in or demonstrated willingness to specialize in hospitality and tourism sectors, including deep knowledge of data protection, data privacy, and corporate governance principles.
- Ability to fully understand business drivers, effectively navigate ambiguity, make commercially sound decisions, and provide strategic legal input.
- Ability to work effectively with cross-functional and cross-regional teams, manage multiple simultaneous projects, and adapt quickly and effectively in a fast-paced working environment.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills (English required; Kiswahili/French is an advantage), proficiency in IT and legal research tools, and a willingness to travel within East Africa.
.jpg){kind=logo}