Regional Legal Counsel, Africa (Locally Recruited)

About the Role

The Regional Legal Counsel is an in-house lawyer who provides comprehensive legal support for all CIMMYT operations in the region. This position advises on contracts, legal transactions, risk assessment, regulatory compliance, and all other matters relevant to the department. The role ensures effective legal coverage across the region and contributes to the delivery of legal services throughout CIMMYT’s regional operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Contract Management: Execute and coordinate end-to-end contract lifecycle management, including drafting, review, negotiation, amendment, quality control, and archiving of legal agreements such as grants, contracts, NDAs, leases, and other instruments across the Region.
• Legal Advice: Provide practical, business-oriented legal advice across multiple jurisdictions, covering corporate, regulatory, labor, tax, administrative, criminal, and litigation matters.
• Compliance & Case Management: Support compliance and case management activities, including tracking, documentation, reporting, and timely closure of cases using dashboards and KPI tools.
• Department Support: Advise internal departments (Research, Finance, HR, Procurement, and Operations) on day-to-day legal matters to ensure compliance, risk mitigation, and operational efficiency.
• Compliance Programs: Participate in the implementation and monitoring of compliance programs, including policy alignment, training activities, and internal communications.
• Headquarters Liaison: Act as a legal focal point between regional teams and Headquarters, ensuring consistency in policy interpretation and visibility of legal risks.
• Research & Opinions: Research and analyze applicable laws, treaties, and regulations; draft legal opinions, memoranda, and other legal documents to ensure compliance across jurisdictions.
• Monitoring & Tracking: Ensure monitoring and follow-up of legal requests and service tickets, providing timely updates and ensuring on-time completion.
• Corporate Governance: Support corporate governance activities, including powers of attorney, minutes, and statutory compliance obligations.
• Policy Development: Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and implement policies and procedures that ensure regulatory compliance and ethical practices.
• Strategic Support: Provide strategic legal support to business operations and assist senior counsel on complex matters when required.
• Representation: Represent the Legal Department in internal and external forums and support stakeholder engagement.
• Training Delivery: Develop and deliver training and educational materials to support institutional policies, procedures, and compliance awareness.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Master’s degree or LL.M. is required.
• Minimum of eight (8) years of experience as in-house legal counsel in similar roles, preferably in multijurisdictional or regional environments. Experience in regulatory and compliance matters is highly desirable.
• Experience in international non-profit, development, research, or agricultural research organizations is an advantage.
• Strong knowledge of regional legal frameworks and ability to work across complex multi-jurisdictional environments.
• Proven ability to provide practical and timely legal advice across all levels of the organization, balancing legal risk with operational needs.
• Strong experience managing high volumes of legal matters under pressure, prioritizing effectively and meeting tight deadlines.
• Excellent organizational, writing, and communication skills, with ability to translate legal concepts into clear language for non-legal audiences.
• Strong computer skills (Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat) and willingness to learn new systems.
• High ethical standards with strong confidentiality and discretion.
• Strong attention to detail, sense of urgency, and ability to deliver accurate results with consistent follow-up.
• Excellent communication skills for effective interaction with internal and external stakeholders.
• Proficiency in English (C2 level required and assessed).
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and professional discretion.
• Demonstrated competencies in time management, adaptability, teamwork, customer orientation, proactivity, problem-solving, and multicultural awareness.