Job Description

Legal Manager & Board Secretary Jobs, Legal Jobs in Kenya, AECF Jobs

Locations: Nairobi, Kenya

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Start Date: March 2020

The AECF (Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund) is a nonprofit institution supporting early and growth stage businesses – through provision of patient capital – to innovate, create jobs, leverage investments and marketsin an effort to create resilience and sustainable incomes for rural poor and marginalised communities in Africa.
AECF’s strategy is focused on agribusiness/agriculture and renewable energy sectors with increased support to climate technologies, deepened focus on gender, youth, and employment, aimed at attaining the institution’s vision of ‘A Prosperous and Enterprising Rural Africa’.
Since 2008, AECF has invested in 268 businesses across sub-Sahara Africa focusing on Agribusiness, Renewable Energy and Climate Technologies. As of 2018, we have impacted more than 17 million lives, created over 12,000 jobs and leveraged over US$ 560 million in matching funds from the private sector.
AECF is currently expanding its programs in Africa and our new strategy is looking to further unlock the power of the private sector to improve the livelihood of rural and marginalized communities. We are therefore seeking an individual willing to be part of this journey, in helping to define and implement our strategic objectives in a bold and innovative manner.
AECF is headquartered in Nairobi with offices in Cote d’ Ivoire and Tanzania.

Job Summary:
Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Legal Manager and Board Secretary shall ensure the integrity of the governance framework, be the principal legal advisor to the institution, and assure that the organization fulfills its legal, regulatory and ethical responsibilities.

Key responsibilities
• Manage relationships and all issues relating to the Board of Directors and Shareholder, including convening Board, and Committee Meetings;
• Ensure compliance by the AECF with best Corporate Governance Practices including risk identification and mitigation;
• Lead on all legal aspects of the organization’s investmentstransactions, both structuring and execution, review and negotiation of the full range of deal documentation.
• Ensure that investment and related agreements accurately reflect negotiated terms and draft legal documents in support of investment deals.
• Lead in the negotiation of donor funding agreements and structuring of partnerships between AECF and key relations including in-country partners.
• Develop the annual risk work plan that reflects the institution’s highest risks to be monitored as determined by conducting a mandatory annual risk assessment using an enterprise wide approach and ensure an effective monitoring system is in place.
• Develop a clear annual grants compliance plan and monitor AECF’s compliance obligations with respect to donor requirements and liaise with key stakeholders to ensure alignment ofsuch requirementsto the greatest extent possible with AECF’s policies and best practices.
• Implement and manage AECF country registrations and provide legal advice in relation to country governance and operational documents.
• Provide legal, compliance and tax advice to AECF and specifically on transfer of domicile to a US public charity 501 (c) (3).
• Take initiative to identify and analyze problems, generate alternative solutions and make decisions with little direction/supervision.

Requirements
• A Bachelor of Laws degree and post graduate diploma in law/legal practice certificate.
• A master’s degree in law or related field.
• A minimum of 7 years’ experience in a major law firm or the legal department of an asset manager, development finance institution or other leading organization.
• Transactional experience in investment funds a big plus
• Strong technical legal and commercialskills.
• Ability to oversee and effectively manage outside counsel and internal stakeholders.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to work with others and manage multiple time sensitive matters in a demanding, fast-paced and fluid environment.
• Ability to take initiative to anticipate, identify and analyze issues, generate potential solutions and make decisions.
• Exceptional interpersonal, analytical, written and oral communication skills – must be able to resolve complex issues in a practical manner and to communicate complex concepts in an understandable way.
• Goal Oriented – seek to understand and personally contribute to the mission and future direction of AECF, translate the organisational strategy into practical initiatives and solutions; creative and innovative in achieving the goals of the organisation.
• Understanding of the investing in SMEs landscape and a passion for working in-house.
• Ability to balance big picture thinking with intense execution, always prioritizing and
moving initiatives forward.

*Board Secretary professional certification not mandatory but experience supporting a highprofile international board is an added advantage.

How To Apply
If you believe, you can clearly demonstrate your abilities to meet the relevant criteria for the role, please submit your application quoting in the subject line the Job Title “Legal Manager & Board Secretary AECF/CEO/2020”, and attach a detailed CV, e-mail address and telephone contacts to be received on or before January 24th, 2020.
Send your CV to the Email: recruitment@aecfafrica.org. For more information on AECF, please visit www.aecfafrica.org.

The AECF is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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