Company Secretary at Ayoola Foods Limited

Role Purpose

• The Company Secretary is responsible for ensuring that Ayoola Foods operates in compliance with all applicable legal, regulatory, and corporate governance requirements.
• The role provides legal and governance support to Executive Management, oversees statutory compliance, manages corporate records, advises on contractual and legal matters, and helps strengthen the company's governance framework as the business continues to grow.

Key Responsibilities
Corporate Governance:

• Ensure compliance with the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) and all other applicable legislation.
• Maintain statutory registers, corporate records and company filings.
• Coordinate Board and Executive meetings, including preparation of agendas, board papers and minutes.
• Ensure implementation and tracking of Board resolutions.
• Advise Executive Management on corporate governance best practices. Legal & Regulatory Compliance
• Monitor legal and regulatory developments affecting the business
• Ensure timely filing of statutory returns and regulatory documentation.
• Coordinate interactions with regulatory authorities including the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and other relevant agencies.
• Develop and maintain compliance policies where required.

Contract Management:

• Draft, review and negotiate commercial agreements.
• Ensure contracts adequately protect the Company's legal and commercial interests.
• Review distributor agreements, supplier contracts, employment agreements, NDAs and other legal documents.
• Identify legal risks within contracts and recommend appropriate amendments.
• Maintain a central repository of company contracts.

Risk Management:

• Identify legal and corporate governance risks.
• Advise Executive Management on potential legal implications of business decisions.
• Coordinate with external solicitors on litigation or specialist legal matters where required.
• Support investigations where legal input is required.

Corporate Administration:

• Manage corporate documentation and legal correspondence.
• Maintain company licences, permits, statutory records and corporate registers.
• Coordinate execution of legal documents.
• Ensure proper document retention and record management.

Advisory Support:

• Provide practical legal guidance to Executive Management.
• Support major business initiatives from a legal and governance perspective.
• Assist with corporate restructuring, investments and strategic projects where required.
• Promote a culture of compliance throughout the organisation.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Timeliness and accuracy of statutory filings.
• Compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
• Quality and turnaround time for contract reviews.
• Board meeting effectiveness and documentation.
• Legal risk mitigation.
• Compliance audit outcomes.
• Timely renewal of licences and statutory registrations.
• Quality of governance advice provided to Executive Management. What Will Make Someone Successful in This Role The successful candidate will combine strong legal expertise with sound commercial judgement and a practical approach to problem-solving.
• They will be a trusted adviser to Executive Management, capable of balancing legal compliance with business objectives while strengthening Ayoola Foods' governance framework. They will be highly organised,

Qualifications
Essential

• Bachelor's Degree in Law (LL.B.).
• Barrister-at-Law (B.L.) and called to the Nigerian Bar, with a valid licence to practise in Nigeria. Preferred
• Membership of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSAN/ CGI Nigeria) would be highly advantageous. • Additional certification in Corporate Governance or Compliance is desirable.

Experience Essential:

• 8–10 years' post-qualification legal experience.
• Minimum of 5 years' experience as a Company Secretary or in a corporate governance role.
• Experience drafting and negotiating commercial contracts.
• Strong knowledge of CAMA and Nigerian corporate governance requirements.
• Experience advising senior management on legal and governance matters. Preferred
• Experience supporting Executive Management and Board meetings.
• Experience as Company Secretary within a manufacturing or FMCG organisation would be an advantage.
• Experience dealing with CAC, NAFDAC and SON. Behavioural Competencies
• High level of integrity and discretion.
• Strong commercial judgement.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong negotiation and influencing skills.
• Exceptional organisational and documentation skills.
• Ability to simplify complex legal issues for non-legal stakeholders.
• Proactive and solutions-oriented mindset.
• Ability to build trusted relationships across all levels of the organisation.