General Counsel & Director, PGCL0 at African Development Bank - AfDB

Reference: ADB / 21 / 035
Location: Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire
Grade: EL4
Position N°: 50092338

The Complex

• The President, plans, supervises and manages the business of the Bank Group. Under the direction of the Boards of Directors, the President conducts the day-to-day business of the Bank (AfDB) and the African Development Fund (ADF), as well as manages operations and activities in accordance with the Agreements establishing the ADB and the ADF.
• The President supervises several Departments and Units including the Office of the President ; Independent Development Evaluation Department (BDEV); Integrity and Anti-Corruption Office (PIAC); Compliance Review and Mediation Unit (BCRM); Secretariat to the Sanctions Appeals Board (BSAB);
• Administrative Tribunal (BATR); Office of the Auditor General (PAGL); Group Risk Management Directorate (PGRM);  General Counsel and Legal Services Department (PGCL); Communication and External Relations Department (PCER); Staff Integrity and Ethics Office (PETH) and Office of the Secretary General & General Secretariat (PSEG).

The Hiring Department:

• The General Counsel and Legal Services Department (PGCL) delivers legal advice and services to the statutory organs of the Bank Group: Boards of the Bank Group, to Senior Management, to Directorate General Hubs and more generally to the whole Bank. PGCL also protects the interest of the Bank from legal liability and, as necessary, provides legal defense in cases filed against or brought by the Bank.

The Position

• The General Counsel and Director, Legal Services Department, reports directly to the President and is the principal legal adviser of the President and the Boards of Governors and Directors.
• The General Counsel represents the Bank in all litigation before internal adjudication machinery and in cases of outside arbitral and judicial proceedings.

Duties and Responsibilities
The General Counsel will be responsible for the following functions:

• As the principal legal advisor of the governance bodies of the Bank and its Management, provide legal support and services to the Boards of Governors and Boards of Directors and Management of the Bank Group.
• Drafting all legal instruments for the governance of the Bank Group, to ensure conformity with constitutive agreements, rules and regulations of the Bank Group entities, as well as to enhance the pace of implementation of their decisions
• Ensuring that the policies of the Bank Group conform to sound legal principles in line with the best practices of other international financial institutions.
• Representing the Bank Group in negotiations with member states, other international organizations and, representing and defending the Bank Group in arbitral and judicial proceedings.
• Leading, planning, directing, managing and coordinating the work of the Legal Services Department to ensure responsiveness, effectiveness and high-level delivery on all legal matters, and also advance strategic directions of the Bank.
• The incumbent will drive a performance-based contract system in the Department to ensure accountability and high level productivity.
• Directing and managing all activities related to providing advice and assistance to all organizational units of the Bank on legal aspects of institutional, financial, operational and administrative matters.
• Establishing and maintaining contacts with the legal profession outside the Bank and arranging for the Bank Group to obtain the best legal advice and services, as needed.

Selection Criteria
The prospective candidates are expected to have:

• Holds at least a Master's Degree in Private or Public Law, International Law, Commercial Law or Corporate Law.
• Admitted to the Bar Association of a member country of the African Development Bank.
• Have a minimum of 15 years of experience in legal practice, with extensive experience in structuring and negotiation of transactions across multiple sectors and countries, 8 years of which must be at a senior management level.
• Extensive experience in providing legal advice to high level government officials and/or multinational leadership.
• In-depth knowledge and vast and diverse legal experience working in the developing world in both government and private sector.
• Experience handling complex negotiations on behalf of institutions of a similar nature and/ or representation of the institutions of a similar nature before Administrative Tribunals and other dispute resolution fora
• Strong leadership and management skills in supervision of legal teams and managing diverse legal services for a diverse set of clients.
• Demonstrable and highly developed consulting and advisory skills
• Excellent leadership, management and negotiation skills.
• Proven excellent writing and communications skills in both French and English languages.
• Ability to work in complex multicultural institutional environments.