Legal & Compliance Officer at Africa Plus Partners Nigeria Limited (APPNL)

Job Summary

• This individual is responsible for the provision of legal services across the Company and its Subsidiaries. These include but are not limited to, preparing contracts, engaging external solicitors, and providing legal advice and guidance to the Company (and the Board) on matters related to commercial, corporate, and financial laws. The individual will also play a support role in driving the Company’s compliance efforts – liaising and managing relationships with regulatory agencies, preparing regulatory reports, and ensuring compliance with the statutory and corporate governance practices and guidelines.

Job Details

Duties & Responsibilities

Legal

• Draft, negotiate, review and maintain all legal agreements as required
• Review all documentation that has legal implications for the Company/Group prior to signing and implementing
• Provide legal support on the formation and administration of funds, including drafting and coordination of Trust Deeds/Legal Partnership Agreements, negotiating side letters with LPs, and other required documentation 
• Provide legal support on the funds’ investment activities;
• Establish and implement appropriate legal policies for processes across the business (all the Company's functions and the Group)
• Provide corporate governance and company secretarial support to the Boards of Directors across the business 
• Deploy legal protocols and toolkits as necessary to ensure practices are effective and compliant with regulations 
• Liaise with auditors, external lawyers, tax advisers, bankers, investors, shareholders and other relevant stakeholders
• Generally provide all necessary legal support across the business

Compliance

• Review all relevant laws and regulations applicable to the Company, its funds and investee companies and ensure compliance;
• Ensure that business activities are conducted in conformity with all applicable laws, regulations, internal policies and procedures
• Ensure that all regulatory permissions remain current and appropriate for business needs, and carry out required reporting
• Continual compliance risk assessment of business practices together with the development of internal policies and procedures, compliance training and protocols.
• Serve as liaison for all regulatory bodies as well as maintaining relationships with relevant legal bodies and trade associations
• Keep abreast of global regulatory developments and industry initiatives and advise management accordingly
• Partner with colleagues in each of the Business Units’ key stakeholders to develop and implement compliance standards, processes, programs, and best practices.
• Any other duties as required by the Head, of Legal and Compliance.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in law (minimum of 2:1 at university & law school)
• A minimum of 3 years post-LLB, cognate experience as a Legal Practitioner with at least 2 years in a top tier law firm. 
• Experience as the legal advisor of a similar organization within the financial services industry will be an added advantage.
• Experience in handling documentation of private equity project finance business will be an advantage
• Experience in managing external legal counsels
• Good Knowledge of Microsoft Office suite (particularly Excel and Word)
• High level of determination and tenacity
• Articulate, effective communication skills with the ability to communicate internally and externally (lawyers, regulators, auditors, and investors) at all levels
• Familiarity with project finance, deals origination issues, and transnational transactions is desirable
• Fully conversant with SEC, NSE, CAC, NFIU, and other regulatory directives and guidelines.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong skills in drafting a variety of legal documents and communicating complex issues clearly and concisely
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills and ability to work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders
• Negotiating skills and capacity to work with other professionals including non-legal professionals to develop innovative solutions to conflicting interests and positions
• Strong attention to detail
• Commercial acumen and ability to think creatively