Legal Counsel at Standard Chartered Bank

Ref No: 2100014772
Job: Legal
Schedule: Full-time
Employee Status: Permanent

The Role Responsibilities
Generic:

• Provide general and transactional legal advice.
• Negotiate and complete transaction documentation.
• Review, maintain and manage documentation templates.
• Provide training on legal/documentation matters and legal policies and procedures.
• Provide legal review and sign-off required under relevant policies and procedures.
• Assist in liaison with external counsels and country legal and compliance colleagues.
• Create and maintain relationships with stakeholders and to proactively provide them with relevant legal advice, guidance and support on relevant legal and regulatory issues.
• Develop thought leadership capability – as demonstrated by visibility within Nigeria, the Group, and externally (in the industry) as a point of contact for Nigeria legal-related consultation.
• Take personal ownership of material contentious issues or inquiries faced by SCB Nigeria by collaborating with the Regional General Counsel, Dispute Resolution, the Global Head of Legal, Government Investigations and the Head of Shared Investigations Services.
• Support and collaborate with broader Legal function to develop effective strategies for identifying horizon Legal risks across Nigeria and West Africa
• Support and provide advice to the local teams involved in delivering SCB Group or Country commitment to any remediation program, considering any impact for SCB Nigeria

Legal:

• Determine adequacy, validity and enforceability of contractual and collateral documentation.
• Manage documentation templates automation.
• Legal knowledge management.
• Assist with review of and compliance with policies and procedures.
• Assist in process governance committees and operational risks committees.
• Assist in management of client dispute resolution, if any.

New products development and roll-out to new jurisdictions:

• Review and provide legal sign-offs for product and country governance documents (where applicable).
• Design, develop and approve new products documentation and country specific documentation.
• Lead and coordinate with country legal & compliance in relation to global roll-out of new products.

Legal costs management:

• Control, monitor and report external legal spending.
• Monitor quality of legal services provided by external law firms.
• Provide non-panel law firm approvals on a selective basis.

Governance:

• Support the effective management of legal matters across Nigeria
• Support reporting to and participate in key risk control committees and management groups on relevant SCB Nigeria legal risks and issues.
• Support the management and provision of reports to relevant Group and business risk and control committees and management groups on key SCB Nigeria legal risks and issues where required.
• Maintain an awareness and understanding of the regulatory framework in which SCB Nigeria operates, and the regulatory requirements and expectations relevant to the role.
• Challenge fellow executives effectively.
• Work with local regulators (when required to do so) in an open and cooperative manner.

Corporate Secretariat:

• Support the end to end board process and ensure high quality papers are circulated to the directors and minutes are drafted on a timely basis with all actions clearly documented and proactively followed up.
• Support the management of all SCB entities in Blueprint where named as the Responsible Person (“RP”) and ensure that the information on Blueprint is accurate at all times.
• Work closely with the Company Secretary to develop, maintain and execute on a robust board succession plan, maintain an up to date capability matrix and independent director watch list.
• Prepare and file the necessary returns to the Corporate Affairs Commission.

Risk Management:

• Within the Group’s Enterprise Risk Management Framework, maintain an appropriate risk-based approach to assess, measure, monitor, manage and report Legal risks arising within SCB Nigeria.
• Maintain an awareness and understanding of the top risks facing the country and the role the businesses/functions play in managing them.
• Contribute to Nigeria’s Legal risk governance by providing perspective on legal risks, policies and procedures and ensuring consistency in Nigeria’s appropriate legal risks

Regulatory & Business Conduct:

• Display exemplary conduct and live by the Group’s Values and Code of Conduct.
• Develop and maintain good relationships with internal and external business stakeholders at appropriate levels ensuring an open and cooperative environment
• Take personal responsibility for embedding the highest standards of ethics, including regulatory and business conduct, across Standard Chartered Bank. This includes understanding and ensuring compliance with, in letter and spirit, all applicable laws, regulations, guidelines and the Group Code of Conduct.

Qualifications

• Qualified Lawyer
• Admission to the Nigerian Bar
• Minimum of 6 years relevant experience
• High level communication skills (English)
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Excellent written skills (English)
• Excellent negotiation and advocacy skills