Lawyer at Open Health Foundation

Job Description

• The Lawyer will provide comprehensive legal support to Open Health Foundation, ensuring that its activities, partnerships, contracts, policies, and programmes are conducted within applicable legal and regulatory frameworks.
• The role requires a lawyer who can combine strong legal expertise with practical business judgement, communicate complex legal issues clearly, and proactively identify and mitigate legal and regulatory risks.
• The successful candidate will work closely with management, programme teams, finance, HR, external counsel, partners, vendors, and other stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities
Legal Advisory & Counsel:

• Provide timely and practical legal advice to the Executive Director, management, and relevant departments.
• Review and advise on legal implications of the Foundation’s programmes, operations, partnerships, and strategic initiatives.
• Conduct legal research and provide clear recommendations on applicable laws, regulations, policies, and emerging legal developments.
• Identify potential legal risks and recommend appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Support management in making legally sound and commercially practical decisions.

Contract & Agreement Management:

• Draft, review, negotiate, and manage a wide range of legal documents, including:
  • Partnership agreements
  • Grant agreements
  • Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs)
  • Service agreements
  • Consultancy agreements
  • Employment-related agreements
  • Vendor and procurement contracts
  • Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs)
  • Letters of engagement and other legal instruments
• Ensure contractual terms adequately protect the Foundation’s interests.
• Monitor contractual obligations, deliverables, renewal dates, and compliance requirements.
• Maintain an organized contract and legal documentation database.

Regulatory Compliance:

• Monitor the Foundation’s compliance with applicable laws, regulations, regulatory requirements, and contractual obligations.
• Provide guidance on regulatory and statutory requirements relevant to nonprofit and health-sector operations.
• Support the development and implementation of legal and compliance policies.
• Conduct periodic compliance reviews and identify areas requiring corrective action.
• Liaise with relevant regulatory bodies and government agencies where necessary.

Governance & Corporate Matters:

• Provide legal support on corporate governance and institutional matters.
• Assist with preparation and review of Board resolutions, policies, governance documents, and official correspondence.
• Support the organization in maintaining appropriate statutory and corporate records.
• Advise management and the Board on governance-related legal matters when required.
• Ensure organizational decisions and processes are appropriately documented.

Dispute Resolution & Litigation Support:

• Manage and monitor legal disputes involving the Foundation.
• Liaise with external solicitors, counsel, and other legal professionals where necessary.
• Support dispute prevention through proactive legal advice and effective contract management.
• Review claims, notices, demands, and other legal correspondence received by the Foundation.
• Provide management with appropriate recommendations on dispute resolution strategies.

Grants, Partnerships & Donor Agreements:

• Provide legal review and support for grant agreements, donor arrangements, partnership agreements, and other funding instruments.
• Identify legal obligations, liabilities, restrictions, and compliance requirements associated with funding arrangements.
• Support programme and partnerships teams during negotiations with donors and strategic partners.
• Ensure agreements are aligned with the Foundation’s objectives, policies, and risk appetite.
• Advise on intellectual property, confidentiality, data protection, and other relevant legal considerations.

Data Protection, Ethics & Risk Management:

• Provide legal guidance on data protection, privacy, confidentiality, and information management.
• Support compliance with applicable data protection and privacy requirements.
• Advise on ethical and legal considerations relating to health programmes, beneficiaries, partners, and organizational activities.
• Contribute to the Foundation’s broader legal and enterprise risk-management framework.
• Escalate significant legal and compliance risks to management promptly.

Policy Development & Documentation:

• Draft, review, and update organizational policies, procedures, legal templates, and guidelines.
• Ensure policies remain aligned with applicable laws and regulatory requirements.
• Provide legal input into HR, procurement, finance, safeguarding, programme, and operational policies.
• Maintain proper legal documentation and ensure records are appropriately managed.

Stakeholder & External Counsel Management:

• Liaise professionally with government agencies, regulators, external counsel, partners, vendors, and other stakeholders.
• Coordinate with external legal advisers on specialized or complex matters.
• Review legal opinions and recommendations provided by external counsel.
• Ensure external legal engagements are properly documented and aligned with organizational requirements.

Legal Reporting & Risk Monitoring:

• Maintain accurate records of legal matters, contracts, disputes, compliance activities, and regulatory obligations.
• Prepare periodic legal and compliance reports for management.
• Track outstanding legal matters and ensure timely follow-up.
• Develop and maintain a legal risk register where required.
• Provide management with updates on significant legal developments that may affect the Foundation.

Qualifications & Experience
Essential:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LL.B) from a recognized institution.
• Call to the Nigerian Bar (BL) and membership in good standing with the Nigerian Bar Association.
• 4–6 years of post-qualification legal experience.
• Demonstrable experience in corporate/commercial law, contracts, regulatory compliance, governance, or a related legal practice area.
• Strong experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial and institutional agreements.
• Excellent understanding of Nigerian legal and regulatory frameworks.
• Strong legal research, analytical, drafting, and negotiation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to provide practical legal advice to senior management.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple legal matters simultaneously.

Desirable:

• Experience working with an NGO, foundation, nonprofit organization, healthcare organization, development organization, or donor-funded institution.
• Experience with grant agreements and donor-funded projects.
• Knowledge of health-sector regulation and compliance.
• Familiarity with data protection and privacy regulations.
• Experience working with government agencies and development partners.
• Additional professional certifications or postgraduate qualifications in relevant areas of law.

Core Competencies:
The ideal candidate should demonstrate:

• Strong legal and commercial judgement
• Contract drafting and negotiation
• Legal research and analysis
• Regulatory and compliance expertise
• Excellent communication skills
• Strategic problem-solving
• Strong attention to detail
• Risk identification and mitigation
• Confidentiality and discretion
• Stakeholder management
• Strong organizational and time-management skills
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively
• High ethical standards and professional integrity
• Sound judgement and decision-making.