Legal Counsel at Stresert Services Limited

Stresert is a professional services organization that offers quality stress-free solutions to corporate organizations. We offer business support and integrated solutions in different areas that ensure business objectives are achieved.

Critically, we evaluate issues as they impact your business, and consequently deploy the appropriate skills and competencies to proffer the needed solutions.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Legal Counsel

Location: Lagos
Department: Pharma Legal Services
Reports to: Head of Legal, Africa Cluster

Job Purpose (overall role objective)

• Support the Head of Legal, Africa Cluster to provide strategic and legal advice in all matters that are relevant to the Africa Cluster, such as, contracts (e.g., exclusive promotion, co-promotion, co-marketing, in-licensing, etc.), intellectual property enforcement, litigation, employee relations, and general business issues.
• In addition, he/she will be responsible for compliance with trade sanctions and anti-corruption standards.
• The job includes responsibilities for handling all issues peculiar to distributor markets.
• Major Accountabilities (Describe the 5-7 main results of the role to be achieved)
• Negotiating all agreements (distribution, promotion, field force agreements, SLAs etc) in the Country groups in direct collaboration with the business, ensuring minimal risk exposure (especially, in connection with payment of commissions, transfer of MAs, termination clauses, goodwill, etc.); as well as manage legal housekeeping and contract database (archiving of contracts, official documents, litigation documents, etc.).
• Assist the Company in proactively preventing and resolving business and legal issues in relation to local ac-tivities and ongoing relationships, especially in distributors’ markets (e.g., payment of commissions, fund flows, etc.);
• Proactively support the business with tenders and, generally, with institutional business-support to be in line with expectation for local representative offices, proactively advising on "dos" and "donts" activities, in con-junction with Tax;
• Proactively advise the Company on trade sanctions to mitigate risk exposure and monitoring recent regulatory or legislative changes, to be able to formulate views about legal problems and issues and its impact for our business with support and minimal supervision from Head of Legal and also monitoring the implementation of the local laws, regulations and company-wide policies.
• Assist the various Country Groups with local product launches, ensuring that they are in compliance with global standards and local laws and regulations;
• Support the business in preventing and solving local legal issues relating to Novartis products, including clinical trials, disputes, and litigation, with direct engagement of the business
• Manage external law firm relationships.

Key Performance Indicators (Indicate how performance for this role will be measured)

• Strong focus on solving problems.
• Strong ethics & high personal integrity.
• Natural authority and ability to resist business pressure.
• Ability to successfully work in cross-functional teams.
• Ability to question and improve status quo.
• Proactive in working with the business to finalize projects and deals.
• Providing appropriate advice that permits the Company to achieve its business goals without creating unnecessary risk.
• Able to set priorities and manage a wide-ranging work load.
• Master the Legal Excellence Standards.

Job Dimensions (Indicate key facts and figures)

• Number of associates: None
• Financial responsibility: None
• (Budget, Cost, Sales, etc.)

Impact on the organization: Service delivery at high standards. Sound facilitation skills and experience of influencing at all levels

Ideal Background (State the preferred education and experience level)

• Education (minimum/desirable): Law school graduate and Bar member
• Languages: Fluency in English essential; knowledge of French language is an added advantage.

Desired Requirements

• 6 years minimum post Bar experience; ideally gained within a healthcare / pharmaceutical environment, or alternatively, with a top-tier law firm representing healthcare and technology clients.
• Previous experience with distributor markets
• Ability to analyze complex legal issues.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills; together with a high ability to influence and negotiate.
• Proven ability to work independently efficiently and meet tight deadlines and withstand pressure and demanding clients.
• Strong experience in handling a high volume of multiple, often complex projects simultaneously.
• Demonstrated professional and culturally sensitive work ethic.

Remuneration

• Salary is above industry standard.

Application Closing Date
13th March, 2015.

Method of Application
Qualified and interested candidates should please send their CV's to: [email protected] using 'LCHT' as subject of mail.

Note: Wrong applications will not be opened. Please be guided.