Senior Vice President & Principal Counsel at Africa Finance Corporation (AFC)

Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) - Established in 2007, the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) is a private sector-led investment bank and development finance institution created to help mobilize and channel required capital towards driving Africa’s economic development. AFC’s mission is to address Africa’s development needs in a profitable way, creating benefits for both investors and societies in the region.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Senior Vice President & Principal Counsel

Location: Nigeria

Job Description

• The principal objective of the Legal Department is to protect the interests of the Corporation and ensure that the Corporation’s activities and operations are consistent with its constitutive  legal instruments and sound legal principles.
• This role will involve providing legal services in respect of the Corporation’s investment transactions, treasury transactions and administration and other support contracts.

Responsibilities

• Structure complex transactions in a manner that is consistent with the mandate, policies and objectives of the Corporation and provide innovative and practical solutions to legal issues pertaining to the Corporation’s activities;
• Provide legal services and support to the Divisions and Business Units, leading on investments and transactional matters, covering project finance, debt, equity and project development transactions;
• Carry out legal due diligence (highlighting and addressing legal risks) in relation to potential investments and provide legal input to credit approval documentation;
• Draft and review project investment proposals, transaction agreements, structure security taken and provided by the Corporation in respect of its transactions to ensure that the Corporation’s interests are adequately covered;
• Lead in the negotiation and conclusion of Legal Agreements and Project Documentation and provide Legal Advice or Opinions on transactions to project specialists in other Departments;
• Deal with closing of investment transactions, ensuring that conditions precedent are complied with, stamp duty fees, and security registration fees are duly paid;
• Provide legal services and support in respect of the Corporation’s Treasury activities including borrowings, bond issuance, drafting, reviewing and negotiating term sheets, mandate letters, facility agreements, treasury instruments such as ISDA and Repo documentation; attention to fulfillment of conditions precedent;
• Provide legal support and draft legal documentation for financial advisory and trade finance transactions;
• Prepare and review other contracts and agreements of the Corporation with clients and third parties including vendors, consultants, contractors and service level agreements;
• Deal with the selection of external counsel for the Corporation’s business, as necessary, and manage the work of external counsel in an efficient and cost effective manner;
• Prepare transaction templates and documentation for use by the Legal Department and other Departments of the Corporation, and review such templates consistently to ensure that the templates address the Corporation’s changing needs;
• Establish standard checklist of issues for Legal Due Diligence and monitor to ensure proper application of such checklist.
• Ensure effective preservation of the Corporation’s immunities, privileges and exemptions, ensuring consistency of approach with other development financial institutions with respect to private sector investments and application;
• Perform any other duties that may be assigned by the line manager and the ED, COO and General Counsel.

Key Performance Indicators:

• Quality (breadth, depth & reliability) of input  (legal opinions) in completed transactions.
• Number and types of standard legal documentation and transaction-related templates completed.
• Number of Innovative and creatively structured projects.
• Value-added and timely response to requests from other divisions
• Documented effective preservation of the Corporation’s immunities and privileges.
• Documented and verifiable cost savings in the use of External Counsel.

Minimum Qualifications

• Qualified Solicitor or Barrister with common law and civil law training and experience
• Advanced Degree in Law;
• A minimum post qualification experience of at least twelve (12) years with a legal or financial advisory firm or financial institution; including direct and significant work experience on a substantial number of financial transactions 
• Fluency in English and French is mandatory

Competency and Skill Requirements

• In-depth knowledge and appreciation of project finance, debt and equity transactions;
• Ability to conduct due diligence relating to financial transactions, i.e. project finance, structured finance and corporate finance;
• Good knowledge and understanding of the global legal framework (corporate and commercial law);
• Ability to think strategically and holistically and to appreciate the systematic impact of various legal policies, issues and solutions;
• Excellent written, drafting and oral communication skills;
• Ability to exercise independent judgment and provide practical legal advice;
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work as a team with professionals from other disciplines;
• High ethical standards, impeccable integrity and a deep sense of fairness;
• Strong organizing, work planning and scheduling skills, capable of handling large volumes of assignments accurately and thoroughly while balancing several agendas; and
• Good appreciation and working knowledge of Microsoft Office tools.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online