Senior Legal Officer at Eta Zuma Mining and Industries Limited

Eta Zuma Mining and Industries Limited provides premium solutions to businesses in the primary and secondary sectors of the economy, especially those in solid minerals, extractive industry, manufacturing industry and agriculture. Some of its clients are Zuma 828 Coal Limited, IMEX Mineral Resources and Processing Company, Zuma Energy Nigeria Limited, Zuma Steel W/A Limited, and Zuma Metals & Energy Resources Limited.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Senior Legal Officer

Location: Abuja (FCT) 
Employment Type: Full-time

Job Summary

• The core functions of the Legal and Corporate Relations Department Administrator are focused on supporting legal and corporate governance activities through efficient administrative processes, to ensure the organization operates within the law and maintains strong, ethical relationships with all stakeholders.
• The Department Senior Officer to Legal and Corporate Relations Department will act as 2IC of HOD and take charge in the absence of HOD.
• Shall support the HOD in managing the Litigation, Contract & Risks Management, Compliance and Research, Land/Property Management and Corporate Relations Units.
• Shall support the HOD in legal processes, assisting lawyers and corporate relations staff with legal research, drafting correspondence, filing court documents, and managing case files
• Shall provide administrative support to the department in Document management and processes, and training on departmental processes.
• The Department Senior Officer must maintain the highest level of integrity, demonstrate the I-REAP core values and be a contributor to the desired cultures, leading by example in all areas, and ensuring that line and staff are coordinated and kept abreast of corporate strategy and direction at all time.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities
Operational and administrative support:

• Effective administrative services
• Custodian of internal systems, SOPs, process documents
• Manage document processing, registration, tracking and archival
• Manage departmental assets, work tools, facilities, etc.

Departmental Strategic Execution and Coordination:

• Ensure efficient support of execution of key initiatives of the HOD.
• Coordinate departmental collaboration on all admin matters within EZM and with corresponding departments in Client Companies.
• Ensure that business processes within the department are up to date.

Performance and Staff Management:

• Supervise the tasks assigned to the different HOUs and departmental team for effective closure.
• Facilitate relevant training on departmental processes, compliance requirements, and documentation and best practices for operation.
• Support the HOD in appraising staff of the department, provide mentorship/guidance to new staff and drive continuous improvement in staff performance.
• Shall be responsible staff training and retraining.

Reporting and Compliance:

• Collate, compile and provide operational report to the HOD for review and submission to the EC.
• Maintain all compliance lists and requirements, ensuring effective monitoring and timely escalation to achieve 100% compliance.

Business Continuity and Succession Planning:

• Act as 2IC to HOD and take charge in the absence of the HOD.
• Support in managing any unit or departmental function of any exited staff, by ensuring that each position has a replacement at any given time from internal resource pending replacement.
• Ensure that proper handover is done and all company tools are retrieved
• Ensure that staff functions are rotational so that all roles can be covered by anyone at any given time.
• Collaborate with HOD to organise departmental level on boarding of new hires, including provision of all tools, systems and work requirements.

Governance & Baseline Competencies:

• Reporting: The department senior officer shall report directly to the HOD of the department & collaborate with ECSEC Admin on all admin related matters.
• Admin Structure: The department senior officer shall be considered as Intermediate Senior Management.
• Baseline Competencies: Shall have understanding of document management principles, understanding of project management, ability to prepare and present management reports and understanding of departmental operations.

Qualifications
Minimum Educational Qualification:

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Law, Business Administration, Legal studies, Public Administration or a related Legal discipline is required.
• Possession of professional certifications such as ICAN, ACCA, CPA, or CFA is highly desirable.
• A postgraduate qualification (e.g., LLM, MBA, or Public Administration) will be an added advantage.

Minimum Years of Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years professional experience in a legal, administrative or office management role with at least 3 years in a supervisory or legal administrative role.
• Experience in working in a Law Firm, legal department, or corporate legal setting is essential.

Technical and Administrative Skills:

• Legal document handling
• Office administration and management
• Case file organization
• Communication and writing (e.g., drafting legal correspondence, memos)
• Calendar and deadline management (e.g., managing court schedules)
• Confidentiality and discretion
• Familiarity with legal terms and procedures
• Microsoft Office (especially Word, Excel, Outlook)
• Legal practice management software (e.g., Clio, My Case, Practice Panther)

Personal Attributes and Leadership Competencies:

• High level of integrity, confidentiality, and professional ethics.
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead by example, coordinate diverse teams, and manage upwards and laterally.
• Organised, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Strong problem-solving, decision-making, and strategic thinking skills.
• Proactive, self-motivated, and capable of working independently or collaboratively.
• Alignment with the organization’s I-REAP core values and commitment to fostering a performance-driven and learning-oriented culture.

Organisational Fit and Role Readiness:

• Capacity to serve as Second-in-Command (2IC) to the Head of Legal and oversee departmental operations, workflows, and priorities in their absence.
• Ability to step into any legal support function (e.g., case management, contract tracking, regulatory filings, litigation support, compliance monitoring) to ensure uninterrupted departmental performance during staffing gaps.
• Readiness to support onboarding of new legal staff, ensure availability of legal resources and tools, and coordinate internal legal administrative training to maintain smooth operations.
• Competence in maintaining compliance schedules, regulatory calendars, and statutory obligations, ensuring adherence to legal deadlines and flagging potential legal or reputational risks promptly.
• Ability to coordinate effectively with Client Companies, external counsel, regulatory bodies, auditors, and internal departments on legal administrative matters, filings, and compliance documentation

Salary
N600,000 - N700,000 / month.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online