Head of Legal and Compliance (HLC) at a Leading and Foremost Switching Company - Ascenix Consulting Limited

Ascenix Consulting Limited - Our client, a leading and foremost switching company in Nigeria licensed by the CBN and renowned for delivering seamless, secure and scal-able electronic payments and digital commerce solutions is recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Head of Legal and Compliance (HLC)

Location: Lagos
Employment Type: Full-time
Department: Fintech

Job Description

• The Head of Legal and Compliance at the switching company is responsible for overseeing all legal, regulatory, and compliance matters to ensure the company operates within the law while mitigating legal and regulatory risks.
• This role involves advising senior management on legal risks, ensuring compliance with financial regulations, and developing policies that align with industry standards and corporate governance.
• The ideal candidate should have extensive experience in financial regulations, payment processing laws, corporate governance, and contract negotiations.
• This role requires expertise in regulatory compliance frameworks such as PCI-DSS, AML/KYC, NDPR, GDPR, and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) regulations.

Responsibilities
Legal Advisory & Risk Management:

• Provide strategic legal guidance to senior management on corporate governance, regulatory matters, and risk mitigation.
• Ensure all contracts, agreements, and legal documents align with regulatory and corporate standards.
• Monitor and manage legal risks that could impact business operations.

Regulatory Compliance & Governance:

• Ensure full compliance with industry regulations, including CBN guidelines, PCI-DSS, AML/KYC, NDPR, GDPR, and data protection laws.
• Develop and maintain company-wide compliance policies, training programs, and internal controls.
• Liaise with regulatory authorities and legal bodies to ensure adherence to evolving financial and payment regulations.

Contract & Commercial Law Management:

• Draft, review, and negotiate contracts, partnerships, and agreements with banks, fintechs, vendors, and service providers.
• Oversee intellectual property (IP) management, including trademarks, patents, and copyrights.
• Ensure favourable legal terms in agreements while mitigating potential risks.

Anti-Money Laundering (AML) & Fraud Prevention:

• Develop and implement AML, KYC, and fraud prevention policies to mitigate financial crime risks.
• Work closely with law enforcement agencies, regulators, and financial institutions on compliance-related investigations.
• Ensure transaction monitoring systems effectively detect and report suspicious activities.

Data Protection & Cybersecurity Compliance:

• Ensure compliance with global and local data privacy laws, including GDPR and Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).
• Collaborate with IT and cybersecurity teams to implement data protection frameworks.
• Develop legal policies regarding customer data usage, storage, and security.

Dispute Resolution & Litigation Management:

• Manage all company litigation, arbitration, and dispute resolution cases.
• Represent the company in legal proceedings or coordinate with external legal counsel where necessary.
• Ensure proactive resolution of legal issues to protect the company’s reputation and financial standing.

Ethics & Corporate Social Responsibility:

• Develop ethical business practices in alignment with global best practices.
• Ensure corporate governance policies align with industry standards.
• Foster a culture of legal and ethical compliance across all departments.

Team Leadership & Development:

• Lead and manage the legal and compliance team, providing mentorship and strategic direction.
• Train employees on legal and compliance matters, ensuring a risk-aware culture.
• Develop talent within the legal and compliance function for long-term sustainability.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LLB), with a Master’s in Law (LLM) or related fields.
• 7+ years in legal and compliance leadership roles, with at least 5 years in payment processing, payment gateways, or financial technology.
• At least 3 – 5+ years in senior legal and compliance leadership within payment processing, payment gateways or financial technology.
• Expertise: Strong track record in regulatory compliance, contract negotiation, and risk management.
• Certifications (Preferred): Called to the Bar in Nigeria; additional certifications in compliance (CAMS, CCEP) are an advantage.

Key Skills and Competencies:

• Legal Expertise: Strong understanding of corporate law, financial regulations, and contract law.
• Regulatory Compliance: Experience with CBN, PCI-DSS, AML/KYC, NDPR, GDPR, and other financial regulatory frameworks.
• Risk Management: Ability to assess and mitigate legal, regulatory, and reputational risks.
• Contract Negotiation: Strong skills in structuring agreements that protect the company’s interests.
• Data Privacy & Cybersecurity Compliance: Familiarity with GDPR, NDPR, and global data protection laws.
• Litigation & Dispute Resolution: Ability to manage legal disputes, arbitration, and litigation cases.
• Stakeholder Management: Experience working with regulators, financial institutions, and legal advisors.
• Ethical Leadership: Commitment to maintaining high standards of corporate governance and compliance.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV to: info@cascenixconsulting.com using the Job Title as the subject of the email. e.g. Role - Switching Company [Your Full Name Application].

Note

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.
• We encourage you to apply early, as applications are on a roll-ing basis.
• The full job profile is available on Ascenix Consulting's digital media platforms (Linkedin, Instagram etc) and website: https://ascenixconsulting.com/