Interswitch Group is currently recruiting interested and qualified applicants for the position of Legal Counsel in Nigeria. Learn about the job responsibilities, qualifications/eligibility and how to apply.

Job Purpose

To understand the pressure points, strategy and objectives of Interswitch and effectively communicate the risks and legal issues involved in any decision to management to enable them to make informed strategic choices within an acceptable legal risk profile. 

This role will be responsible for contracts review, intellectual property protection, litigation management, engagement with law enforcement authorities and other legal responsibilities as advised by the Senior Legal Counsel.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Legal Advice

  • Take responsibility for providing specific elements of the organisation's legal service with guidance from Senior Legal Officer.
  • Analyse specific problems and issues to find the best solutions. Solutions could be technical or professional in nature.
  • Act as mentor and coach to team members while fostering an environment of mutual respect and trust among senior- level team members.

Client and Customer Management (Internal / External)

  • Support internal customers and manage relationships with small clients while helping senior colleagues manage internal or external client relationships.
  • Resolve complex legal queries from internal or external customers or suppliers by providing advice on legal procedures, and report relevant suggestions to Senior Legal Counsel.
  • Build and maintain long-term relationships with contractors, clients, consultants and legal counsels in legal and compliance ecosystem.
  • Manage a portfolio of contracts and negotiate service level agreements with internal business areas for delivering these contracts and agreements. Will also plan, coordinate and supervise activities relating to major contracts.

Policy Development and Implementation

  • Help develop procedures for an area of the organisation, and monitor their implementation.
  • Review functional or legal policies developed by Legal Officer, and participate in developing legal frameworks, creating underlying procedures and monitoring their implementation within Interswitch.
  • Review Interswitch’s documented legal policies, procedures, and codes of conduct and monitor compliance against legal framework.

Insights and Reporting

  • Prepare and coordinate the completion of various data and analytics reports.
  • Submit bi-weekly reports to Senior Legal Counsel to share legal issues and decisions; integrate suggestions and feedback in daily operations.

Contract Negotiation

  • Develop models to test proposed contracts in relation to the organisation's business aims, ensuring that underlying risk and commercial assumptions are fully researched and validated.

Contract Enforcement

  • Prepare and present briefings for senior management and / or Senior Legal Officer on contentious contract compliance issues to support arbitration and / or court proceedings.

Behavioral Competencies

 Manages Complexity

  • Makes sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems. For example, looks at complex issues from multiple angles; explores issues to uncover underlying issues and root causes; sees the main consequences and implications of different options.

Communicates Effectively

  • Develops and delivers multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences. For example, tailors communication content and style to the needs of others. Pays attention to others' input and perspectives, asks questions, and summarises to confirm understanding.

Optimises Work Processes

  • Knows the most effective and efficient processes to get things done, with a focus on continuous improvement. For example, uses metrics and benchmarks to monitor accuracy and quality. Takes steps to make methods productive and efficient. Promptly and effectively addresses process breakdowns.

Plans and Aligns

  • Plans and prioritises work to meet commitments aligned with organisational goals. For example, outlines clear plans that put actions in a logical sequence; conveys some time frames. Aligns own work with relevant workgroups. Takes some steps to reduce bottlenecks and speed up the work.

Instills Trust

  • Gains the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity. For example, models honesty and authenticity and encourages others to be up front with one another. Demonstrates reliability and places a strong emphasis on the team meeting its commitments. Fairly represents others' positions.

Persuades

  • Uses compelling arguments to gain the support and commitment of others. For example, states position with conviction and persuasive rationale. Negotiates skillfully; wins concessions without the other party feeling harmed or frustrated.
  • Achieves a good balance between defending own position and adapting to others' needs.

Collaborates

  • Builds partnerships and works collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives. For example, readily involves others to accomplish goals; stays in touch and shares information; discourages "us versus them" thinking; shows appreciation for others' ideas and input.

Ensures Accountability

  • Holds self and others accountable to meet commitments. For example, accepts responsibility for own work, both successes and failures. Handles fair share and does not make excuses for problems. Usually meets commitments to others.

Business Insight

  • Applies knowledge of business and the marketplace to advance the organisation's goals. For example, clearly understands how own activities relate to critical business drivers. Monitors business news and market changes for impact on the business or on own expertise area; uses this to shape decisions.

Technical Competencies

 Planning and Organising

  • Uses comprehensive knowledge and skills to work independently while providing guidance and training to others on planning, organising, prioritising and overseeing activities to efficiently meet business objectives.

Data Collection, Analysis and Reporting

  • Works independently and provides guidance and training to others on analysing data trends for use in reports to help guide decision making. Works independently on creating relevant, lucid and effective reports.

Policy and Regulation Compliance

  • Works independently and provides guidance and training to others while interpreting and applying comprehensive knowledge of laws, regulations and policies in area of expertise.
    Works independently and provides technical guidance when required on achieving full compliance with applicable rules and regulations in management and / or operations.

Verbal Communication

  • Applies comprehensive knowledge to act independently while providing guidance and training to others on using clear and effective verbal communications skills to express ideas, request actions and formulate plans or
    policies.

Policy and Procedures

  • Works without supervision and provides technical guidance when required on developing, monitoring, interpreting and understanding policies and procedures, while making sure they match organisational strategies and objectives.

Writing skills

  • Applies comprehensive knowledge to act independently while providing guidance and training to others on using clear and effective writing skills to express ideas, request actions and formulate plans or policies.

Negotiation

  • Negotiates without supervision and provides technical guidance when required on how to help the organisation by obtaining consensus between two or more internal or external parties who may have different interests.

Understands Customer Needs

  • Works without supervision and provides technical guidance when required to articulate the customer needs in the customer's business language and business context. Understands customer context; Uncovers customer Key Performance Indicators; Articulates customer objectives; Adds value to partnerships.

Education

  • University / Post Graduate Degree in Law from an accredited university and Certificate of Call to the Nigerian Bar.

Experience

At least 6 to 8 years experience as a Practice Lawyer in a commercial law firm and / or as an in-house counsel; with cognate experience in corporate and commercial transactions.

This will enable job holder to deal with the majority of situations and to advise others and the experience should include:
• Experience in negotiating, drafting and advising clients on technology-related commercial contracts, including multi-jurisdictional transactions.
• Experience of advising on data protection issues, marketing issues, consumer protection issues and information security issues.
• Broad experience of intellectual property law.
• Experience in advising on corporate governance and related documents (e.g. shareholders agreements, articles of association).
• Comfortable advising senior management / company directors on corporate governance matters generally.

Managerial Experience
At least 2 years experience of supervising and directing people and other resources to achieve specific end results within limited timeframes.
This job does not manage any staff but is expected to act as mentor and coach to more junior team members.

 Method of Application

Interested and qualified applicants should follow the link below to submit CV and application letter.

Department: Group Legal & Compliance

Location: Lagos Office   | Permanent, Nigeria

Application Deadline: June 9, 2023

>> CLICK HERE TO APPLY ONLINE