Legal Counsel

Reference Number: R-15977767

Reports to: Head of Legal

Location: Head Office NBC, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Job Summary

The Legal Counsel is responsible for providing legal services to the National Bank of Commerce Limited ("NBC/the bank") and its investments. This includes transactional support, litigation management, commercial contract management, legal risk management, governance, secretarial services, and general legal advice. The role provides dedicated business-aligned support to all departments and units of the bank. The position will also provide legal support and assistance to NBC’s Head of Legal in identifying and managing legal risk in NBC and its investments, liaising directly with the business as appropriate. You will partner closely with the business as a trusted Legal advisor, focusing on identifying and mitigating legal risks through commercially balanced, pragmatic, timely, and accurate legal advice.

Job Description

Accountability: Legal Risk Management (50%)

• Support the business in long-term growth by providing pragmatic and effective advice to manage legal risk across the business and assist in designing and implementing procedures to manage this risk appropriately.
• Ensure all aspects of legal risk are identified, covered, and controlled in implementing new projects, systems, procedures, and products.
• Manage and mitigate legal risks and send periodic reports to the Head of Legal and Management Committees.
• Implement effective Legal risk control frameworks and processes in accordance with Legal, Regulatory, and NBC Governance requirements/standards.
• Develop and deliver strategic legal risk management initiatives.
• Ensure best practices are adopted and guidelines complied with, and that all activities comply with applicable laws, rules, and regulations.
• Analyze, evaluate, and report on changes and developments in legislation, regulations, guidelines, and practices affecting the markets in which the business operates.
• Invest in institutional knowledge and training capabilities to upskill business colleagues and increase awareness of legal and regulatory requirements.
• Create, review, and update standard documentation in line with the Legal Risk Management Policy to ensure legal risk is adequately managed.
• Manage relationships with external lawyers and monitor their performance and costs using best supplier management practices.
• Support contract management and drafting emanating from the Procurement/Sourcing Team and lead on the use of standard/non-standard templates.
• Manage Key Risk Indicators.
• Drive the full contract lifecycle standardization of templates, review, drafting, and negotiation through to execution and renewal. Prepare and manage commercial agreements (e.g., commercial, leases, vendor contracts).
• Embed Legal Policies within the business by creating awareness through training, regular circulars as a champion for the Legal Risk Management Policy and Standard.

Accountability: Compliance & Risk Control (5%)

• Ensure all activities and duties are carried out in full compliance with regulatory requirements, Enterprise-Wide Risk Management Framework, internal NBC policies and Policy Standards, and strong knowledge of legal risk management and controls.
• Maintain a satisfactory control environment.
• Review the risk and Legal profiles of the business unit regularly and provide consultative support to the Head of Legal and Management on changes required to rebalance risk and reward where necessary.

Accountability: Management & Financial Information (5%)

• Identify and meet management information requirements for measuring legal risk exposure, performance (both internal and external legal resources), and productivity.
• Manage and control external legal resources in terms of cost and performance. Act as a liaison between banking personnel and external legal advisors as appropriate.
• Manage the legal budgets for the business.
• Streamline and automate Legal processes using digital tools and technologies to improve efficiency and mitigate risks.

Accountability: Service Management (30%)

• Contribute to developing the business strategy by providing innovative solutions to legal risk management.
• Liaise with various Business Heads as a legal point of contact.
• Develop and roll out litigation risk management and strategy in line with policy.
• Address and manage the resolution of Legal queries arising from the business.
• Identify opportunities to increase efficiency by creating standardized legal templates and legal documents tailored to the specific needs of the business.

Accountability: Team Leadership (10%)

• Provide education, training, and support to businesses on relevant legal risk issues and developments as appropriate.
• Ensure up-to-date and relevant knowledge of principal areas of law and practice in Tanzania.
• Assist the Head of Legal in managing output from connected services such as the Securities and Documents Unit, Recoveries, and Peoples function.
• Actively engage with the business to understand their objectives, challenges, and risks.
• Continue building a Purpose-led, Values-driven, Outperformance culture in Legal to drive employee engagement and performance.

Education and Experience Required

• Bachelor of Laws degree (LLB) from a recognized university
• Advocate of the High Court of Tanzania and other subordinate courts
• 8 years Post Qualification Experience in legal risk management in the banking and finance services or from a law firm specializing in banking/financial services.

Knowledge & Skills

• Effective communication in written and spoken English
• Analytical, problem-solving skills with the ability to develop imaginative solutions
• Stakeholder management and networking skills
• Experience in banking and commercial law
• Knowledge and understanding of banking and financial business strategy, business, markets, and products.
• Strong technical legal ability.
• Strategic planning and negotiation skills
• Project and resource management

Qualifications

• Bachelor Honours Degree - Law
• Digital familiarity (Meets some of the requirements and would need further development)
• Ethics and values (Meets all of the requirements)
• Experience in a similar environment at senior management level
• Legal Advisory and Interpretation (Meets all of the requirements)
• Openness to change (Meets some of the requirements and would need further development)
• Reasoning (Meets all of the requirements)