Global Associate Legal Counsel

at Fenix International
Location Kampala, Uganda
Date Posted March 6, 2020
Category Legal
Management
Job Type Full-time
Currency UGX

Description

We are building a diverse and inclusive team and  this opportunity is open to any qualified internal and external applicants. Women, candidates from Africa and those with experience working on the continent are particularly encouraged to apply for this role.

About Fenix

Fenix International is a next-generation energy and technology company. Our mission is to improve the quality of life of our customers through inclusive energy and financial services. Our flagship product, Fenix Power, is an expandable, pay-go solar home system financed through affordable installments from just $0.14 per day. We use real-time transaction data to create a next-generation credit score to finance power upgrades and other life-changing loans, unlocking modern financial services for our customers. To date, Fenix has sold over 600,000 Solar Home Systems in Uganda, Zambia, Cote d'Ivoire, Benin, Nigeria and Mozambique, bringing clean, reliable power for lights, phones, radios, TV and much more to over 3 million people.

In early 2018, Fenix joined forces with ENGIE, one of the world's largest energy companies and a leader in the move to renewable, decentralised and digital energy. This has allowed Fenix to make significant commercial investments to accelerate the path to our mission, via new markets and innovative products. Together, Fenix and ENGIE are making universal access to modern energy a reality.

Fenix is seeking a highly motivated Associate Legal Counsel to support the Global Director of Legal & Ethics across a wide range of core Fenix Legal workstreams.

The Associate Legal Counsel position will report directly to the Global Director of Legal & Ethics, and also be supported by a Legal Fellow.

Top 5 Key Responsibilities

  • Lead Legal review and drafting for commercial contract negotiations
  • Lead the liaison with local counsel on day-to-day and special operations in our existing and new markets
  • Supervise compliance of the Fenix African entities with regulatory and filing requirements
  • Support Ethics activities
  • Develop template documents and formal processes for Fenix teams to interact with Legal

Deliverables and Activities

Fenix Legal works closely with the finance, commercial, talent, and executive teams to ensure that Fenix maintains legal compliance, marries strong legal agreements to facilitate operations, and unlocks catalytic financing and commercial partnerships across Africa. In addition, Fenix Legal provides advice on legal issues (including matters related to financial services, technology, data protection and intellectual property), supports business strategy development and liaises with ENGIE legal and local counsel as needed. The Associate Legal Counsel will be involved in all these workstreams, as described in more detail under the Key Responsibilities set out below.

This role presents an opportunity to work with a talented, welcoming, multicultural team operating across multiple countries while helping Fenix create innovative customer and team-driven policies and strategies in pursuit of our goals.

Your work will be based in Fenix’s headquarters in Kampala, Uganda.

Key Responsibilities

General Legal

  • Draft, negotiate and review legal documentation for Fenix’s various projects and operations
  • Lead corporate governance matters for Fenix’s entities, including board meetings, shareholder meetings and director appointments/resignations
  • Lead process for capital increases, instructing local counsel and liaising with Corporate Finance and ENGIE team members
  • Help engage and manage external counsel, control the quality of services performed and monitor their cost
  • Maintain current knowledge of updates to legislation throughout all jurisdictions within which Fenix operates
  • Help prepare legal advice to the commercial teams on regulatory and local laws, coordinating with local counsel as needed
  • Help ensure that Fenix is in compliance with all material local laws and regulations throughout all jurisdictions within which Fenix operates; Assist with regulatory filings
  • Help implement corporate structures as we open offices in new markets, which include coordinating incorporation, regulatory compliance and real estate leases
  • Research and support in relation to data protection
  • Support IP development and monitor trademark/patent registrations

Legal database

  • With the support of the Legal Fellow, manage Fenix Legal’s database, with systematic and user-friendly filing of all contracts, legal documents, advice memos, etc.
  • Develop reference pages for other teams with commonly requested legal resources (e.g. template NDAs with guidance on how to choose and adapt template)

Ethics

  • Support the Global Director of Legal & Ethics in its capacity as Ethics Officer for Fenix, including:
    • Carrying due diligence ethics checks on counterparties
    • Preparing training materials in both English and French
    • Adapting template ethics clauses for new agreements
    • Internal reporting to Fenix management and ENGIE

Experience

  • Exceptional academic credentials, including a Masters degree in civil or common law with knowledge / experience of both legal systems
  • At least 5 years of experience working in law firms and/or in-house legal teams
  • Experience working in African jurisdictions and liaising with local counsel
  • Experience in corporate law and commercial law; intellectual property, fintech / technology experience also an important plus

Required Skills

  • Strong commitment to Fenix's mission to improve the quality of life of our customers through life-changing energy and financial services
  • High level of attention to detail, accuracy, and thoroughness
  • Ability to anticipate and deliver on the needs of a fast-paced and innovative social enterprise, and the flexibility to simultaneously manage a wide range of projects
  • Ability to apply business-oriented legal and critical thinking skills
  • Discretion in working with departments that handle confidential information
  • Positive attitude and team player
  • Strong contract drafting and contract interpretation skills
  • High degree of professional ethics and integrity
  • Excellent judgment, solution-oriented critical thinking, and outstanding analytical skills
  • Ability to work within a team of members from varying cultural backgrounds as well as with counterparts of varying cultural backgrounds.

Languages

  • Professional proficiency in English; knowledge of French or Portuguese a plus.
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