Registrar / Chief Executive Officer

Role Overview

• We are seeking an accomplished and strategic Registrar / Chief Executive Officer to provide executive leadership for the Institute and translate the Governing Council's strategic vision into measurable institutional performance.
• The Registrar/CEO will provide leadership across membership, professional education and certification, the ADR Centre, advocacy, finance, operations, partnerships and institutional development.
• The successful candidate will serve as a principal ambassador of the Institute to members, government, regulators, the judiciary, professional bodies and the international arbitration community.

Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Institutional Development:

• Lead the development and execution of the Institute's corporate strategy and annual operating plans.
• Advise the President, Chairman of Council and Governing Council on strategic, operational and institutional matters.
• Strengthen the Institute's position as a leading arbitration and ADR institute in Nigeria and Africa.
• Drive innovation in training, virtual hearings and technology-enabled member services.
• Lead the expansion of the Institute's national and regional presence.

Governance & Council Secretariat:

• Coordinate Governing Council meetings, Council papers, proceedings and implementation of Council resolutions.
• Ensure compliance with the Institute's constitutive documents, byelaws and applicable Nigerian laws.
• Support Council committees, elections, AGMs and governance processes.
• Maintain robust risk management, internal controls and ethical standards.
• Handle sensitive Council and member matters with the highest level of confidentiality.

Membership & Branch Network:

• Drive membership growth, retention and engagement across all membership grades.
• Strengthen the Institute's branch network and ensure consistent standards and member experience.
• Enhance engagement with young arbitrators, women in ADR and professionals from non-legal disciplines.
• Oversee membership admissions, upgrades, records and disciplinary referrals.
• Increase member value through mentorship, networking, publications and referral opportunities.

Professional Education, Certification & Standards:

• Oversee the Institute's professional training, certification, mediation and specialised corporate programmes.
• Maintain high academic and professional standards across curriculum, faculty and examinations.
• Expand hybrid and e-learning programmes locally and internationally.
• Develop partnerships with universities, professional bodies and international institutes.
• Oversee publications, research and thought-leadership initiatives.

ADR Centre & Case Administration:

• Provide executive oversight of the Institute's ADR Centre.
• Ensure efficient, confidential and rules-compliant administration of arbitration and mediation cases.
• Drive increased caseload and patronage among corporate, government and international clients.
• Oversee arbitration and mediation rules, panels of neutrals and appointment processes.
• Position the ADR Centre competitively within the African arbitration landscape.

Financial Stewardship & Sustainability:

• Prepare and manage the Institute's annual budget.
• Drive revenue growth across membership subscriptions, training, conferences and ADR Centre activities.
• Ensure effective financial reporting, audit oversight and cost management.
• Diversify revenue through sponsorships, partnerships, grants and new programmes.
• Safeguard the Institute's assets, investments and financial controls.

Advocacy, Partnerships & External Relations:

• Serve as the Institute's principal spokesperson and representative before government, regulators, the judiciary, National Assembly and professional bodies.
• Advance advocacy and policy initiatives supporting arbitration and ADR in Nigeria.
• Build strategic relationships with arbitral institutions, development partners and international ADR organisations.
• Lead the successful delivery of the Institute's Annual International Conference and other major events.
• Protect and strengthen the Institute's brand and public profile.

People, Operations & Compliance:

• Lead and motivate a high-performing secretariat team.
• Oversee recruitment, performance management and succession planning.
• Manage facilities, IT systems, vendors and office administration.
• Ensure compliance with employment law, data protection and applicable statutory requirements.
• Implement effective systems for membership, learning, case management and finance.
• Present institutional performance reports and dashboards to the Governing Council.

What Success Looks Like
Within the first year, the successful candidate will be expected to:

• Establish strong confidence and working relationships with the Governing Council, President, branches and members.
• Deliver measurable growth in membership, certification enrolment and training participation.
• Increase the caseload and market patronage of the Institute's ADR Centre.
• Deliver sound financial performance, including effective budget management, clean audit outcomes and revenue diversification.
• Successfully deliver the Annual International Conference and strengthen strategic partnerships locally and internationally.
• Establish a reputation as a credible, fair and unifying Chief Executive across the Institute and the wider ADR community.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Law, Business, Public Policy or a related field.
• Legal qualification and call to the Nigerian Bar will be a strong advantage.
• Membership or Fellowship of the Institute or a recognised arbitration/ADR institute such as MCArb, FCArb or equivalent, or demonstrable commitment to attaining the designation.
• Minimum of 15 years' progressive professional experience, including at least 5 years in a senior executive or institutional leadership position.
• Proven experience leading a professional body, arbitral institution, membership organisation or comparable professional services institution.
• Demonstrated experience working with Boards or Governing Councils, including governance, company secretarial and compliance responsibilities.
• Strong experience in financial management, budgeting, audit oversight and revenue growth.

Desirable:

• Postgraduate qualification such as LL.M, MBA, MPA or equivalent.
• Accreditation and professional standing as an arbitrator and/or mediator.
• Experience in professional education, certification or examinations administration.
• Demonstrated track record in institution-building, international partnerships, fundraising or sponsorship development.
• Strong understanding of governance and institutional compliance in Nigeria.

Key Competencies & Attributes:

• Exceptional executive leadership and institutional presence.
• Strong knowledge of arbitration and ADR law, practice and institutional rules.
• High emotional intelligence, diplomacy and interpersonal sensitivity.
• Ability to advise and influence a distinguished Governing Council.
• Excellent negotiation, consensus-building and conflict-resolution skills.
• Exceptional integrity, discretion and professional judgement.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen.
• Excellent written, verbal and public-speaking skills.
• Strong strategic and analytical capabilities.
• Digital fluency across e-learning, CRM, case management and virtual hearing platforms.
• Ability to build trust across branches, faculty, members and staff.

Salary
N2,500,000 Net Monthly.

Application Closing Date
30th September, 2026.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV to: [email protected]using the Job Title and Location as the subject of the email.

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