Legal and Compliance Associate

Job title : Legal and Compliance Associate

Salary Budget: ₦1,100,000 - ₦ 1,500,000 Monthly Gross

We are looking for an experienced legal and compliance professional to join our team. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in corporate law, contract negotiation and regulatory compliance and will act as the internal legal advisor for the firm. You will play a crucial role in mitigating legal risks, ensuring compliance with regulations and providing strategic legal guidance to various departments and business units within our organisation. You will also be responsible for implementing and managing all aspects of data privacy, anti-money laundering and compliance.

Required Qualifications and Skills:

• Minimum of five years of experience in a legal position.1 - 2 years Financial Services industry experience a plus.
• Bachelor's degree in Law; JD or LLB preferred.
• Licensed solicitor with valid Nigerian Bar Association membership.
• Proven experience as a legal counsel or similar role, preferably in a corporate environment.
• Strong understanding of corporate law, contract law, and regulatory compliance.
• Excellent legal research and analytical skills.
• Contract negotiation and problem-solving abilities.
• Strong experience in corporate transactions.
• Excellent analytical skills and the ability to provide sound legal advice.
• Excellent ability to speak and write English. 
• Proficiency in macOS Keynote, Numbers, and Pages - a plus.
• Proficient in MS Excel & Word.
• Diligent and meticulous, with excellent attention to detail.
• Experience working with regulators, obtaining financial licenses, and advising on compliance matters.
• Corporate governance experience.
• Familiarity with financial services laws and regulations.
• Able to synthesise and communicate complex legal concepts to non-legal stakeholders clearly and concisely.
• Result-oriented, able to deliver on time, under pressure.
• Highly adaptable, able to deal with ambiguity and change, willing to learn and grow in the role.
• Able to handle confidential matters with absolute discretion.
• Able to work in a fast-paced, team with minimal supervision.
• Proactive, with good decision-making capacity.
• Must be mature and reliable.

Key Responsibilities of this role include but are not limited to:

Legal:

• Lead the process for obtaining necessary financial licenses and registrations for current and future products, serving as the primary liaison with regulatory bodies.
• Work closely with business teams to ensure financial products and services
• comply with appropriate regulations.Draft, negotiate and review all internal and external contracts, agreements and corporate governance documents, ensuring legal protections align with business objectives.
• Provide legal advice and guidance on corporate governance and regulatory compliance.
• Advise on all internal legal matters including contract, employment, financial and other legal matters.
• Advise on all Real Estate legal matters relating to the firm, conduct title verification, registration of land titles, drafting and revising of all conveyancing instruments and handling all contract negotiations.
• Lead legal responses in cases of regulatory inquiries, legal negotiations, compliance audits, data breaches, or legal proceedings (and managing relationships with external counsel as applicable).
• Maintain the organisation’s legal records, documents and databases in an accurate and well organised manner.
• Conduct legal research and analysis on relevant laws, regulations and precedents to support business activities.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders, including executives, managers and other departments, to address legal issues and ensure compliance with laws and regulations.
• Identify wider legal risks and issues and develop strategies to mitigate and resolve them.
• Assist with corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic partnerships
• Monitor changes in laws and regulations that may impact the company's operations and advise on potential implications.
• Develop and deliver legal training and education programs for employees on relevant legal topics.

Compliance:

• Lead the development, implementation and maintenance of the firm’s compliance program, ensuring compliance with all relevant regulations applicable to us.
• Draft, review, maintain and ensure the implementation of all compliance and risk related policies and procedures, including but not limited to training programs, privacy management, complaints management and record-keeping requirements.
• Prepare and submit regulatory filings and reports to relevant authorities as necessary.
• Understand and interpret relevant laws, regulations and internal policies.
• Identify and mitigate legal, regulatory and operational risks associated with our business, ensuring the company maintains a strong compliance posture.
• Establish and oversee anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) frameworks, ensuring compliance with regulatory guidelines and industry best practices.
• Conduct regular compliance audits and risk assessments and analyses to identify potential risks across all business functions.
• Investigate, maintain records of and resolve compliance issues and incidents.
• Develop, test and maintain incident and crisis management plans to effectively respond to and manage potential risk events.
• Develop and deliver compliance and risk training and education programs for employees on relevant topics.
• Provide expert advice to the leadership team on compliance and risk matters.
• Serve as the liaison with regulatory bodies, external auditors, bank partners and government officials. Keep management informed about regulatory changes.