Job Purpose

The Legal Manager provides expert legal support to the bank’s credit business, drafting, reviewing and issuing opinions on all credit-related matters, and delivering sound, strategic legal advisory that mitigates risk across the bank’s business units.

Key Responsibilities

• Draft, prepare, and review security documents and lending-related contracts to ensure legal soundness and compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Coordinate and monitor the registration of security documents with relevant authorities to ensure timely perfection of securities.
• Maintain accurate records and tracking systems for all registered securities and produce periodic and ad hoc extract reports as required.
• Provide timely, well-reasoned legal opinions to business units, branches, and internal credit committees.
• Handle high-value transactions and regulatory compliance matters to safeguard the bank’s interests while enabling business growth through sound legal support and proactive risk management.
• Advise on legal risks in lending transactions and recommend appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Verify and acknowledge receipt of security documents submitted for safe custody.
• Ensure proper filing, safe custody, and retrieval of security documents in compliance with internal policies.
• Liaise with branches, external counsel, and relevant departments to resolve issues hindering the registration of securities, including post-registration return and proper custody of documents.
• Respond promptly to queries raised by internal stakeholders and advise on the legal status of security documentation and perfection.
• Facilitate the discharge of security documents upon loan settlement and manage transfers under power of sale in accordance with internal mandates and legal requirements.
• Prepare periodic and ad hoc reports on documentation status, compliance, and risk issues.
• Support audits and regulatory inspections by providing timely and accurate documentation and records.
• Prepare court pleadings and represent the bank before courts of law and tribunals.
• Keep abreast of developments in the regulatory framework and industry best practice, advising the bank on required actions to implement relevant changes.
• Undertake additional tasks and special projects assigned by the Chief Executive Officer and the Board.

Knowledge and Skills

• Sound understanding of general banking and commercial law, and of corporate and commercial lending transactions and the regulatory requirements affecting lending, security creation, and documentation.
• Demonstrated experience drafting, reviewing, and interpreting lending-related legal documents, with strong attention to detail.
• Strong ability to identify legal risk in credit processes and recommend appropriate mitigants to support informed business decisions.
• Ability to provide timely, practical, and commercially sound legal advice on credit, lending, and security matters while managing legal and regulatory risk.
• Proven ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously in a dynamic, collaborative, fast-paced environment.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to interact effectively with internal functions and external stakeholders.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team.
• High standards of integrity, professionalism, confidentiality, and sound judgment.
• Able to learn, understand, and efficiently apply new technologies in support of the Directorate’s goals.
• A high degree of personal organisation and self-management.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in law (LL. B) and must be an Advocate.
• Master’s degree in law or business studies is an added advantage.
• Minimum of five (5) years’ experience in a dynamic, fast-paced commercial legal environment.

• Draft, prepare, and review security documents and lending-related contracts to ensure legal soundness and compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Coordinate and monitor the registration of security documents with relevant authorities to ensure timely perfection of securities.
• Maintain accurate records and tracking systems for all registered securities and produce periodic and ad hoc extract reports as required.
• Provide timely, well-reasoned legal opinions to business units, branches, and internal credit committees.
• Handle high-value transactions and regulatory compliance matters to safeguard the bank’s interests while enabling business growth through sound legal support and proactive risk management.
• Advise on legal risks in lending transactions and recommend appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Verify and acknowledge receipt of security documents submitted for safe custody.
• Ensure proper filing, safe custody, and retrieval of security documents in compliance with internal policies.
• Liaise with branches, external counsel, and relevant departments to resolve issues hindering the registration of securities, including post-registration return and proper custody of documents.
• Respond promptly to queries raised by internal stakeholders and advise on the legal status of security documentation and perfection.
• Facilitate the discharge of security documents upon loan settlement and manage transfers under power of sale in accordance with internal mandates and legal requirements.
• Prepare periodic and ad hoc reports on documentation status, compliance, and risk issues.
• Support audits and regulatory inspections by providing timely and accurate documentation and records.
• Prepare court pleadings and represent the bank before courts of law and tribunals.
• Keep abreast of developments in the regulatory framework and industry best practice, advising the bank on required actions to implement relevant changes.
• Undertake additional tasks and special projects assigned by the Chief Executive Officer and the Board.

• Sound understanding of general banking and commercial law, and of corporate and commercial lending transactions and the regulatory requirements affecting lending, security creation, and documentation.
• Demonstrated experience drafting, reviewing, and interpreting lending-related legal documents, with strong attention to detail.
• Strong ability to identify legal risk in credit processes and recommend appropriate mitigants to support informed business decisions.
• Ability to provide timely, practical, and commercially sound legal advice on credit, lending, and security matters while managing legal and regulatory risk.
• Proven ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously in a dynamic, collaborative, fast-paced environment.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to interact effectively with internal functions and external stakeholders.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team.
• High standards of integrity, professionalism, confidentiality, and sound judgment.
• Able to learn, understand, and efficiently apply new technologies in support of the Directorate’s goals.
• A high degree of personal organisation and self-management.

• Bachelor’s degree in law (LL. B) and must be an Advocate.
• Master’s degree in law or business studies is an added advantage.