Associate General Counsel

About the role:

• The Associate General Counsel (AGC) will report to the General Counsel and assist in carrying out all responsibilities of the Office of the General Counsel.  The AGC primarily will serve as the line attorney to support MSH’s overseas programs in approximately 25 countries in Africa, see list here [link to “Where We Work” on website].  They will provide advice and counsel on a wide range of legal issues, including, e.g., employment law, local vendor contracts, lease agreements, corporate law and entity management, compliance with applicable donor requirements, general host-country legal requirements, conflicts of interest, procurement integrity and other matters.  In coordination with the General Counsel, they will retain local counsel as needed.  They will represent the General Counsel in liaising with various MSH Offices, Technical Programs, Projects, and third parties.  In addition, they will support the General Counsel and organization on all legal matters as directed and stand in for the General Counsel as appropriate. They will be the fourth member of the Office of the General Counsel, joining the General Counsel, the Legal Operations Manager, and the Board Liaison.

Specific responsibilities include:

Employment Matters (30%)

• Partner with General Counsel and outside counsel if appropriate to advise leaders and HR partners regarding employment agreements, visas, employee relations and adverse employment actions, and employment litigation.  Prepare, revise and provide advice on current internal policies and compliance documents.

Vendor Contract Legal Review (20%)

• Review, revise and work with relevant country office to ensure compliance with a range of commercial contracts

Organizational Standards (20%)

Partner with the General Counsel in setting and advising regarding:

• the organizational standards for the development of terms and conditions in all Contracts/Agreements/Grants developed by Contract/Procurement Officers
• agreement-related templates; compliance checklists; donor approval of MSH’s interpretation of terms and conditions. (Templates to be developed by the Senior Contract Officer, Standards Unit)
• organizational compliance requirements under the Code of Business Ethics and Compliance.

Protest, Disputes, Resolutions, Terminations (5%)

• Assist the General Counsel in lodging and defending against protests, disputes, and terminations of MSH contracts/agreements.

Real Estate Holdings/Lease Matters (5%)

• Review and advise regarding MSH offices’ leases, and monitor MSH’s compliance with legal requirements.

Support Internal Investigations (20%)

• Provide legal assistance to investigations of allegations of employee misconduct; review and finalize of reports of investigation; ensure compliance with reporting requirements to donors.

QUALIFICATIONS

EXPERIENCE:                                   

• Admitted and in good standing with at least one Bar Association
• At least eight years’ experience practicing law in English. (French preferred)
• Combination of large law firm experience and in-house legal department roles (preferred)
• Experience practicing law in more than one African jurisdiction

SKILLS:                                      

• Experience in interpreting US Federal regulations related to government contracting and assistance awards.
• Experience in commercial, procurement, employment, and corporate law practice.
• Knowledge of the international donor and aid sector an advantage.
• Counsel organization leaders and Human Resources on employment and labor laws in all aspects of the employee life cycle, such as hiring practices, performance management, proactive training of employees, diversity and inclusion initiatives, affirmative action compliance, employee policies, compensation, wage and hour issues, accommodations and leave issues, terminations, organizational restructuring, employee benefits, and other employment-related matters.
• Experience with internal investigations into allegations of misconduct.
• Provide strategic and tactical thought leadership on how best to manage all types of legal issues and disputes in a cost-effective and efficient manner.
• Keep current on changes to employment law, contract law, and other relevant areas in relevant jurisdictions and communicate changes and potential impact to Human Resources and other stakeholders.
• Coordinate and drive completion of employment-related projects, including privileged internal audits and internal process reviews, new policy rollouts and implementation, and training programs that explain the various employment related risks and focus on reducing a client’s exposure to legal claims.
• May perform other duties including handling a variety of discrete transactional matters as assigned.

COMPETENCIES:                       

• Strong interpersonal and communications skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with program, finance, HR, and operations staff, as well as employees at every level of the organization.
• Excellent cross-cultural communication and active listening skills.
• Demonstrated ability to handle multiple demands from multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Solid understanding of the role of a legal department within an international organization.
• Demonstrated organization, planning, time-management, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite applications is required, including Word, SharePoint, and PowerPoint.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 

• 5% Travel, Keyboard use, pulling drawers, lifting papers <10 pounds

TRAVEL:

• Some international travel within Africa and to the United States