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Chief Legal Counsel - Boards and Institutional Matters - General Counsel and Legal Services Department

  • Position title: Chief Legal Counsel - Boards and Institutional Matters - General Counsel and Legal Services Department
  • Grade: PL-3
  • Position N°: 7685 (SAP 50051055)
  • Reference: ADB/12/53
  • Publication date: 08/08/2012
  • Closing date: 27/08/2012

Objectives

The principal objective of the Office of the General Counsel and Legal Services Department (GECL) is to protect the interest of the Bank and to insulate the Bank from legal liability. GECL provides legal support and advice to the Boards of the Bank Group, to the President and Vice-Presidents as well as to the operational, financial and administrative departments of the Bank. GECL ensures that the Bank’s activities and operations are consistent with the constitutive documents and other legal instruments of the Bank, its policies, the norms and principles of international and commercial law and the best practices of international development banking.

The General Counsels’ Office (i) provides independent advice to the Boards of Governors, the Boards of Directors, and the President, (ii) supervises the work program of the Department, (iii) manages special initiatives such as the African Legal Support Facility, publications such as the Law for Development Review, and institutional reforms in the area of governance, and (iv) advises on legal issues arising from ADB general capital increases, ADF replenishments, ADB and ADF governance, ADB/ADF Annual Meetings and the various committees of the Boards.

Duties and responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the General Counsel (GC), the incumbent will perform general activities related to the work of the Boards of Directors and the Boards of Governors of the Bank and the Fund and will in particular, perform the following assignments and tasks:

  • Ensure active and efficient liaison with the Office of the Secretary General on matters concerning the Board of Governors, the Board of Directors and their Committees;
  • Follow-up with the work programme of the Boards and their committees and coordinate within the Office of the General Counsel and in the Department to ensure that the required legal assistance is timely provided;
  • Attend the Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors and, in this regard, coordinate the preparation and finalization of resolutions and other legal documentation required and, to this effect, liaise actively with SEGL;
  • As the focal point in GECL.0 for Board resolutions, coordinate the resolutions process within all the divisions in the Legal Department (quality control and timely transmission);
  • Attend with the General Counsel, as required, meetings of the Boards and of the Committees of the Board of Directors of the Bank, i.e the Committee on Administrative Matters Concerning the Board of Directors (AMBD) and the Ethics Committee of the Board (ECBD), and in this regard, assist the General Counsel, in his capacity as Counsel and Secretary of the ECBD, by preparing, and/or compiling information and analysis documents on related issues, drafting the minutes of the meetings, and performing other related follow-up activities;
  • Review the records of Board meetings and proceedings concerning institutional matters, and reports of Committees and advise the General Counsel on follow-up actions to be taken;
  • Assist the General Counsel in handling institutional matters i.e. by preparing and/or compiling relevant information documents and participating in related Management meetings (for instance, by providing comments and advice on SMCC documents involving institutional matters);
  • Translate highly sensitive and confidential documents produced by the Office of the General Counsel;
  • Organize the safe keeping of all Legal Opinions issued by the GC addressed to the Boards of Directors and ensure that major Legal Opinions are available in both languages of the Bank; and
  • Perform any other duties assigned by the General Counsel.

Selection Criteria

  • At least a Master’s degree in Law, International Relations, Public Administration or related disciplines; plus admission to the Bar of (or diploma to practice law ) in a member country; or a first university degree plus a relevant combination of a professional qualification in Law (e.g. Juris Doctor (JD) plus admission to the Bar of (or diploma to practice law ) in a member country;
  • Preferably at least 7 years of relevant professional experience, preferably in an international financial institution with proven administrative skills and experience in Administrative and Public International Law.
  • In-depth knowledge of Bank policies, rules and regulations, with particular emphasis on the works of the Board of Directors and the Board of Governors and their subsidiary organs;
  • High sense of integrity and confidentiality;
  • Demonstrated communication, inter-personal, writing and analytical skills and recognized ability to pay attention to detail (rigour);
  • Ability to communicate and write effectively in English and/or French with a working knowledge of the other language;
  • Competence in the use of standard software such as MSWord, Power Point, Excel.

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Chief Legal Counsel - Boards and Institutional Matters - General Counsel and Legal Services Department (92 KB)

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To apply for this position, you need to be national of one of AfDB member countries.

  • Submitted by: Harold AKINGBADE-TAYLOR, OIC, CHRM.1
  • Approved by: Gemina ARCHER-DAVIES, Director, CHRM