Legal Counsel- Nairobi, Kenya

Job #:	132721
Title:	Legal Counsel
Job Stream:	Legal
Location:	Nairobi, Kenya
Closing Date:	01/12/2014
Background / General description:
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector investment arm of the World Bank Group, is one of the leading investors and lenders in emerging markets. The mission of IFC is to promote sustainable private sector investment in developing countries, helping to reduce poverty and improve people's lives. IFC finances private sector investments in the developing world, mobilizes capital in the international financial markets, helps clients improve social and environmental sustainability, and provides technical assistance and advice to governments and businesses. The Legal Department of IFC (CLED), under the General Counsel, is responsible for providing legal and policy advice to the IFC Board, its Management and client departments on operational, advisory and corporate matters. Specifically, CLED supports client departments in (i) the delivery of IFC’s annual program of financing private sector projects in emerging markets; (ii) project portfolio management (including jeopardy projects and projects in litigation); (iii) the delivery and design of structured finance products, sub-national lending, equity and quasi-equity, public-private partnerships, and carbon finance transactions; (iv) advising on corporate policy and operational matters such as operating policies and procedures and Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Funding of Terrorism; and (v) knowledge management and training. To support IFC’s growing activities in Sub-Saharan Africa, CLED is recruiting a qualified Senior Legal Counsel to be based in Nairobi, Kenya.
Duties and Accountabilities:
• Assume primary lawyer responsibility for new and portfolio investments and advisory services projects in Sub-Saharan Africa, including jeopardy projects and projects in litigation. • Provide legal advice and support to Investment and Advisory colleagues located in Sub-Saharan Africa.  • Work closely with the Legal department at Headquarters in Washington, D.C. on specific cases, and provide advice and support to colleagues in Washington working on projects in Sub-Saharan Africa. • Advise colleagues on the selection of outside counsels in Sub-Saharan Africa  • Build strong knowledge about business in Sub-Saharan Africa and effectively share knowledge and best practice • Provide legal advice and support to business development officers and others in the structuring of projects in Sub-Saharan Africa
Selection Criteria:
• Law degree with at least 8 years of relevant international law firm experience in the corporate finance & project finance areas.  • Willingness to assume multiple roles and tasks to meet changing business needs with an ability to foresee troubleshoot and effectively resolve conflicting issues and challenges.  • Ability to assess risk in a practical and responsible manner and make fair, well-reasoned, independent and transparent decisions.  • Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to deal sensitivity in a multicultural environment and build effective working relations with clients and colleagues across the Corporation.  • Ability to work in a fast-pace environment with quick turnaround expectations.  • Willingness to travel throughout the region frequently and on short notice.  • Professional integrity and sound judgment in handling confidential information.  • Experience with “know your customer”, anti-money laundering and anti corruption policies and procedures desirable.  • Excellent communications skills in English (and ideally French), and the capacity to present both written and oral ideas clearly, concisely and persuasively. APPLY