Country Counsel and Company Secretary Job

Job Title: Country Counsel and Company Secretary

Organisation: Citi Bank

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

About US:

Citigroup Inc. or Citi is an American multinational investment bank and financial services corporation headquartered in New York City. The company was formed by the merger of banking giant Citicorp and financial conglomerate Travelers Group in 1998; Travelers was subsequently spun off from the company in 2002. Citigroup owns Citicorp, the holding company for Citibank, as well as several international subsidiaries. Citigroup is incorporated in Delaware.

Job Summary: The Country Counsel – Manage & support the Legal function by providing support and guidance to the local business and to all functions on all aspects of local & Citigroup Legal related matters

The Company Secretary – provide company secretarial services to the CUL franchise.

The Country Counsel and Company Secretary, Uganda is part of the Citi EA Cluster Legal organization. Provides country legal coverage and company secretarial services to the CUL franchise.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Manages & supports the Legal function providing support and guidance to the local businesses and to all Citi functions on all aspects of local & Citigroup Legal related matters
Ensures full compliance of all local Citigroup products and structures with local Law, as in force, and where applicable with international standards
Ensures continuity and management of legal operations of Citigroup in the region as it pertains to local licenses and all other types of Corporate Governance, including company secretarial roles, as well as compliance with local regulatory requirements
Advises the CCO on business and Franchise Legal issues
Interfaces with Regulators
Ensures consistency of Citigroup policies with local legal requirements
Escalates all issues to designated Division Counsel that are of importance within the role
Participate in the local Management committees
Management and coordination of the provision of external legal services
Liaise with compliance in the development, updating and presentation of training materials related to local laws and regulations
Assists overseas colleagues engaged in projects and deals involving local laws and regulations
Manages and organizes the handling of litigation cases in which Citigroup entities are involved as defendants or claimants
Manage the functioning of the Legal Department
Drafts and implements local legal policies and procedures
Drafts, amend and approve the list of external legal counsels used by Citigroup locally
Manages several relationships with external legal counsels
Provide solution-oriented legal support and assistance to the local businesses in accordance with strategic business needs and applicable regulatory and legal requirements
Appropriately assess risk when business decisions are made, demonstrating particular consideration for the firm’s reputation and safeguarding Citigroup, its clients and assets, by driving compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations, adhering to Policy, applying sound ethical judgment regarding personal behavior, conduct and business practices, and escalating, managing and reporting control issues with transparency, as well as effectively supervise the activity of others and create accountability with those who fail to maintain these standards.
Manage and oversee company secretarial services to the CUL franchise.
Organise and run Board and shareholders meetings of the bank and related services in conformance with the Bank of Uganda Corporate Governance Guidelines.
Maintain the statutory records of CUL and ensure compliance with applicable regulatory provisions.
Manage, co-ordinate and, in co-operation with Compliance, identify the impact of, and ensure compliance with, relevant policies, laws, and regulatory and supervisory requirements.
Represent Citi in relevant external committees and industry organisations.
Interact with management, support functions and stakeholders on issues affecting the corporate governance matters pertaining to CUL.
Manage, propose and take part in projects and initiatives affecting corporate governance matters for CUL.
Manage and co-ordinate corporate governance reporting.
Manage, identify and evaluate corporate governance risk impacting on Citi and address and limit such risks.
Keep management informed of developments in laws and regulations that may impact on corporate governance.
In close coordination with CCO and Finance, manage coordinate and supervise corporate governance processes and procedures, in accordance with Citi’s Legal Entity Management Policy and CCO Handbook, local law and regulatory standards.
Development Value:
The person will, as part of the Cluster Legal team, have the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience to Cluster related legal matters, local laws and jurisdictions, local regulators, processes and procedures, as well as Citi’s cross-border and international businesses and employees across the Cluster. As a member of the Cluster Legal team there will be frequent interaction with internal departments, clients, peers and other lawyers.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

The applicant must hold appropriate legal qualifications (at least an LLB or equivalent).
LLM is an advantage.
Relevant Company Secretarial qualification applicable in Uganda.
Locally qualified and member of relevant professional body – Law Association, Company Secretaries professional body.
At least six to ten years of experience in a legal and banking environment
At least six to ten years of experience in Company Secretarial practice.
Knowledge and experience in banking, corporate/commercial and corporate governance laws
Sound and proven knowledge and experience of the law in general.
Building strong relationships
Integrity & Professionalism, Technical Ability
Must be able to quickly acquire and apply knowledge of Citi’s policies and requirements.
Experience in managing regulatory and governance matters.

Skills:

Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Good interpersonal, presentation and negotiation skills.
Creative and analytical thinking and attention to details.
Planning and organisation skills.
Knowledge and experience of corporate governance, legal and compliance issues
Intellectual strength and sound judgment.
Creative and analytical thinking and attention to details.
Management, administration, research and negotiation skills
The ability to accept high levels of responsibility and accountability
Ability to work equally well alone and as part of a team
Self-starter, well organized, able to prioritize, multi-task and work under pressure.
Management, administration, research and negotiation skills.
Adaptability with the ability to escalate, share and accept high levels of responsibility and accountability.
Fluent in English.