Head of Legal, Governance & Compliance- EIB Job. Legal Jobs In Kenya

Role Overview

Equity Investment Bank (EIB) seeks an experienced, high-integrity legal professional to serve as Head of Legal, Governance & Compliance. This role, reports directly to the EIB Managing Director, with dotted-line accountability to the Group Legal, Governance, and Compliance functions.

The role oversees all legal, regulatory, governance, and compliance matters across EIB’s operations in Kenya, and EGHL’s footprint, with strategic alignment to Capital Markets Authority regulations, Group governance standards, and international best practice.

The holder will serve as the principal advisor to the EIB MD and board on legal, governance, and compliance matters and will be functionally independent in line with the Capital Markets Corporate Governance Regulations, 2025.

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Key Responsibilities

Legal Affairs

• Provide authoritative legal advice to the MD, board, and senior leadership on regulatory, transactional, and contractual matters.
• Draft, review, and negotiate investment agreements, commercial contracts, and cross-border deals in line with applicable laws.
• Lead dispute resolution, litigation, and regulatory investigations, in collaboration with Group Legal and external counsel.
• Ensure regulatory filings, disclosures, and legal risks are proactively managed and documented.

Regulatory Compliance

• Implement and oversee a robust compliance framework covering financial crime, capital markets, and data protection laws across jurisdictions.
• Maintain a real-time regulatory dashboard and ensure alignment with the primary and secondary regulators’ requirements.
• Serve as EIB’s liaison with regulators and coordinate audits, inspections, and enforcement actions.
• Submit quarterly and annual compliance reports to the EIB Board and the Group Compliance Office, as appropriate.
• Monitor the compliance landscape of investment banking and ensure full compliance with applicable laws, avoid penalties.
• Sensitize the Board and staff of new legislation, compliance requirements and ensure full compliance within the stipulated timelines.
• Develop and maintain a robust and up to date Obligations Register.
• Ensure tracking and closure of regulatory and internal audit findings.
• Work with relevant stakeholders in the Group to ensure that the required controls to mitigate compliance risk are embedded into new products and initiatives.

Corporate Governance

• Coordinate board activities including preparation of board calendar, workplans, trainings in line with regulatory and directors needs.
• Drive the development and periodic review of EIB’s board charter, code of conduct, and governance framework, business policies in line with laws and Group policies.
• Advise the board on director appointments and other changes, governance obligations, and conflict of interest management.
• Prepare and review board and committee documentation, take minutes and ensure compliance with statutory and regulatory filings.
• Ensure the legal validity of decisions passed by the Board
• Support country-level adaptations of governance frameworks in compliance with local laws.

Ethics, Risk, and Controls

• Identify, assess, and mitigate legal, compliance, and governance risks (e.g., AML/CFT, reputational, data, market, cyber) as required by local laws where EIB operates.
• Promote a culture of compliance, ethics, and institutional integrity across EIB.
• Lead internal investigations and enforce compliance with the code of conduct, whistleblower protocols, and disclosure controls.
• Collaborate with the Risk Officer, Internal Auditor, and CFO to strengthen internal controls and governance monitoring.

Strategic Expansion

• Provide legal and regulatory guidance for market entry in new jurisdictions.
• Oversee the legal structuring, licensing, and setup of subsidiaries or investment vehicles.
• Conduct legal due diligence, establish jurisdiction-specific compliance models, and support local regulatory engagement.

Leadership and Oversight

• Build, lead, and mentor a pan-African legal, governance, and compliance team, aligned with EIB’s growth ambition.
• Ensure the functional independence of compliance officers, internal auditors, and risk managers in line with local requirements.
• Develop internal policies for legal, regulatory, and governance capacity building.
• Serve on board-level governance and audit committees, as required.
• Monitor global developments (legal and regulatory) trends affecting investment banking operations and provide strategic guidance to ensure there’s proactive alignment and compliance.

Stakeholder Engagements

• Collaborate with the other stakeholders to identify, control and assess compliance risks within EIB.
• Maintain good working relationships with regulators and external stakeholders.
• Broaden internal and external networks and keep up to date with regulatory requirements and industry best practice to continuously improve the effectiveness of compliance risk management.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from a recognized university.
• Bar admission in at least one of EIB’s operating jurisdictions (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, DRC, South Sudan).
• Postgraduate qualification (LLM, MBA, or Certified Compliance designation) is an added advantage.
• 12+ years of post-qualification experience, with 5+ years in a senior legal or compliance leadership role within financial services, capital markets, or cross-border investment platforms.
• Admission to practice as a Corporate Secretary in Kenya
• Deep knowledge of regulatory regimes in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, DRC, and South Sudan.
• Demonstrated experience interacting with financial regulators and navigating multi-jurisdictional legal frameworks.

Key Competencies

• Legal Strategy & Risk Mitigation – Business-aligned legal judgment with foresight.
• Regulatory Depth – Understanding of Capital Markets, Banking, and AML regulations.
• Governance Acumen – Experience supporting boards and building governance frameworks.
• Independence & Integrity – Demonstrated ability to operate independently and ethically.
• Stakeholder Management – Trusted advisor to boards, regulators, and executives.

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How to Apply

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