The Lawyer will provide comprehensive legal support to Open Health Foundation, ensuring that its activities, partnerships, contracts, policies, and programmes are conducted within applicable legal and regulatory frameworks.
The role requires a lawyer who can combine strong legal expertise with practical business judgement, communicate complex legal issues clearly, and proactively identify and mitigate legal and regulatory risks.
The successful candidate will work closely with management, programme teams, finance, HR, external counsel, partners, vendors, and other stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities
Legal Advisory & Counsel:
Provide timely and practical legal advice to the Executive Director, management, and relevant departments.
Review and advise on legal implications of the Foundation's programmes, operations, partnerships, and strategic initiatives.
Conduct legal research and provide clear recommendations on applicable laws, regulations, policies, and emerging legal developments.
Identify potential legal risks and recommend appropriate mitigation strategies.
Support management in making legally sound and commercially practical decisions.
Contract & Agreement Management:
Draft, review, negotiate, and manage a wide range of legal documents, including:
Partnership agreements
Grant agreements
Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs)
Service agreements
Consultancy agreements
Employment-related agreements
Vendor and procurement contracts
Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs)
Letters of engagement and other legal instruments
Ensure contractual terms adequately protect the Foundation's interests.
Monitor contractual obligations, deliverables, renewal dates, and compliance requirements.
Maintain an organized contract and legal documentation database.
Regulatory Compliance:
Monitor the Foundation's compliance with applicable laws, regulations, regulatory requirements, and contractual obligations.
Provide guidance on regulatory and statutory requirements relevant to nonprofit and health-sector operations.
Support the development and implementation of legal and compliance policies.
Conduct periodic compliance reviews and identify areas requiring corrective action.
Liaise with relevant regulatory bodies and government agencies where necessary.
Governance & Corporate Matters:
Provide legal support on corporate governance and institutional matters.
Assist with preparation and review of Board resolutions, policies, governance documents, and official correspondence.
Support the organization in maintaining appropriate statutory and corporate records.
Advise management and the Board on governance-related legal matters when required.
Ensure organizational decisions and processes are appropriately documented.
Dispute Resolution & Litigation Support:
Manage and monitor legal disputes involving the Foundation.
Liaise with external solicitors, counsel, and other legal professionals where necessary.
Support dispute prevention through proactive legal advice and effective contract management.
Review claims, notices, demands, and other legal correspondence received by the Foundation.
Provide management with appropriate recommendations on dispute resolution strategies.
Grants, Partnerships & Donor Agreements:
Provide legal review and support for grant agreements, donor arrangements, partnership agreements, and other funding instruments.
Identify legal obligations, liabilities, restrictions, and compliance requirements associated with funding arrangements.
Support programme and partnerships teams during negotiations with donors and strategic partners.
Ensure agreements are aligned with the Foundation's objectives, policies, and risk appetite.
Advise on intellectual property, confidentiality, data protection, and other relevant legal considerations.
Data Protection, Ethics & Risk Management:
Provide legal guidance on data protection, privacy, confidentiality, and information management.
Support compliance with applicable data protection and privacy requirements.
Advise on ethical and legal considerations relating to health programmes, beneficiaries, partners, and organizational activities.
Contribute to the Foundation's broader legal and enterprise risk-management framework.
Escalate significant legal and compliance risks to management promptly.
Policy Development & Documentation:
Draft, review, and update organizational policies, procedures, legal templates, and guidelines.
Ensure policies remain aligned with applicable laws and regulatory requirements.
Provide legal input into HR, procurement, finance, safeguarding, programme, and operational policies.
Maintain proper legal documentation and ensure records are appropriately managed.
Stakeholder & External Counsel Management:
Liaise professionally with government agencies, regulators, external counsel, partners, vendors, and other stakeholders.
Coordinate with external legal advisers on specialized or complex matters.
Review legal opinions and recommendations provided by external counsel.
Ensure external legal engagements are properly documented and aligned with organizational requirements.
Legal Reporting & Risk Monitoring:
Maintain accurate records of legal matters, contracts, disputes, compliance activities, and regulatory obligations.
Prepare periodic legal and compliance reports for management.
Track outstanding legal matters and ensure timely follow-up.
Develop and maintain a legal risk register where required.
Provide management with updates on significant legal developments that may affect the Foundation.
Qualifications & Experience
Essential:
Bachelor's Degree in Law (LL.B) from a recognized institution.
Call to the Nigerian Bar (BL) and membership in good standing with the Nigerian Bar Association.
4 - 6 years of post-qualification legal experience.
Demonstrable experience in corporate/commercial law, contracts, regulatory compliance, governance, or a related legal practice area.
Strong experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial and institutional agreements.
Excellent understanding of Nigerian legal and regulatory frameworks.
Strong legal research, analytical, drafting, and negotiation skills.
Demonstrated ability to provide practical legal advice to senior management.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple legal matters simultaneously.
Desirable:
Experience working with an NGO, foundation, nonprofit organization, healthcare organization, development organization, or donor-funded institution.
Experience with grant agreements and donor-funded projects.
Knowledge of health-sector regulation and compliance.
Familiarity with data protection and privacy regulations.
Experience working with government agencies and development partners.
Additional professional certifications or postgraduate qualifications in relevant areas of law.