Regional Legal Counsel – Africa (Locally Recruited)

About the role

The Regional Legal Counsel is an in‑house lawyer who provides comprehensive legal support for all CIMMYT operations in the region. This position advises on contracts, legal transactions, risk assessment, regulatory compliance, and other matters relevant to the department. The role ensures effective legal coverage across the region and contributes to the delivery of legal services throughout CIMMYT’s regional operations.

Key responsibilities

• Execute end‑to‑end contract lifecycle management, including drafting, review, negotiation, amendment, quality control and archiving of grants, contracts, NDAs, leases and other legal instruments.
• Provide practical, business‑oriented legal advice across multiple jurisdictions covering corporate, regulatory, labour, tax, administrative, criminal and litigation matters.
• Support compliance and case‑management activities, tracking, documentation, reporting and timely closure of cases using dashboards and KPI tools.
• Advise internal departments (Research, Finance, HR, Procurement, Operations) on day‑to‑day legal matters to ensure compliance and risk mitigation.
• Act as the legal focal point between regional teams and Headquarters, ensuring consistency in policy interpretation and visibility of legal risks.
• Research and analyse applicable laws, treaties and regulations; draft legal opinions, memoranda and other documents.
• Support corporate governance activities such as powers of attorney, minutes and statutory compliance obligations.

Required profile

• Master’s degree or LL.M. required.
• Minimum eight (8) years of experience as an in‑house legal counsel in multijurisdictional or regional environments.
• Experience in regulatory and compliance matters, preferably within international non‑profit, development or agricultural research organisations.
• Strong knowledge of regional legal frameworks and ability to work across complex multi‑jurisdictional environments.
• Proven ability to deliver practical legal advice while balancing risk with operational needs.
• Excellent organizational, writing and communication skills, with high ethical standards and confidentiality.

Required skills

• Microsoft Office
• Adobe Acrobat
• English proficiency at C2 level

What we offer

• Locally recruited staff position with a competitive remuneration package.
• Non‑contributory pension scheme, comprehensive medical insurance and paid annual and statutory leave.
• Learning and development opportunities in line with CIFOR‑ICRAF policies.
• Two‑year fixed‑term appointment (including a six‑month probationary period) based in Nairobi, Kenya.