DIRECTOR LEGAL SERVICES

The National University of Lesotho is seeking a highly qualified and energetic candidate to fill the post of Director Legal Services.

The Director of Legal Services reports to the Vice-Chancellor. The office is primarily responsible for providing legal advise, counsel, guidance and responding to legal actions against the University. The Director will work with all constituencies in fulfilling the duties of the office.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Oversees, manages and provides advice on the provision of all legal services to the university ensuring maximum protection of the university’s legal rights while maintaining operations within the limits of prescribed laws.
• Provides legal counsel and guidance to guide strategy, policy and implementation on legal and compliance matters at the university to university officers and senior management including governance, employment law, policies and procedures documents, rules and regulations, laws pertaining to students, real estate transactions, contracts and leases, tax matters, liability and insurance matters and other laws and regulations in all jurisdictions where the university operates.
• Provides the Vice Chancellor and senior management with effective counsel, guidance and advice and responds to legal actions against the university; anticipates and identifies legal issues and counsel’s officers and senior management in development of legal and business strategies and solutions.
• Responds to legal actions against the university, represents and oversees representation of university in judicial and administration procedures and negotiations, advises on the selection of any outside counsel and manages external counsel.
• Researches legal issues and recommends revisions to current policies, as necessary.
• Advises management regarding agreements for potential university partnerships.
• Serves as risk manager with responsibility for developing appropriate protocols, strategies and procedures to minimize financial and reputational risk to the university.
• Serves as Secretary to Council and Council committees, including preparing agendas and documents, assuring Council materials and arrangements are in order. Prepares minutes of Council and follow-up on matters arising. Notify the university of Council decisions.
• Develops, reviews and recommends changes to the University Act, Statutes, Ordinances and other official university documents including policies to assure internally consistency, and compliance with the laws of Lesotho, including the Higher Education Act.
• Serves as the university’s ethics officer.
• Provides leadership on Intellectual Property issues.
• Supports Supervisors and Management as needed with improving legal understanding.
• Serves as consultant and legal advisor to the university around specific employment and benefit issues, collaborates on employee relations and labor relations matters with others in university management, including strategy for defense and settlement of disputes.
• Serves as legal advisor on all major business transactions, including acquisition of new business ventures and advises on legal aspects of university financing including current and future business structures and legal entities.
• Represents the university as requested and other duties as assigned.

Minimum Criteria

• Must hold an LLB and be admitted as an attorney of the High Court of Lesotho
• Minimum seven (7) years of progressive legal experience and responsibility
• Understanding of Lesotho laws and regulatory agencies; knowledge of the range of applicable laws and regulations and laws that impact university policy and operation
• Ability to develop and implement legal strategies and solutions, ability to analyze situations and make recommendations within a framework of legal and institutional requirements
• Exceptional negotiating and interpersonal skills
• Experience in developing and reviewing contracts
• Ability to work on several projects simultaneously
• Ability to function effectively and collegially as a member of senior management; ability to communicate with a variety individuals within the governance structures of the university and externally
• Strong ethical commitment, ability to be confidential
• Able to supervise and coordinate the work on contracted legal professionals and consultants
• Ability to use appropriate technology to accomplish all tasks

Preferred Criteria

• LLM qualification will be preferred.
• Ten (10) years of progressive experience in the legal profession.
• Experience with legal issues related to higher education or having worked in higher education as legal representative

Application Procedure

Submit letters if application addressing the duties, responsibilities and criteria including a list of three references (one of which should be a current or previous supervisor, the other two should be professional colleagues who can address the duties, responsibilities and criteria with names, e-mail addresses and phone numbers and certified transcripts. Original transcripts would be required prior to appointment) by e-mail to the Director Human Resources, P.O. Box Roma – 180 Lesotho. E-mail dhr@nul.ls by 13 ^th June 2011. E - mail is preferred but if not possible, a hard copy can be delivered to the office of Human Resources, Administration Building NUL. Phone +266 5221 3842/3843, mobile +266 5888 4042 or +266 5946190.

The post is available immediately. The term of appointment will be thee (3) years renewable based on good performance. The University offers competitive salary and benefits commensurate with experience and qualification.

DISCLAIMER: ONLY SHORT LISTED CANDIDATES WILL BE CONTACTED.