Position: General Counsel â Village Enterprise
Location: Flexible/Global
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Department: Legal
Position Type: Full-time, Executive Leadership
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Organization Overview:
Village Enterpriseâs mission is to end extreme poverty in rural Africa through entrepreneurship and innovation. Village Enterprise targets the poor, provides business training, seed capital/startup funds and on-going mentoring to over 10,000 new entrepreneurs to start 3,000 enterprises each year. Since its inception in 1987, Village Enterprise has started over 40,000 micro-enterprises.
Summary of the Role
Village Enterprise seeks an experienced, strategic, and missionâdriven General Counsel to establish and lead the organisationâs first formal Legal Department. This executive-level role will serve as the organisationâs principal legal advisor, responsible for designing and implementing a comprehensive legal framework that supports Village Enterpriseâs global operations across Africa and the United States.
The General Counsel will oversee all legal affairs, ensure compliance with international donor requirements, manage organisational risk, and provide counsel to the CEO, Board of Directors, and senior leadership. This is a unique opportunity to build a legal function from the ground up within a rapidly growing, highâimpact international NGO.
Key Responsibilities
1. Establish and Lead the Legal Department
·      Design and implement the organisationâs legal strategy, policies, and operating procedures.
·      Build and manage a legal team appropriate to organisational needs and growth.
·      Develop systems for contract management, compliance monitoring, and legal risk assessment.
·      Create internal training programmes on legal, compliance, and governance matters.
2. Legal Advisory and Governance
·      Serve as the primary legal advisor to the CEO, Executive Team, and Board of Directors.
·      Provide legal guidance on organisational strategy, governance, and risk.
·      Draft, review, and negotiate complex agreements, including donor contracts, MOUs, partnership agreements, sub agreements dataâsharing agreements, and technology contracts.
·      Advise on corporate governance, including Board policies, bylaws, and committee structures.
3. Regulatory and Compliance Oversight
·      Ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations in the jurisdictions where Village Enterprise operates (e.g., Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, UK, US).
·      Oversee compliance with international and local donor requirements (e.g., FCDO, EU, Philanthropic donors and Corporate foundations).
·      Lead the organisationâs approach to safeguarding, data protection, antiâcorruption, antiâmoney laundering, and counterâterrorism financing requirements.
·      Maintain organisational registrations, licences, and regulatory filings.
4. Risk Management
·      Working with the CFO develop and maintain a comprehensive risk management framework.
·      Identify, assess, and mitigate legal, financial, operational, and reputational risks.
·      Manage litigation, disputes, investigations, and external counsel relationships.
·      Oversee insurance coverage and riskâtransfer mechanisms.
5. Employment and Labour Law
·      Provide guidance on employment matters across multiple jurisdictions.
·      Support HR in developing compliant employment policies, contracts, and disciplinary procedures.
·      Advise on workplace investigations, grievances, and terminations.
6. Donor, Programmatic, and Field Operations Support
·      Ensure legal compliance for program implementation, research activities, and field operations.
·      Support due diligence for partners, vendors, and subcontractors.
·      Advise on intellectual property, technology platforms, and data governance.
·      Support legal aspects of innovative financing mechanisms (e.g., Outcomes funding, ResultsâBased Financing).
Safeguarding: "Safeguarding at VE is everyoneâs responsibility."
- Continuously sensitize program participants about possible risks of child abuse, sexual/financial exploitation, prevention, and response mechanisms.
- Ensure compliance with VEâs safeguarding policies and Code of Conduct in all programs, operations, and practices.
- Report any incident of child or adult safeguarding in program operations for appropriate action and follow-up.
Qualifications and Experience.
·      Law degree (JD, LLB, or equivalent) and active membership in good standing with a recognised bar.
·      Minimum 10â15 years of legal experience, including at least 5 years in a senior or general counsel role.
·      Demonstrated experience working with international NGOs, multilaterals, or donorâfunded organisations.
·      Strong background in contract law, compliance, governance, and regulatory matters across multiple jurisdictions.
·      Experience managing legal issues in Africa, US and/or other emerging markets.
·      Proven ability to build and lead a legal function.
·      Exceptional judgement, integrity, and ability to navigate complex, highârisk issues.
Preferred
·      Experience with FCDO, World Bank, or other major donor frameworks.
·      Familiarity with impact measurement, research ethics, and data protection regimes.
·      Experience with innovative financing structures (e.g., DIBs, RBF).
·      Prior work with social enterprises or organisations operating at the intersection of development and entrepreneurship.
Key Competencies
·      Strategic thinking and ability to anticipate legal and organisational needs.
·      Strong leadership and teamâbuilding skills.
·      Excellent communication and negotiation abilities.
·      High emotional intelligence and ability to work crossâculturally.
·      Ability to balance legal risk with operational realities in resourceâconstrained environments.
·      Commitment to Village Enterpriseâs mission to end extreme poverty through entrepreneurship.
Why Join Village Enterprise
Village Enterprise is a leader in the Povert graduation model in Africa pioneering innovative approaches to support firstâtime entrepreneurs in rural Africa. As General Counsel, you will play a pivotal role in safeguarding the organisationâs mission, strengthening its governance, and enabling responsible growth as we scale our impact.
To Apply:
Interested and qualified candidates who meet the set criteria are invited to send their Cover Letter and CV (Maximum 3 pages) including 3 referees, on the online platform.Â
Affirmative Action:
Village Enterprise will provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals. Employment decisions at Village Enterprise will be based on merit, qualifications and abilities. Village Enterprise does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, gender identity, age, disability, marital status or any other characteristic protected by the law. Village Enterprise will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would result in undue hardship to daily operations.
Village Enterprise is a corruption, solicitation or bribery free organization. We or any of our employees or associates do not charge money from job applicants before, during or after recruitment. Please report malpractices through our safeguarding Tollfree hotline 0800724810
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