Senior Legal Officer/ In-House Counsel job at Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST)

Background information about the job or company (e.g., role context, company overview)

The Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST) is a government agency established in 1990 by an Act of Parliament (Cap 211 as amended) with a mandate to develop and implement strategies for integration of Science and Technology into the national development process. UNCST is inviting applications from suitably qualified Ugandans to fill the positions below based at its Offices on Plot 6 Kimera Road, Ntinda, Kampala:

Responsibilities or duties

The successful candidate will provide strategic legal advice to Management and the Council Board, ensure effective management of the organization’s legal and regulatory affairs, and provide leadership in contract management, corporate governance, compliance, risk management and dispute resolution.

• Contract and Commercial Management: Draft, review, negotiate and advise on complex contracts, agreements, memoranda of understanding, partnerships and other legal instruments. Review commercial and institutional arrangements to ensure that UNCST's legal, financial and operational interests are adequately protected. Develop, maintain and periodically review standard contract templates, legal clauses and other legal documentation for organization-wide use. Advise the Executive Secretary, Council Board, Management and relevant departments on contractual obligations, liabilities, remedies and potential legal exposure. Ensure appropriate legal due diligence is undertaken in major transactions and partnerships.
• Legal Risk and Compliance: Identify, assess and advise on legal and regulatory risks affecting UNCST's operations. Monitor developments in legislation, regulations, policies and case law relevant to the Council's mandate and operations. Advise the Executive Secretary, Management and the Council Board on measures to mitigate legal and regulatory risks. Develop, review and support implementation of internal legal and compliance policies and procedures. Promote awareness of legal and regulatory obligations through staff training and legal guidance. Establish and maintain a legal risk register, identify legal and compliance risks across Council operations, and recommend mitigation measures to Management. Ensure that the Council's activities and decisions are undertaken in accordance with applicable laws, regulations and institutional policies.
• Corporate Governance and Advisory Services: Provide legal advice to the Council, Management and senior leadership on strategic and operational matters. Provide legal support to the Board/Council and its committees, including preparation and review of legal documents, resolutions and related records. Advise on corporate governance matters and ensure proper maintenance of statutory and corporate records. Support regulatory filings and other statutory compliance requirements. Advise on major institutional transactions, restructuring, partnerships and other strategic initiatives. Review and advise on the legal implications of strategic decisions, policies and programmes.
• Dispute Resolution and Litigation Management: Manage and coordinate litigation, arbitration, mediation and other dispute-resolution matters involving UNCST. Work closely with the Executive Secretary, Management and relevant departments in assessing potential and actual disputes. Engage, supervise and monitor performance and expenditure of external counsel. Provide regular reports to Management on ongoing disputes, legal risks and potential liabilities. Explore appropriate alternative dispute-resolution mechanisms to minimise cost, risk and reputational exposure.
• Legal Leadership and Institutional Support: Establish and maintain an effective in-house legal function that provides timely, practical and commercially sound legal advice. Develop legal policies, procedures and guidelines to strengthen institutional governance and risk management. Promote a strong culture of legal compliance, accountability and good governance. Provide legal counsel on human resource and administrative matters, including disciplinary proceedings, employment contracts, and staff grievances, ensuring due process and adherence to the law. Serve as Secretary or legal adviser to Council and Management committees as assigned, ensuring proper record-keeping, and advise on corporate governance, fiduciary duties, and conflict of interest management. Maintain custody and a comprehensive register/database of all legal instruments including contracts, title deeds, seals, litigation, and regulatory obligations. Advise on the protection, registration, and management of the Council's intellectual property and that arising from research and innovation activities it supports. Build legal awareness and capacity across the Council through briefings, training, and guidance notes on legal obligations and risk avoidance. Supervise, mentor, and appraise assigned staff, and coordinate the work of the legal function, including consultants and external service providers. Prepare periodic legal reports, compliance statements, and analytical summaries for Management, the Governing Council, and oversight bodies. Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the supervisor.

Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)

A. ACADEMIC & PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• A Bachelor's Degree in Law (LL.B) from a recognized institution.
• A Postgraduate qualification in Legal Practice, with eligibility to practise law in Uganda.
• ICSA/Chartered Governance qualification or certification is required or highly desirable.

Added advantage:

• A Master's degree in Law (LLM) or a related field, preferably with specialization in Intellectual Property Law, Environmental Law, Health Law, Technology and Innovation Law, International Law, Commercial/Contract Law, or Public Administration.
• Training or certification in contract management, arbitration and alternative dispute resolution, corporate governance, legislative drafting, data protection, or public procurement law.

B. WORK EXPERIENCE

• At least ten (10) years' relevant professional experience, preferably with significant experience in an in-house legal, corporate, regulatory or institutional environment.
• Demonstrable experience in contract drafting and negotiation, corporate governance, regulatory compliance, legal risk management and dispute resolution.
• Experience managing external counsel and complex legal matters.
• Experience advising senior management and/or boards on complex legal and strategic issues will be an added advantage.

C. TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE

The successful candidate should demonstrate:

• Strong knowledge of Ugandan laws and regulations relevant to corporate, public-sector, contractual, governance and regulatory matters.

D. KEY COMPETENCIES

• Excellent legal research, analysis and drafting skills.
• Strong contract negotiation and commercial awareness.
• Excellent knowledge of corporate governance and regulatory compliance.
• Strong judgement and ability to identify and manage legal risk.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to provide clear, practical and timely legal advice to non-legal professionals.
• High levels of integrity, confidentiality and professional ethics.
• Strong leadership, organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple complex matters and meet demanding deadlines.
• Sound understanding of the role of an in-house counsel in supporting organizational strategy and institutional objectives.

Any other provided details (e.g., benefits, work environment, team info, or additional notes)

The Job Descriptions and other requirements for the above positions are available on UNCST website: www.uncst.go.ug,

Please note: Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

"Uganda National Council for Science and Technology is an equal opportunity employer and does not charge any recruitment fee."

• Draft, review, negotiate and advise on complex contracts, agreements, memoranda of understanding, partnerships and other legal instruments.
• Review commercial and institutional arrangements to ensure that UNCST's legal, financial and operational interests are adequately protected.
• Develop, maintain and periodically review standard contract templates, legal clauses and other legal documentation for organization-wide use.
• Advise the Executive Secretary, Council Board, Management and relevant departments on contractual obligations, liabilities, remedies and potential legal exposure.
• Ensure appropriate legal due diligence is undertaken in major transactions and partnerships.
• Identify, assess and advise on legal and regulatory risks affecting UNCST's operations.
• Monitor developments in legislation, regulations, policies and case law relevant to the Council's mandate and operations.
• Advise the Executive Secretary, Management and the Council Board on measures to mitigate legal and regulatory risks.
• Develop, review and support implementation of internal legal and compliance policies and procedures.
• Promote awareness of legal and regulatory obligations through staff training and legal guidance.
• Establish and maintain a legal risk register, identify legal and compliance risks across Council operations, and recommend mitigation measures to Management.
• Ensure that the Council's activities and decisions are undertaken in accordance with applicable laws, regulations and institutional policies.
• Provide legal advice to the Council, Management and senior leadership on strategic and operational matters.
• Provide legal support to the Board/Council and its committees, including preparation and review of legal documents, resolutions and related records.
• Advise on corporate governance matters and ensure proper maintenance of statutory and corporate records.
• Support regulatory filings and other statutory compliance requirements.
• Advise on major institutional transactions, restructuring, partnerships and other strategic initiatives.
• Review and advise on the legal implications of strategic decisions, policies and programmes.
• Manage and coordinate litigation, arbitration, mediation and other dispute-resolution matters involving UNCST.
• Work closely with the Executive Secretary, Management and relevant departments in assessing potential and actual disputes.
• Engage, supervise and monitor performance and expenditure of external counsel.
• Provide regular reports to Management on ongoing disputes, legal risks and potential liabilities.
• Explore appropriate alternative dispute-resolution mechanisms to minimise cost, risk and reputational exposure.
• Establish and maintain an effective in-house legal function that provides timely, practical and commercially sound legal advice.
• Develop legal policies, procedures and guidelines to strengthen institutional governance and risk management.
• Promote a strong culture of legal compliance, accountability and good governance.
• Provide legal counsel on human resource and administrative matters, including disciplinary proceedings, employment contracts, and staff grievances, ensuring due process and adherence to the law.
• Serve as Secretary or legal adviser to Council and Management committees as assigned, ensuring proper record-keeping, and advise on corporate governance, fiduciary duties, and conflict of interest management.
• Maintain custody and a comprehensive register/database of all legal instruments including contracts, title deeds, seals, litigation, and regulatory obligations.
• Advise on the protection, registration, and management of the Council's intellectual property and that arising from research and innovation activities it supports.
• Build legal awareness and capacity across the Council through briefings, training, and guidance notes on legal obligations and risk avoidance.
• Supervise, mentor, and appraise assigned staff, and coordinate the work of the legal function, including consultants and external service providers.
• Prepare periodic legal reports, compliance statements, and analytical summaries for Management, the Governing Council, and oversight bodies.
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the supervisor.

• Excellent legal research, analysis and drafting skills.
• Strong contract negotiation and commercial awareness.
• Excellent knowledge of corporate governance and regulatory compliance.
• Strong judgement and ability to identify and manage legal risk.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to provide clear, practical and timely legal advice to non-legal professionals.
• High levels of integrity, confidentiality and professional ethics.
• Strong leadership, organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple complex matters and meet demanding deadlines.
• Sound understanding of the role of an in-house counsel in supporting organizational strategy and institutional objectives.

• A Bachelor's Degree in Law (LL.B) from a recognized institution.
• A Postgraduate qualification in Legal Practice, with eligibility to practise law in Uganda.
• ICSA/Chartered Governance qualification or certification is required or highly desirable.
• A Master's degree in Law (LLM) or a related field, preferably with specialization in Intellectual Property Law, Environmental Law, Health Law, Technology and Innovation Law, International Law, Commercial/Contract Law, or Public Administration. (Added advantage)
• Training or certification in contract management, arbitration and alternative dispute resolution, corporate governance, legislative drafting, data protection, or public procurement law. (Added advantage)
• At least ten (10) years' relevant professional experience, preferably with significant experience in an in-house legal, corporate, regulatory or institutional environment.
• Demonstrable experience in contract drafting and negotiation, corporate governance, regulatory compliance, legal risk management and dispute resolution.
• Experience managing external counsel and complex legal matters.
• Experience advising senior management and/or boards on complex legal and strategic issues will be an added advantage.
• Strong knowledge of Ugandan laws and regulations relevant to corporate, public-sector, contractual, governance and regulatory matters.