Country Legal Counsel

About the role

Standard Chartered Bank Uganda is looking for an experienced legal professional to give practical, timely advice on legal and regulatory matters affecting the Bank. The role supports sound corporate governance, protects the Bank's interests and ensures transactions, documentation and business activities comply with Ugandan law and regulatory requirements. It is an individual contributor role working with senior management, Board members, regulators, business and functional teams, regional colleagues and external legal advisers.

Key responsibilities

• Advise on legal and regulatory risks affecting the Bank's operations in Uganda and monitor changes in legislation, regulation, case law and precedent, escalating material implications.
• Help business and functional teams interpret and apply legal and regulatory requirements, and develop policies, processes and standard documentation for legal risk management.
• Deliver legal risk training and prepare legal updates and bulletins.
• Draft, review, negotiate and advise on banking and finance transactions, including cross-border transactions, commercial agreements and customer-facing documentation.
• Ensure contracts provide appropriate legal protections, remedies and enforceability under Ugandan law.
• Support the development and review of products, product programmes and standard-form documentation from a legal perspective.

Required profile

• Bachelor of Laws degree.
• Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre, or an equivalent recognised qualification.
• Qualified lawyer eligible to practise in Uganda.
• At least five years of post-qualification legal experience.
• Demonstrable experience in banking and finance, corporate and commercial transactions, and/or financial services regulation.
• Experience in legal advisory, contract drafting and negotiation, regulatory risk and dispute resolution.
• Experience in a financial institution or law firm; experience engaging senior management, regulators and business stakeholders.
• Corporate governance or company secretarial experience is an added advantage.
• Strong written and spoken English.

Required skills

• Legal advisory and regulatory risk management.
• Commercial contract drafting, review and negotiation.
• Corporate governance and company secretarial support.
• Strong legal analysis, judgement and problem-solving.
• Stakeholder communication and influencing.
• Ability to work independently and manage competing priorities and deadlines.

What we offer

• Competitive salary and benefits under the Fair Pay Charter.
• Core bank funding for retirement savings, medical and life insurance, with flexible and voluntary benefits in some locations.
• Annual leave, parental/maternity leave (20 weeks), sabbatical (up to 12 months) and volunteering leave (3 days).
• Flexible working options and patterns.
• Wellbeing support through Unmind, a digital wellbeing platform, and an Employee Assistance Programme.
• Continuous learning and reskilling opportunities.