Senior Legal Officer

About the Company

Our client is a growing and reputable player in Nigeria’s Upstream Oil & Gas sector, operating within a highly regulated and compliance-driven environment. The organization works across technically complex operations where contractual precision, regulatory alignment, and risk mitigation are critical to business continuity.

As the business continues to expand, there is a need for a commercially aware and detail-oriented Senior Legal Officer to strengthen legal governance and support operational excellence.

The Role

The Senior Legal Officer will provide end-to-end legal support across contracts, regulatory compliance, litigation management, and corporate governance.

This role requires a legal professional who understands the commercial realities of the oil & gas sector — particularly regulatory oversight, service-level contracting, and risk mitigation in operational environments.

You will work closely with internal stakeholders and external counsel to ensure that legal risk is proactively identified, managed, and minimized.

Key Responsibilities

1. Contracting & Commercial Advisory Draft, review, and negotiate Service Level Agreements (SLAs), vendor agreements, NDAs, and other commercial contracts.

• Ensure contracts adequately protect the company’s interests and minimize legal exposure.
• Monitor compliance with contractual obligations and advise on breach or enforcement matters.
• Track contract renewals, amendments, and terminations.

2. Regulatory & Statutory Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with applicable laws and upstream regulatory requirements.
• Liaise with relevant regulatory bodies and support inspections or compliance audits.
• Monitor regulatory updates and advise management on implications for business operations.
• Minimize exposure to penalties, sanctions, or regulatory disputes.

3. Litigation & Dispute Management

• Coordinate litigation processes and liaise with external counsel.
• Manage documentation and case preparation.
• Track and report on litigation exposure and resolution status.
• Proactively identify and mitigate dispute risks.

4. Corporate Governance & Secretarial Support

• Provide company secretarial support, including statutory filings and regulatory submissions.
• Support board documentation where required.
• Oversee registration and protection of company trademarks, patents, and trade names.
• Assist in drafting and reviewing internal company policies.

5. Risk Identification & Advisory

• Identify legal risks across operational and commercial activities.
• Provide practical, business-oriented legal advice to internal stakeholders.
• Participate in meetings requiring legal review or guidance.
•  

Key Performance Indicators

Performance in this role will be measured by:

• Quality and adequacy of executed agreements
• Timeliness of contract drafting and review
• Compliance adherence levels
• Reduction in regulatory penalties or legal exposure
• Effective management and closure of litigation matters
• Proper tracking of contract renewals and risk mitigation
•  

QHSE Responsibilities

• Comply with all HSE policies and procedures.
• Promote safe working practices and proactive hazard reporting.
• Ensure actions do not compromise the safety of employees, contractors, or visitors.