Junior Legal Counsel

The ALSF is an international organisation hosted by the African Development Bank in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The ALSF’s main objectives include: (i) providing legal advisory services to African governments in the structuring and negotiation of complex
commercial transactions related to extractives and natural resources, energy, sovereign debt, and infrastructure development under public-private partnerships (the“Key Sectors”); (ii) capacity building for lawyers and government professionals related to the above; and (iii) development of knowledge products.

The Junior Legal Counsel is part of the Advisory Services Unit of the Operations Division and assists the Sector Leads, Head of the Advisory Support Unit and the Division Manager & Head of Operations in i) legal analysis and advisory work and ii)project supervision and management. The Junior Legal Counsel assists with the identification of projects, coordination and provision of legal advice to governments,
and coordination of external legal counsel. The Junior Legal Counsel also negotiates financing agreements, provides institutional support as required, and assists the Capacity Building Unit to organize capacity building programs.

Key Responsibilities:

The incumbent’s role of the Junior Legal Counsel includes, but is not limited to:

• Analyse country requests for legal assistance and review and prepare project proposals and reports to the Division Manager & Head of Operations, Director, and Management Board of the Facility.
  Conduct legal due diligence on proposed transactions such as the review of project documents and agreements (including power purchase agreements, concession agreements, joint venture agreements, management agreements, government support agreements, mining agreements, production sharing agreements, etc.).
• Assist in recruiting and managing external legal counsel, including negotiating cost-effective fee arrangements, monitoring the work and managing the relationship with the governments.
• Actively seek, and identify, a pipeline of projects which are consistent with the ALSF’s scope of work.
  Draft and negotiate financing agreements and prepare other legal documents as required.
• Draft and prepare letters of correspondence, memorandums of understanding, position papers, concept notes, reports and all the required documentation between the ALSF, governments, and relevant stakeholders.
• Assist with the review and drafting of agreements and related contractual documentation falling within the scope of ALSF’s mandate particularly in connection with ALSF’s Key Sectors.
• Contribute to the development, coordination and implementation, in support to the Capacity Building Unit and pursuant to the ALSF’s capacity building strategy, knowledge management tools and capacity building programs, targeting government officials, private sector lawyers and other relevant stakeholders, including, where appropriate, in cooperation with partners and other institutions and the private sector, aimed at improving their understanding and competence in the relevant abovementioned areas, taking into account lessons learned from ALSF previous interventions.

Required Qualifications and Experience:

• Relevant Education degree required: A minimum of a master's degree or related disciplines in Law, or a first university degree plus a relevant combination of academic qualifications in law e.g. Juris Doctor (JD).
• Relevant Professional Certification required: Admission to the Bar of (or diploma to practice law in) a member of the African Development Bank.
• Candidates shall be thirty-two (32) years old maximum, with relevant professional experience required (including post-graduate internship): 2-5 years of relevant professional experience preferably with an established international law firm, and/or international financial institution.
  Particular Conditions:
• Must be a citizen of a member country of the African Development Bank.
• Requires frequent travel and high-level engagement with international stakeholders.
• Must demonstrate a high level of integrity, moral values, discretion, and confidentiality.

Administration/reporting:

• The Junior Legal Counsel will report to the Chief Legal Counsel & Head of Advisory Support and works closely with internal and external stakeholders.

Duration of the Assignment:

• The assignment will last for twelve (12) months, starting as soon as the process is completed.

Location of the Assignment:

• The Contract Agent will be based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire or Pretoria, South Africa.

Remuneration:

• The contract agent shall be paid a total monthly lump sum, comprising fee, subsistence, or other incidentals, for the duration of the assignment, which is commensurate with the number of years of work experience. The ALSF will cover travel and field mission costs (if any) as per African Development Bank rules in this regard.

How to Apply:

• The African Legal Support Facility invites individuals to indicate their interest in providing the above-described services. Interested individuals shall provide information on their qualifications and experience demonstrating their ability to undertake this assignment (reference to similar services, experience in similar assignments, etc.), as well as the reason why they are interested in this assignment and in joining the ALSF.
• Expressions of interest should be sent using the Email Apply button or be sent electronically to m.vallee@afdb.org with copy to alsf@afdb.org no later than 12 September 2025 at 5 pm (GMT) and specifically mentioning in the subject: ALSF Contract Agent - Junior Legal Counsel. Unsuccessful candidates will remain in the ALSF’s database for twelve (12) months.
  Any questions and requests for clarifications may be sent to: m.vallee@afdb.org, with copy to alsf@afdb.org, before 05 September 2025 at 5 pm (GMT). Only short-listed Individuals will be contacted.
  Mandatory documents: 
• Please attach (i) a Curriculum Vitae using the template in Annex 1 and a (ii) cover letter expressing your interest in joining the ALSF. You may attach any other relevant materials, but are not required to at this stage. Submission of additional materials will not constitute any advantage.