Director Legal Services Career Opportunity - Uganda Retirement Benefits Regulatory Authority (URBRA)

Organization: Uganda Retirement Benefits Regulatory Authority

(URBRA)

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

The

Uganda Retirement Benefits Regulatory Authority manages retirement plans for

Uganda’s public workforce by serving as the fiduciary stewards of the

contributions and disbursements of the pension trust funds. In partnership with

the state’s public employers, we help ensure that they can offer their

employees a comprehensive retirement plan that is responsive to their needs and

is equitable to all stakeholders.

Job Summary: The Director Legal Services will support the Chief

Executive Officer in the provision of technical and strategic leadership in the

development and enforcement of a robust and facilitative legal and regulatory

framework aimed at ensuring the security of pension funds as well as protect

the rights of members and beneficiaries of pension schemes. In addition, the

jobholder provides legal and policy analysis and advice concerning the URBRA

Act, applicable laws, rules, regulations as well as facilitating the resolution

of specific legal problems. Also, the incumbent is responsible for investigating

and enforcing cases of violations against statutory requirements as well as

recommending disciplinary sanctions in line with the URBRA Act. Other duties

include providing company secretarial services, advising the Board on legal

matters as well as implementing good corporate governance practices to enhance

organizational credibility.

Key Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Actively participate in the formulation and
  
  development of the Authority’s strategic plan including monitoring and
  
  evaluating the implementation of work-plans related to the formulation of
  
  an enabling legal and regulatory framework aimed at protecting and
  
  safeguarding pension funds.


• Offer technical leadership and strategic
  
  direction in the development, implementation and evaluation of
  
  professional legal services including overseeing, scheduling and
  
  coordinating the provision of corporate services.


• Keenly review URBRA’s legal and regulatory
  
  framework with special emphasis on the removal of impediments, security of
  
  pension funds and protection of member interests to enhance the integrity
  
  of the pension industry.


• Regularly review complex, sensitive and high
  
  risk legal matters in order to determine which cases pose the greatest
  
  threat to the security of pension funds including the rights of members
  
  and their beneficiaries.


• Provide legal advice and assistance on all
  
  aspects of pension regulation and prepare opinions and legal
  
  interpretations on various matters related to the interpretation and
  
  review of URBRA Act and other statutory requirements.


• Regularly review cases of violation against
  
  the URBRA Act, rules and regulations, provide legal opinion, recommend
  
  disciplinary sanctions, represent URBRA in courts of law, tribunals and
  
  before quasi-judicial bodies and may negotiate settlements to protect the
  
  interests of the Authority in contested disciplinary proceedings.


• Keenly monitor developments in legal research
  
  and retirement benefits legislation, participate in outreach programs to
  
  strengthen corporate governance and improve the quality of service
  
  delivery.


• Protect URBRA rights, privileges and
  
  interests in intellectual property and other product innovations,
  
  processes through patents and copyrights and take the necessary action to
  
  protect and preserve such rights from infringement.


• Provide company secretarial services to the
  
  Board of Directors and guide on good corporate governance practices to
  
  enhance organizational effectiveness.


• Carry out legal research, develop concept
  
  papers, prepare legal briefs and opinions as well as develop effective
  
  defense strategies, arguments and testimony in preparation for legal


• Prepare, draft and negotiate contracts,
  
  leases, formal agreements and other legal instruments between the
  
  Authority and other parties, participate in settlement and arbitration of
  
  disputes to protect organizational interests.


• Draft legal documents, interpret and
  
  implement laws and rulings including government policies and regulations
  
  as well as represent.


• The incumbent will establish and maintain
  
  contractual agreements with externally appointed professional legal firms
  
  to provide legal services in case of civil or criminal litigation
  
  involving URBRA.


• Gather evidence in cases involving URBRA to
  
  establish and verify basis for legal proceedings in order to formulate
  
  legal defense or to initiate legal action.


• Work closely with the Attorney General’s
  
  Chambers, Registrar General, law enforcement agencies and stakeholders
  
  throughout the country in connection with prosecution of offenders and to
  
  develop and advance criminal cases when the violation warrants more severe
  
  action.


• Provide technical leadership to
  
  multidisciplinary teams to develop, implement and evaluate strategic
  
  management plans and budgets aimed at improving performance standards and
  
  organizational effectiveness.


• Develop and implement strategies for creating
  
  a high performing organizational culture based on transparency, integrity,
  
  accountability, performance measurement and results to ensure that
  
  programme activities are undertaken on sound management principles and
  
  practices.


• The incumbent will initiate and participate
  
  in organizational performance reviews, business process improvements aimed
  
  at improving organizational effectiveness.


• Participate in the recruitment and selection
  
  of staff in order to ensure that the candidates selected have the required
  
  job competencies and are provided with orientation and induction programme
  
  necessary for effective job performance


• Actively participate in the implementation of
  
  advocacy and public relations strategy aimed at generating goodwill and
  
  advancing the mission of URBRA.


• Regularly review incidents of violations
  
  against organizational policy and regulations; handle disputes and take
  
  appropriate action in line


• Assess staff performance, identify training
  
  needs, as well as design and implement training programmes to equip staff
  
  with appropriate job competencies in order to improve service delivery


• Participate in education and training
  
  programmes designed to update stakeholders on URBRA requirements as well
  
  as creating awareness and sensitizing the general public on the benefits
  
  of pension schemes


• Represent URBRA at local and international
  
  meetings, conferences, other forums to promote and articulate issues
  
  related to the development of pension industry.


• Build a network of strong and lasting
  
  partnerships with stakeholders in the pension industry and relevant
  
  Government agencies to ensure continuing support to URBRA’s mission and
  
  strategic objectives.


• Prepare concept papers, board papers,
  
  periodic progress reports and annual reports showing organizational
  
  achievements against planned targets as well as providing justification
  
  for performance variances and areas of improvement.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience: 

• The applicant should hold a Master’s degree
  
  in Commercial Law (LLM), Business Administration (MBA), Economics or a
  
  related field. In addition must possess LLB Honors degree


• Possession of a Post graduate Diploma in Law.


• The applicant must also be an advocate of the
  
  High Court of Uganda


• At least ten years’ experience in providing
  
  legal and company secretarial services


• Broad knowledge and understanding of
  
  commercial law including legal and regulatory framework governing the
  
  regulation of financial sectors


• Excellent communication skills and ability to
  
  develop proposals, concept papers, position papers as well as write
  
  reports and senior relevant publications


• Flexibility and responsiveness in providing
  
  high quality customer service


• Proven ability to maintain professional
  
  status and keep abreast of evolving legal trends though continuing legal
  
  education especially in the area of pensions


• Proficiency in computer applications
  
  including word processing, spreadsheets, database, presentation, email and
  
  internet etc.


• Demonstrated ability to deliver URBRA’s
  
  articulated vision for change, create a sense of urgency around change and
  
  motivate staff to join the change efforts

If

you believe you are the right candidate and would love to contribute to the

Ugandan pension sector, please deliver your application and CV clearly

detailing your suitability for the position in terms of required qualifications

and experience to the Interim Chief Executive Officer, URBRA reception on 5^th

Floor, Plot 1 Clement Hill Road, Kampala, Uganda.

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