Principal Counsel, Africa Legal

Overview

An organization is seeking a senior, strategic, and highly adaptable lawyer to lead and scale legal and compliance across multiple countries of operation in Africa. This role sits at the intersection of compliance execution and regulatory strategy and is critical to enabling continued growth in complex and evolving regulatory environments.

This is a hands-on leadership position providing significant autonomy to build and shape the legal function, with support from a larger global legal team.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, scale, and continuously improve legal and compliance programs across Africa, with a focus on sustainable, practical operations that support rapid growth
• Lead day-to-day compliance workstreams covering:
  • sanctions
  • anti-bribery and anti-corruption
  • privacy
  • healthcare
  • employment
  • product-related regulations
• Support internal investigations, audits, and risk assessments, partnering closely with People, Finance, and senior leadership
• Manage litigation and disputes across African markets
• Translate complex regulatory requirements into clear, actionable guidance for business and technical teams
• Own compliance with U.S. government award requirements, including FARs and 2 CFR 200
• Serve as a primary point of contact for U.S. government contracting officers (including at the U.S. Department of State)
• Monitor and assess regulatory and policy developments across relevant African jurisdictions and advise leadership on emerging risks and opportunities

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Act as a senior legal advisor to business leaders, providing pragmatic, risk-calibrated guidance
• Build strong relationships across the organization and help foster a durable “culture of compliance,” enabling teams to understand requirements and raise issues early
• Help shape long-term legal and regulatory strategy in Africa, balancing compliance rigor with innovation and speed

What You Bring

• Willingness to dive into unfamiliar issues and operate effectively in ambiguous, fast-moving environments
• Strong judgment and confidence to make independent decisions, with discernment to escalate when appropriate
• Experience advising on legal and compliance matters, preferably in international or emerging-market environments
• Ability to break down complex legal and regulatory problems into clear priorities and practical solutions
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including advising senior stakeholders
• Collaborative, solutions-oriented mindset and strong organizational skills
• Ability and willingness to travel up to :25% to Africa and San Francisco headquarters

Compensation & Benefits

Not specified.

Location

Africa with travel up to :25% to Africa and San Francisco headquarters.