Principal Counsel, Africa Legal

Overview

This role involves leading legal and compliance efforts across multiple countries of operation in Africa, with an emphasis on regulatory strategy and compliance execution. The position is part of the Legal Team and works closely with Africa leadership and cross-functional stakeholders to support rapid growth in complex, evolving regulatory environments.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, scale, and continuously improve legal and compliance programs across Africa, focused on sustainable, practical operations that support rapid growth
• Lead day-to-day compliance workstreams, including sanctions, anti-bribery and anti-corruption, privacy, healthcare, employment, and product-related regulations
• Support internal investigations, audits, and risk assessments in partnership with People, Finance, and senior leadership
• Manage litigation and disputes across the organization’s 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, and 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

• Serve as a senior legal advisor to business leaders with pragmatic, risk-calibrated guidance
• Build 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 while balancing compliance rigor with innovation and speed

Requirements

• Willingness to dive deep into unfamiliar issues and operate effectively in ambiguous, fast-paced 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 the ability to advise senior stakeholders
• Collaborative, solutions-oriented mindset and strong organizational skills

Preferred Qualifications

• No additional preferred qualifications were specified.

Compensation & Benefits

• No compensation or benefits details were specified.

Location

• Willingness to travel up to :25% to Africa and San Francisco headquarters

Equal Opportunity

The employer is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws or the employer’s own policies.