Manager, Banking Legal Services (Francophone)

About the role

Afreximbank is looking for a Manager, Banking Legal Services (Banking & Finance, Francophone) based in Cairo. Reporting to the Head of Banking Legal Services, the manager assists the Legal Department in supporting the Bank's mission of expanding and diversifying African trade while acting as a centre of excellence in African trade matters.

Key responsibilities

• Provide tailored, commercially focused legal advice on banking and finance matters, special projects and initiatives, and identify potential legal risks.
• Help plan, organise and implement legal support for business activities, research precedents and draft standardised documentation.
• Advise on the application and interpretation of laws and regulations, and on controls to mitigate legal risks.
• Act as subject-matter expert and key legal advisor on the Bank's loan products, and serve on internal committees and working groups.
• Coordinate external legal counsel to ensure value for money.
• Advise on borrowings in international capital and money markets, asset and liability management, and equity participations and financing agreements with multilateral and bilateral institutions.
• Represent the Bank in negotiations, disputes and other proceedings, and conduct deal appraisals and legal due diligence.
• Negotiate legal documents with counterparties and prepare transaction documentation protecting the Bank's interests.
• Manage legal workstreams of ongoing transactions and mentor junior colleagues.
• Adhere to AML, anti-bribery, conflicts of interest and insider trading policies, report suspicious activity to the Compliance Department and complete annual compliance training.

Required profile

• Master's degree in French Civil Law from a recognised university.
• At least 8 years of professional legal practice, with emphasis on banking and financial services.
• Experience with cross-border trade and project finance documentation (structured trade and corporate finance, project and asset-based finance, guarantees, sovereign lending, private equity).
• Good knowledge of banking practices in Africa and strong communication skills in English.
• Ability to interact with senior officials of banks, corporates and governments.

Required skills

• Knowledge of French, Arabic or Portuguese is an added advantage.
• Strong drafting and negotiation skills, and ability to work under strict deadlines.
• Familiarity with trade and project finance, treasury matters and transnational transactions.
• Leadership skills: overseeing teams and managing transactions from a legal perspective throughout the credit value chain.