Maersk, a global leader in integrated container logistics, continues to drive transformation across global supply chains. As a company built on the principles of integrity, collaboration, and innovation, Maersk is focused on connecting and simplifying trade to help its customers grow and thrive. In keeping with this mission, Maersk is currently seeking a highly skilled and experienced legal professional to join its leadership team in Nairobi, Kenya, as the Head of Legal for the Eastern Africa Area (EAA)
This is a full-time senior-level role that offers the opportunity to lead a dynamic legal team supporting a region critical to Maersk’s success in the IMEA (India, Middle East, and Africa) region. The position presents a unique chance to work closely with business leaders and regulatory stakeholders across a wide geographic and cultural landscape, ensuring compliance, supporting strategic decision-making, and driving legal excellence across multiple jurisdictions.
The successful candidate will join an inclusive and collaborative environment, aligned with Maersk’s commitment to diversity, equal opportunity, and mutual respect. The position is based in Nairobi and reports directly to the General Counsel for IMEA with dotted lines to the Managing Director and CFO for the Eastern Africa Area. The role is also part of the regional legal leadership team and includes two direct legal reports.
Position: Head of Legal, Eastern Africa Area
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Type: Full-Time
Reporting Lines:
- Direct to General Counsel, IMEA
- Dotted line to East Africa Area Managing Director
- Dotted line to Eastern Africa Area CFO
Role Overview
As the Head of Legal, Eastern Africa Area, you will be responsible for leading and managing the legal function across all Maersk entities within the region. You will act as a legal business partner to senior leadership, providing regulatory, transactional, and compliance advice. In this role, you will also oversee litigation management, company secretarial duties, and team leadership, while ensuring adherence to the highest legal and ethical standards.
Key Responsibilities
- Legal Business Partnership
- Provide expert legal advice to Maersk’s business units across Eastern Africa.
- Evaluate the legal implications of business strategies, operations, and transactions.
- Actively participate in business leadership discussions to align legal services with company goals.
- Offer guidance on strategic initiatives and risk assessment.
- Team Management and Oversight
- Manage and develop the East Africa Area legal team, including two direct legal counsels.
- Foster a high-performance culture with an emphasis on engagement, accountability, and collaboration.
- Monitor team deliverables, performance metrics, and training needs to maintain legal excellence.
- Promote ongoing learning and professional development within the team.
- Regulatory and Compliance Advisory
- Engage with regulatory authorities and government bodies across the region.
- Handle regulatory inquiries and ensure timely acquisition and renewal of licenses.
- Propose effective solutions to regulatory challenges.
- Ensure the company remains fully compliant with all relevant legal and regulatory requirements.
- Contract Review and Negotiation
- Review and negotiate commercial contracts, including Ocean, Logistics & Services, and Vendor agreements.
- Analyze non-standard contract clauses and propose amendments to mitigate risks.
- Meet with customers and vendors to negotiate favorable terms and conditions.
- Company Secretarial Duties
- Maintain accurate and current company records.
- Manage changes in company structure, board appointments, and secretarial services.
- Advise the board on corporate governance practices and statutory compliance.
- Support the formation and dissolution of entities within the Eastern Africa Area.
- Litigation and Dispute Management
- Manage civil and criminal litigation in conjunction with external counsel.
- Formulate litigation strategies and provide legal opinions on ongoing disputes.
- Monitor and report on the status and costs of all litigation cases.
- Debt Recovery
- Supervise internal and external legal efforts in debt collection.
- Oversee the onboarding of external legal providers for collections.
- Ensure timely and efficient reporting of recovery outcomes to business units.
- HR Legal Support
- Provide legal guidance on employment-related issues and litigation.
- Collaborate with HR on policy development, reviews, and implementation.
- Mitigate risks associated with employee relations and internal disciplinary matters.
- Training and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
- Identify legal training needs across business functions.
- Develop training materials and conduct internal legal training sessions.
- Draft and maintain legal SOPs for operational consistency and compliance.
Required Competencies
To succeed in this role, the ideal candidate should demonstrate the following capabilities:
- Contract Review and Negotiation: Proficiency in identifying legal risks and structuring favorable terms.
- Stakeholder Management: Ability to engage effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
- Communication: Clear and persuasive communicator with excellent written and verbal skills.
- Regulatory Knowledge: Up-to-date understanding of local and regional legal and compliance environments.
- Local Insight: Cultural, legal, and business understanding of East Africa markets.
- Crisis Management: Expertise in mitigating risks and navigating crises with agility.
- Project Management: Strong planning, execution, and oversight of legal and cross-functional initiatives.
- Litigation Knowledge: In-depth familiarity with both civil and criminal litigation procedures.
- Administrative Proficiency: High-level organizational skills to manage legal records, schedules, and team coordination.
- Integrity and Ethics: Unwavering commitment to ethical practices and legal integrity.
- Attention to Detail: Precision in contract and legal document review.
- Proactive Mindset: Forward-thinking with the ability to anticipate legal needs.
- Collaborative Approach: Team-oriented with excellent interpersonal skills.
- Adaptability: Resilience and flexibility in a dynamic legal and commercial environment.
Accountability Areas
The Head of Legal, Eastern Africa Area, will be held accountable for the following:
- Legal Risk Management: Identification, mitigation, and negotiation strategies to reduce exposure to legal and operational risks.
- Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring adherence to all legal frameworks and changes in law across East Africa.
- Litigation Management: Effective representation of Maersk’s interests in legal proceedings.
- Legal Spend Oversight: Budgeting, controlling, and optimizing legal costs for the East Africa Area.
- Team Performance: Development, engagement, and performance of the legal team.
Equal Opportunity and Inclusion
Maersk is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. The company values diversity and inclusivity across all dimensions and ensures a work culture that respects individual uniqueness. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, gender, age, religion, nationality, disability, or any other protected category. Applicants with criminal records will be assessed in accordance with applicable local laws.
Maersk also remains committed to supporting candidates who may require accommodations during the recruitment process. Should you need any assistance or modifications during the application process or for performing the job itself, please reach out via email at: [email protected].
Conclusion
This opportunity at Maersk represents a significant career step for a seasoned legal professional ready to lead and influence across borders. The role offers a challenging yet rewarding environment to contribute strategically to Maersk’s growth in East Africa while upholding the highest standards of legal compliance and governance.
If you are a proactive legal leader with a passion for driving results in a dynamic environment and are committed to excellence in legal practice, Maersk encourages you to take this step in your career journey.
