Assistant General Counsel - Africa
Wildlife Conservation Society See More Job Openings by This Employer
Job Description
Job Summary:
The Assistant General Counsel – Africa is responsible for providing a broad range of legal services to support the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Africa Program. Based in Kigali, Rwanda, this role will work closely with WCS management and field teams across the region to ensure legal, regulatory, and donor compliance.
The position will provide direct legal support to WCS country programs, review and negotiate agreements, manage relationships with external counsel, and support policy development and compliance training.
The role reports to the Associate General Counsel – Africa (based in the U.S.) and will collaborate with WCS colleagues in New York and globally to ensure sound legal governance, mitigate organizational risk, and advance WCS’s conservation mission. The WCS legal team currently has eight full-time attorneys, two part-time attorneys, one investigation and ethics lead, one paralegal, and one support staff. Start date is ASAP, or another mutually agreed date.
Internal Qualification Requirements
Job Qualifications:
Education and Professional Requirements:
Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent law degree, with eligibility to practice law while based in Africa.
Minimum 4–6 years of relevant legal experience working in or advising at an international level, including experience working cross-culturally.
Experience and Skills:
Proven experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating complex agreements across multiple jurisdictions.
Experience with complex commercial, corporate, or NGO regulatory matters.
Experience managing outside counsel in multiple jurisdictions.
Excellent analytical skills and legal judgment, with the ability to balance risk and operational realities.
Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across language barriers, time differences, and diverse teams located remotely across a large geographic region.
Ability to work independently and manage heavy workloads and competing priorities under tight deadlines.
Ability to work effectively as part of a world-class, service-oriented, client-focused team, and to be a pleasant, collegial, and supportive colleague.
Fluency in written and spoken English and French in a professional, business setting.
Strong digital literacy and administrative skills relevant to legal practice.
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
Ability to travel to locations in Africa (and potentially the USA).
The Assistant General Counsel – Africa is responsible for providing a broad range of legal services to support the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Africa Program. Based in Kigali, Rwanda, this role will work closely with WCS management and field teams across the region to ensure legal, regulatory, and donor compliance.
The position will provide direct legal support to WCS country programs, review and negotiate agreements, manage relationships with external counsel, and support policy development and compliance training.
The role reports to the Associate General Counsel – Africa (based in the U.S.) and will collaborate with WCS colleagues in New York and globally to ensure sound legal governance, mitigate organizational risk, and advance WCS’s conservation mission. The WCS legal team currently has eight full-time attorneys, two part-time attorneys, one investigation and ethics lead, one paralegal, and one support staff. Start date is ASAP, or another mutually agreed date.
Internal Qualification Requirements
Job Qualifications:
Education and Professional Requirements:
Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent law degree, with eligibility to practice law while based in Africa.
Minimum 4–6 years of relevant legal experience working in or advising at an international level, including experience working cross-culturally.
Experience and Skills:
Proven experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating complex agreements across multiple jurisdictions.
Experience with complex commercial, corporate, or NGO regulatory matters.
Experience managing outside counsel in multiple jurisdictions.
Excellent analytical skills and legal judgment, with the ability to balance risk and operational realities.
Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across language barriers, time differences, and diverse teams located remotely across a large geographic region.
Ability to work independently and manage heavy workloads and competing priorities under tight deadlines.
Ability to work effectively as part of a world-class, service-oriented, client-focused team, and to be a pleasant, collegial, and supportive colleague.
Fluency in written and spoken English and French in a professional, business setting.
Strong digital literacy and administrative skills relevant to legal practice.
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
Ability to travel to locations in Africa (and potentially the USA).
AI Career Tools
Quickly create a cover letter, get resume help, and more with our free AI tools!
