REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

AFRICAN LEGAL SUPPORT FACILITY (ALSF)

Long-Term Contract Agent

Legal Counsel (Sovereign Finance)

The African Legal Support Facility (the “ALSF” or the “Facility”) hereby invites individuals to indicate their interest in the following assignment: Long-Term Contract Agent – Legal Counsel (Sovereign Finance). This role is a mid-level position within the ALSF’s job classifications for the Operations Division.

General information about the ALSF

The ALSF is an international organisation hosted by the African Development Bank in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The ALSF’s main objectives include: (i) providing legal advisory services to African governments in the structuring and negotiation of complex commercial transactions related to extractives and natural resources, energy, sovereign debt, and infrastructure development under public-private partnerships (the “Key Sectors”); (ii) capacity building for lawyers and government professionals related to the above; and (iii) development of knowledge products.

Legal Counsel are part of the Advisory Support Unit of the Operations Division and assist the Sector Leads, Head of the Advisory Support Unit and the Division Manager & Head of Operations in (i) legal analysis and advisory work and (ii) project supervision and management. Legal Counsel assist with the identification of projects, coordination and provision of legal advice to governments, and coordination of external legal counsel. Legal Counsel are expected to negotiate financing agreements, provide institutional support as required, mentor junior legal counsels, and assist the Knowledge Management Unit to organize capacity building programs.

Objectives and Tasks of the Assignment

The successful applicant for the Legal Counsel (Sovereign Finance) role will be responsible for:

• Analysing country requests for legal assistance and reviewing and preparing project proposals and reports to the Division Manager & Head of Operations, Director, and Management Board of the Facility.
• Conducting legal due diligence on proposed transactions such as the review of project documents and agreements (including related to debt instruments, sovereign wealth fund governance and operational documents, carbon finance transaction documents, etc.).
• Assisting in recruiting and managing external legal counsel, including negotiating cost-effective fee arrangements, monitoring the work and managing the relationship with governments.
• Actively seeking, and identifying, a pipeline of projects which are consistent with the ALSF’s scope of work.
• Assisting in developing ALSF’s advisory services consisting of providing additional legal advice and recommendations to governments, reviewing institutional and legal frameworks, and implementing action plans and strategies, including in response to emergency official requests received from governments, or in relation to additional needs identified in the course of the implementation of on-going ALSF projects.
• Drafting and negotiating ALSF financing agreements and preparing other institutional legal documents as required.
• Drafting and preparing letters of correspondence, memorandums of understanding, position papers, concept notes, reports and all the required documentation between the ALSF, governments, and relevant stakeholders.
• Assisting with the review and drafting of agreements and related contractual documentation falling within the scope of ALSF’s mandate particularly in connection with the ALSF’s Sovereign Finance Sector.
• Contributing to the development, coordination and implementation, in support of the Knowledge Management Unit and pursuant to the ALSF’s capacity building strategy, knowledge management tools and capacity building programs, targeting government officials, private sector lawyers and other relevant stakeholders, including in cooperation with partners and other institutions and the private sector, aimed at improving their understanding and competence in the Sovereign Finance sector, taking into account lessons learned from ALSF previous interventions.
• Regularly liaising and interacting with senior government officials to discuss the ALSF’s interventions.
• Providing advice to senior government officials in the context of complex commercial transactions.
• Contributing to the compilation of precedents and best practices in negotiating complex commercial transactions.
• Liaising with partners, co-financiers and facilitate cooperation with other development partners.
• Assisting in the drafting of policy documents on operational matters relating to the Facility.
• Mentoring and assisting with the development of junior team members.
• Ensuring that documents presented to the Management Board and Governing Council are accurately translated into the official languages of the Facility in a timely fashion.
• Representing the ALSF in high-level international conferences, panels, think-tanks and working groups.
• Participating in outreach efforts, including workshops, publications, targeted communications and bilateral meetings to enhance the visibility and credibility of the ALSF, with a particular focus on Sovereign Finance.
• Performing such other assignments as may be required from time to time by the Sovereign Finance Sector Lead, the Division Manager & Head of Operations, and Director of the Facility.

Competencies

Required skills are those related to know-how and interpersonal skills:

• Know (knowledge): Proven technical competence and experience in cross-border finance law transactions (bilateral and syndicated loans, structured finance, bonds). Experience in investment funds and private equity structures will be considered an advantage. Proven technical competence and experience specifically in sovereign finance (i.e., debt-related instruments, sovereign wealth fund governance and operational documents, carbon finance transaction agreements, etc.) will be considered favourably.
• Strong skills in preparation and negotiation of complex legal documents including briefs, legal opinions, commercial transaction agreements and related transactions; Demonstrated effective coordination skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office; knowledge of cloud-based project management software.
• Soft skills (behaviours, attitudes): Ability to work under pressure in a multicultural environment to complete multiple tasks and meet deadlines, high-level skills in communication, team building, interpersonal relationships, writing, and analytical skills.
• Language skills: Ability to communicate and write effectively in English and/or French with good working knowledge of the other language.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Relevant degree required: A minimum of a master’s degree or related disciplines in law, or a first university degree plus a relevant combination of academic qualifications in law e.g. Juris Doctor (JD).
• Relevant professional certification required: Admission to the Bar of (or diploma to practice law in) a member of the African Development Bank.
• Relevant professional experience required: 5 years of relevant professional experience preferably with an established law firm with international experience, and/or an international financial institution.

Particular Conditions

• Must be a citizen of a member country of the African Development Bank.
• Requires frequent travel and high-level engagement with international stakeholders.
• Must demonstrate a high level of integrity, moral values, discretion, and confidentiality.

Administration/reporting

The Legal Counsel (Sovereign Finance) will report to the Sovereign Finance Sector Lead and Chief Legal Counsel & Head of Advisory Support and work closely with internal and external stakeholders.

Duration of the Assignment

The assignment will last for twelve (12) months, starting as soon as the recruitment process is completed.

Location of the Assignment

The Contract Agent will be based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, Nairobi, Kenya, Tunis, Tunisia or Johannesburg, South Africa.

Remuneration

The Contract Agent shall be paid a total monthly lump sum, comprising fee, subsistence, or other incidentals for the duration of the assignment, which is commensurate with the number of years of work experience. The ALSF will cover travel and field mission costs (if any) as per African Development Bank rules in this regard.

How to apply

The ALSF invites individuals to indicate their interest in providing the above-described services. Interested individuals shall provide information on their qualifications and experience demonstrating their ability to undertake this assignment (reference to similar services, experience in similar assignments, etc.), as well as the reason why they are interested in this assignment and in joining the ALSF.

Expressions of interest must be sent electronically to m.vallee@afdb.org with a copy to alsf@afdb.org no later than 13 February 2026 at 5 p.m. (GMT) and specifically mentioning in the subject: ALSF Contract Agent – Legal Counsel (Sovereign Finance). Unsuccessful candidates will remain in the ALSF’s database for twelve (12) months.

Any questions and requests for clarifications may be sent to: m.vallee@afdb.org, with a copy to alsf@afdb.org, before 13 February 2026 at 5 pm (GMT). Only shortlisted individuals will be contacted.

Mandatory documents: Please attach (i) a Curriculum Vitae using the template in Annex 1 and a (ii) cover letter expressing your interest in joining the ALSF. You may attach any other relevant materials, but these are not required at this stage. Submission of additional materials will not constitute any advantage.

Applications that are submitted without a cover letter or that are not compliant with the Curriculum Vitae template will be rejected by the ALSF.