Senior Legal Counsel (New Markets)
Wave is seeking a Senior Legal Counsel to support its expansion into new markets, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This role involves serving as the primary legal advisor, ensuring that Wave's growth aligns with business objectives and complies with regulatory requirements. The position is based in Kinshasa, DRC, and reports to the Head of Legal responsible for Francophone expansion and new markets.
The Senior Legal Counsel will be responsible for drafting and negotiating contracts for Wave's core products and services, including agents, payments, and procurement, to protect the company's commercial and legal interests. This includes engaging in complex and high-value contract negotiations and managing the contracting process across countries. Additionally, the role involves implementing group legal team policies, managing legal operations, handling litigation, providing legal support for employment matters, overseeing company secretarial responsibilities, and collaborating with the Risk and Controls teams to manage legal risks.
Candidates should possess a law degree from an accredited institution and be qualified in a Francophone African jurisdiction, such as OHADA, Cameroon, or DRC regulation. A minimum of 8 years of experience as an in-house lawyer in technology, finance, fintech, or mobile money within a leading regional or global organization is required. Fluency in both French and English is essential, along with strong communication skills, excellent legal drafting abilities, and strong planning, organizational, and management skills.
Wave offers competitive salaries calculated using a transparent formula based on experience and location. Employees receive health insurance premiums for themselves and their dependents, generous parental leave policies (26 weeks for mothers and 4 weeks for fathers), subsidized childcare upon return to work, gym membership subsidies, and airtime reimbursement.
Wave is committed to making Africa the first cashless continent by providing financial services that are accessible, affordable, and reliable. The company fosters a culture of autonomy, allowing employees to own projects from inception to execution. Wave has raised significant funding from world-class investors and is recognized among Y Combinator's top companies by revenue.