Position title:  Legal and Compliance Manager                                   

Date:  17^th January 2023

Work base: Head Office

Reporting to: Managing Director through Deputy Managing Director

Expected starting date: February 2023

Employment Contract type: Open-ended contract.

About the ASA International (Rwanda) Plc:

ASA International (Rwanda) Plc (subsequently referred to as “ASA Rwanda”) is a for-profit, deposit taking Microfinance Institution licensed by National Bank of Rwanda and incorporated under The Companies Act, No.103495622 in Rwanda in 2014 and started operations in 2016, currently serving small business in 30 branches across the country. ASA Rwanda is a subsidiary of ASA International listed on London Stock Exchange, one of the world’s largest international Microfinance institutions in the world operating in 13 countries in Africa and Asia.

Vision: Reduce poverty by improving the lives of the underprivileged with a key focus on female entrepreneurs.

Mission: We have a strong commitment to financial inclusion and socioeconomic progress.

Objective: Providing Microfinance loans for business purpose to low-income entrepreneurs with an objective of improving financial inclusion and realize socioeconomic progress. Our loans provide an alternative to low income entrepreneurs without access to credit from traditional banks. We provide these loans using the ASA Model. ASA Model was introduced by Md. Shafiqual Haque Choudhury, co-founder of ASA International, who sadly passed away in February 2021. Read more about our co-founder and tributes to his contribution on www.asa-international.com.

a. Function summary

Legal and Compliance Manager of ASA Microfinance Rwanda Plc ensures that the company functions are in a legal and ethical manner while meeting its business goals. S/he is responsible for developing compliance programs, reviewing ASA Microfinance Rwanda Plc policies and advising management on possible legal breach risks. His/her activities are conducted both lawfully and ethically.

b.Duties and Responsibilities

1. Arrange required regulatory and Corporate Affairs documents in respect to Corporate, Regulatory Affairs of the Company;

2. Organizing, preparing the agendas and meeting materials/papers for company board of directors meetings in consultation with the Managing Director of the ompany,
3. Convening and servicing Annual General meetings (AGMs)/meetings (producing agendas, taking minutes, conveying decisions, handling meetings correspondences and so on)
4. Assist the Chairman and Directors in the conduct of meetings and their directorial and governance obligations and responsibilities
5. Building effective working relationships with all board members, offering impartial advice and acting in the best interests of the company
6. Ensuring decisions made in the BOD and committees meetings are communicated to the concern departments and management
7. Making sure, timely that the concerned Services have prepared and distributed the requested documents to Auditors.
8. Statutory review and comparison of company and registry records to ensure consistency and full compliance with prevailing statutory rules;
9. Statutory review and comparison of company and registry records to ensure consistency and full compliance with prevailing statutory rules;
10. Ensure adherence with the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association by the Company, and effecting any changes to meet the needs of the company;
11. Liaising with auditors, tax advisers, law firms, bankers and shareholders on board governance issues;
12. Organizing and preparing agendas and meeting materials/papers for Board meetings, Board committees, and Annual General Meetings (AGMs);
13. Taking minutes, drafting resolutions, lodging required forms and submission of periodical and annual returns with the regulators;
14. Establishing and ensuring the proper and functional Corporate governance framework for the Company;
15. Ensure that the governance framework and any supporting policies and procedures are clearly documented;
16. Develop effective and appropriate reporting formats which will ensure that the Company’s Board of Directors and Sub – Committees make timely and proper corporate disclosures to the regulators;
17. Promoting board development by assisting the chairman with all development processes including board new induction, training, and evaluation;
18. Any other job assigned by the company/holding management in considering the greater interest of the company.

c.Education

• Bachelor’s degree (A0) or Postgraduate in Law and related field;

d.Requirements – Skills, Knowledge, Abilities – for Legal and Compliance Officer

The following abilities, knowledge, and skills are required to take up this position:

• Being Rwandan by nationality;
• Have at least 3 to 5 years’ experience in the legal field, company Secretary or legal analysis and interpretation;
• Having worked in the banking or microfinance sector would be an advantage;
• Having between 30 to 40 years old;
• Speak and write correct English and Kinyarwanda
• Knowledge of the legal texts in force governing Financial Institutions;
• Extensive computer literacy in Microsoft Word and Excel, PowerPoint, interne, etc.
• Be ready to work or travel anywhere in the country where ASA Microfinance (Rwanda) PLC has branches;
• Willing to work under pressure and ready to complete necessary jobs on time

Salary & Benefits:

• Competitive salary
• In-house Medical Insurance covering him/her and legal dependents as company policy
• Communication allowances as per company policy
• Monitoring allowance as per company policy
• Annual Salary Increment as per company policy
• Festival Allowance as per company policy

Cover Letter included the candidate’s expected salary; Detailed CV; copy of Degree; Work certificates from previous employers; any other document that may prove a candidate’s competency to the post; Copy of ID Card.

Applications should be addressed to the Managing Director of ASA International (RWANDA) Plc located in KIGALI City, GASABO District, Plot No. – 95, NTORA Village, KG 784 St. RUHANGO Cell, Gisozi Sector, Kigali, Rwanda

Online Application to be sent

to [email protected] with subject line mentioning Legal and Compliance Manager. Submission of Application should be before 27 January 2023 at 5:00 PM. Please note that only candidates with the needed qualifications and relevant experience will be shortlisted. If you do not hear from us in 2 weeks after the deadline, know that you are not meeting our requirements.

ASA International aims to attract and select a diverse workforce, ensuring equal opportunity to everyone, irrespective of race, age, gender, class, ethnicity, disability, location, and religion. Qualified women are particularly encouraged to apply.

Company reserved the rights to amend the position at any time or during finalization of the appointment.

Done at Kigali on 17^th January 2023

Signed and approved by:

Md. Jamilur Rahman Chowdhury

Managing Director,

ASA International (Rwanda) Pl