Legal Counsel

Do you want to do work that matters? Do you want to help improve the lives of some of the most hardworking people in Africa, while also reducing carbon emissions? Do you want to use your skills to advance Africa and the Global South towards a zero-carbon future, not just to make a living? Ampersand is your answer.

About Ampersand

Ampersand is Africa’s emobility pioneer. Ampersand provides electric motorcycles and charging infrastructure (battery swap stations), uniquely tailored to serve half of Africa’s road fleet: Commercial motorcycle taxi and delivery drivers. Moto taxis are a primary means of public transport in African cities, and it is estimated that these drivers spend >$6Bn p.a. on gasoline in East Africa alone. Ampersand has developed an electric solution that is more powerful, fun to drive, and cost-effective than the incumbent. Ampersand drivers routinely earn over 45% more income by going electric.

The company started in Kigali, Rwanda, and expanded into Nairobi, Kenya in 2022. Today it has around 5,000 e-motorcycles on the road and 58 battery swap stations across the two countries. Ampersand is leading the market in quality, affordable tech, customer traction, and operational systems. The Ampersand team consists of 500+ staff drawn from diverse backgrounds and is working hard to see all 5 million taxi motorbikes in East Africa become electric by 2030. Ampersand is rapidly scaling its operations and is looking for innovative professionals who are passionate about clean energy and environmental impact to lead and contribute to our rapid growth.

Ampersand values innovation, creativity, and continuous improvement. It seeks people who are proactive problem solvers to drive results. Ampersand promotes leadership within the organization and is a place where you can grow your career as you work with some of the brightest and most hard-working individuals in East Africa.

Our Values

• Customer-centric Everyday: We prioritize our customers daily, tailoring solutions to exceed expectations.
• Challenge The Status Quo Through Innovation: Our dedicated teams constantly challenge the status quo, driving innovation to enhance customer experiences and deliver solutions that go beyond expectations
• Love Solving Problems Together: Internal collaboration is our approach; we thrive on solving challenges alongside our customers.
• Stay Agile: We stay agile to swiftly meet dynamic customer needs and adapt to a changing landscape.
• Driven By People And Planet: Beyond business, we're committed to people and the planet, ensuring a positive impact.
   

About the role 

Ampersand is seeking a proactive and detail-oriented Legal Counsel with 3–5 years of post-qualification experience to support the company’s legal and compliance functions. The successful candidate will assist in drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and managing contracts, support corporate governance and compliance activities, coordinate legal matters across multiple jurisdictions, and provide practical legal advice to business teams.

• Draft, review, negotiate, and manage commercial agreements, including supplier, customer, service, consultancy, employment, NDA, lease, financing, and partnership agreements.
• Support contract negotiations with customers, suppliers, lenders, investors, and strategic partners.
• Maintain and improve contract templates and playbooks.
• Manage the contract lifecycle process and maintain contract repositories.
• Track contractual obligations, renewals, notices, and key milestones.

• Provide legal advice to business teams on day-to-day operational matters.
• Support corporate governance requirements and statutory filings.
• Assist with board and shareholder matters and corporate record keeping.
• Support legal due diligence and strategic transactions.

• Monitor compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Support implementation of internal policies and procedures.
• Assist with regulatory filings, permits, and licenses.
• Support compliance training and awareness initiatives.

• Assist in managing disputes and litigation matters.
• Coordinate with external counsel in Rwanda and other jurisdictions.
• Prepare legal correspondence and case summaries.

• Maintain legal databases and document management systems.
• Support continuous improvement of legal processes.
• Prepare reports and legal updates for management.

Minimum requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in law (LL.B)
• Diploma in Legal Practice Program
• Admitted to practice law in Rwanda or another relevant jurisdiction
• 3–5 years of experience in a law firm or in-house legal department
• Experience drafting and negotiating commercial contracts
• Strong understanding of corporate, commercial, employment, and regulatory law
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; French is an advantage

• Strong contract drafting and negotiation skills.
• Attention to detail and strong organizational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Commercial mindset and practical problem-solving ability.
• High integrity and professionalism.

Timing

ASAP

Compensation:

A competitive compensation package commensurate with local market rates.

Job location

This role will be based in Kigali, Rwanda

📢 Important Notice:

At Ampersand, we want to emphasize that we do not discriminate based on gender, race, social class, etc… We do not charge or request any form of payment from applicants at any stage of our recruitment process. Your job application and interviews with us are entirely free of charge. If you encounter any requests for payment or fees claiming association with our hiring process, please report it immediately. Your trust and confidence in our company are paramount, and we are committed to providing a fair and transparent recruitment experience for all applicants.