Legal Officer (2)

• PositionLegal Officer (2)
• CompanyOpportunity Bank Uganda
• LocationKampala, Uganda
• Job TypeFull-Time
• CategoryLegal Jobs in Uganda
• IndustryBanking
• DepartmentLegal
• DeadlineFriday, 9 October 2026 at 5:00 pm

Opportunity Bank Uganda Limited is a financial institution licensed and regulated by the Central Bank of Uganda. The bank’s official profile describes a provider of tailored products and services for individuals and micro, small, medium and large enterprises, with a focus on technology-led financial solutions and training.

Opportunity Bank’s official information lists its headquarters at Opportunity House on Old Kiira Road in Kampala and describes branches, ATM points, agents and digital channels serving customers across Uganda. Its stated mission is to transform the lives of ordinary individuals and entrepreneurs with care, respect and sustainability, while its vision is to be the bank of choice for people seeking a life of dignity and purpose.

The Legal Officer will provide proactive, commercially focused and high-quality legal support across the Bank’s business and operational functions. The role covers advice on banking transactions, credit and security documentation, contract management, debt recovery, litigation, regulatory matters and legal risk management, with the objective of protecting the Bank’s interests and mitigating legal exposure.

Reporting to the Legal Manager at Head Office, the officer will advise business units, draft and negotiate agreements, support credit documentation and security perfection, assist recovery teams, manage assigned disputes and monitor legal developments. The role also includes staff awareness, legal templates, confidential records, stakeholder relationships and coordination with external counsel, valuers and other service providers. Two vacancies are available. The advert does not state a salary or benefits package.

• Provide timely, practical and commercially sound legal advice to business and operational units on legal issues arising from the Bank’s activities.
• Identify legal risks arising from products, transactions, processes and business initiatives and recommend appropriate mitigation measures.
• Research and prepare clear and well-reasoned legal opinions, memoranda and advisory notes.
• Support business units in structuring transactions and resolving legal issues in a manner that protects the Bank while facilitating business objectives.
• Draft, review and negotiate commercial contracts, agreements, memoranda of understanding, offer letters and other legal instruments.
• Ensure contractual terms are consistent with approved business terms, applicable law, regulatory requirements and the Bank’s risk appetite.
• Identify and negotiate provisions that may expose the Bank to legal, financial, operational or reputational risk.
• Manage the execution, filing, custody and monitoring of contracts, including key obligations, renewals, expiries and other contractual milestones.
• Provide legal support in negotiations with customers, suppliers, service providers, partners and other counterparties.
• Provide legal support to Credit and business units in structuring and documenting credit facilities and other banking transactions.
• Review facility agreements, offer letters and security documentation to ensure legal sufficiency, enforceability and protection of the Bank’s interests.
• Ensure deficiencies in credit documentation and security perfection are identified and addressed promptly.
• Provide proactive legal support to Recovery teams in managing delinquent and distressed accounts.
• Advise on recovery strategies, including demands, negotiated settlements, restructuring, enforcement and realisation of securities.
• Support lawful enforcement and realisation of mortgages, charges, guarantees and other securities.
• Liaise with external counsel, valuers and other service providers involved in recovery processes.
• Identify recovery matters requiring escalation to litigation or another appropriate legal intervention and advise accordingly.
• Support implementation of the Bank’s litigation and dispute resolution strategy under the direction of the Legal Manager.
• Manage and monitor assigned litigation and dispute matters to ensure timely and effective resolution.
• Attend court, tribunals, mediations and other proceedings on behalf of the Bank where authorised.
• Review pleadings, affidavits, submissions, legal opinions and other litigation documents and provide appropriate legal input.
• Liaise with and instruct external counsel and monitor the progress, quality and cost-effectiveness of outsourced legal services.
• Identify potential disputes at an early stage and advise business units on interventions to prevent avoidable litigation.
• Monitor changes in legislation, regulations, judicial decisions and other legal developments affecting the Bank and advise relevant stakeholders on their implications.
• Support the Bank in maintaining compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
• Identify, assess and escalate material legal, regulatory and litigation risks and recommend appropriate mitigation measures.
• Contribute to the Legal Department’s risk register, Key Risk Indicators and other legal risk management processes.
• Support legal and regulatory compliance reviews across business units and branches.
• Develop and deliver practical legal and regulatory awareness sessions to Bank staff.
• Advise business units on legal best practices and emerging areas of legal and regulatory risk.
• Promote early engagement with the Legal Department on transactions and matters with potential legal implications.
• Develop and maintain standard legal templates, precedents and practical legal guidance to support consistent and efficient legal service delivery.
• Maintain accurate and confidential records of legal, contractual, credit, recovery and litigation matters.
• Build effective working relationships with business units, management, regulators, customers, external counsel and other stakeholders.
• Maintain high standards of professional ethics, integrity, confidentiality and accountability.
• Perform any other duties assigned by the Legal Manager or Company Secretary that are consistent with the purpose and level of the role.

Required Education

• Bachelor of Laws Degree (LLB) from a recognised institution.
• Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice.
• Enrolled Advocate of the High Court of Uganda and subordinate courts.

Work Experience

• Minimum of two years’ post-qualification legal experience, preferably gained in a commercial bank, financial institution, reputable commercial law firm or other highly regulated institution.

Additional Requirements

• Demonstrable experience in banking and finance, credit documentation, security perfection, contract management, debt recovery, litigation and commercial contracting.
• Strong practical knowledge of banking and financial services law, commercial and corporate law, contract law, mortgages, land law, security enforcement and civil litigation.
• Experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating commercial agreements.
• Proven litigation and debt-recovery experience, including engagement with external counsel, is an added advantage.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Technical Skills

• Banking and finance law: Applies practical knowledge of financial-services, commercial, corporate, contract, land and security-enforcement law.
• Commercial contracting: Drafts, reviews and negotiates agreements, legal instruments and transaction documents.
• Recovery and litigation: Handles credit documentation, security perfection, debt recovery, disputes and external counsel coordination.

Soft Skills

• Commercial judgement: Gives practical advice that protects the Bank while supporting business objectives.
• Communication: Produces clear written opinions and communicates effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Integrity and confidentiality: Maintains professional ethics and protects sensitive legal, customer and business information.

The advert does not disclose a salary or benefits package. It does identify the role as an opportunity to provide legal support across a regulated banking institution and states that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Opportunity Bank also identifies itself as an equal opportunity employer and encourages qualified candidates to apply regardless of disability, gender, marital status, religion or ethnicity.

• Join the legal function of a Central Bank-regulated Ugandan financial institution.
• Advise across banking transactions, contracts, credit, recovery, litigation and regulatory matters.
• Develop broad in-house experience in commercial banking law.
• Work directly with business units, management, regulators and external counsel.
• Strengthen practical skills in security perfection, debt recovery and dispute management.
• Contribute to legal risk registers, Key Risk Indicators and compliance reviews.
• Support legal awareness, templates and consistent legal service delivery across the Bank.

Send a signed application letter, academic documents and your curriculum vitae together in one PDF folder to recruitment@opportunitybank.co.ug. Clearly state “Legal Officer” in the subject line. Applications must arrive not later than 5:00 pm on Friday, 9 October 2026. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

• Put “Legal Officer” clearly in the email subject line as requested.
• Combine your signed application letter, academic documents and CV into one PDF folder.
• Confirm that your LLB, Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice and Advocate enrolment are evident.
• Show at least two years of post-qualification legal experience and relevant banking or commercial work.
• Highlight credit documentation, security perfection, contracts, recovery and litigation experience.
• Give concise examples of drafting, negotiation, legal advice and external counsel coordination.
• Email the complete application before 5:00 pm on Friday, 9 October 2026.