CORPORATE SERVICES SECRETARY – TERTIARY EDUCATION SERVICE COUNCIL

The following position has arisen in the Tertiary Education Service Council Secretariat and interested applicants are requested to apply.

Reporting to the Secretary to the Council, The Corporate Services Secretary will be responsible for providing legal advice to the Council and ensuring that all decisions are legally sound and implementable. The Legal Officer will ensure that Council decisions are followed up to promote good corporate governance in line with the Council’s vision and Strategic Plan. This calls for a competent, strategic, and focused individual with an understanding of the national heritage-based Education 5.0 philosophy and the role of tertiary education institutions towards Zimbabwe’s National Vision 2030 and beyond.

Duties and responsibilities

Inspired by the institution’s vision, mission, and philosophy and informed by the institution’s outcome-based strategic plan, the specific duties and responsibilities of the Legal Officer will include:

a) Provide legal, financial, and strategic advice to the Board and Secretariat
b) Coordinating and attending Board and Committee meetings, drafting of minutes and Agendas for discussion
c) Ensure that the Council decisions are legally binding and enforceable
d) Maintain corporate documents and records
e) Ensuring compliance with the laws and regulations
f) Keeping up to date with any regulatory changes and policies that might affect the organization
g) Ensuring that policies are up to date and are approved
h) Coordinate the convening of the Annual Strategic Plan of the Council
i) Manage corporate affairs of the Council in line with good corporate governance principles and international best practices
j) Serving as the link person with management and the shareholders
k) Researches and responds to shareholder requests for information
l) Convening and servicing Annual General Meetings, producing agendas, taking minutes, conveying decisions, handling meetings correspondences
m) Attend to any other duties as may be assigned from time to time.

Qualifications and experience

The successful candidate should be articulate and proactive exhibit a high level of professional maturity, hard-working with the ability to pay attention to detail among other desirable professional attributes. He/she should have excellent written and oral communication and negotiation skills. The candidate should have among other attributes:
⦁ Candidate should have a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) Degree from a recognized university with a strong bias towards administrative, contract, and commercial law
⦁ A postgraduate qualification would be an added advantage
⦁ Must be a registered legal practitioner with the Law Society of Zimbabwe with at least five years of experience
⦁ Commitment to support and advance Education 5.0 programmes.

Desired competencies

i) Clear knowledge of the national socio-economic development objectives and aspirations for Zimbabwe
ii) Ability to clearly articulate the transformative role of tertiary education institutions in Zimbabwe’s development agenda
iii) A well-disciplined cadre able to read signals on the horizon and provide early warning to management and the Council
iv) Demonstrating an “executive presence” backup with solid communication skills
v) A high level of diligence and ability to work with limited supervision
vi) Being able to lead and work within a multi-disciplinary setting to achieve consensus
vii) Should be open-minded, and future-focused. team builder, innovative, and always seeking to add value to the institution.