The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) is seeking to recruit a national from its member countries to fill the position of Legal Counsel in its Legal Department for the UK Caribbean Infrastructure Partnership Fund.   The successful candidate will be based at CDB's headquarters in St. Michael, Barbados.

THE ROLE 

The position will report to the Deputy General Counsel (DGC).  The Legal Counsel is accountable for providing a full slate of legal services to CDB to assist in ensuring that CDB’s internal operations and external business activities are conducted without detriment to the organisation and with due observance of its Charter and the Memorandum of Understanding between CDB and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Island (UK) for UK-Caribbean Infrastructure Partnership Fund (CIF). 

CDB has been selected by the Government of the UK acting through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, to manage CIF.  The CIF supports eight Commonwealth Countries eligible for Official Development Assistance (ODA) and one ODA-eligible Overseas Territory to create critical economic infrastructure in the Caribbean to set the foundations for growth and prosperity, reducing poverty and increasing resilience to climate change. 

The Infrastructure Partnership Fund is available to the following countries: Jamaica, Guyana, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda and St Vincent and the Grenadines; as well as Montserrat as an Overseas Territory. 

The Legal Counsel is responsible for providing legal services to CDB with respect to:

·                Appraisal of capital and technical assistance projects, preparation, negotiation and finalisation of loan, guarantee, grant and consultancy agreements, satisfaction of conditions precedent to first disbursement of funds (including, where applicable, the provision of security documentation), the supervision of the operational phase of projects, matters arising out of such agreements, purchases by CDB, services provided to CDB and matters arising out of such activities.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The responsibilities of the Legal Counsel are to ensure that:

·       The legal status of applicants for loans and technical assistance, their powers to borrow, licences, exchange control and capital issues requirements, relevant legislation and other documentation are acceptable to CDB.

·                Terms and conditions of loans being appraised and technical assistance and consultancy assignments are appropriate and consistent with CDB’s standard terms and conditions and the terms and conditions of the funding sources allocated to each assigned project.

·                The negotiation and finalisation of loan, guarantee, technical assistance and consultancy agreements to which CDB is a party as well as other legal documentation connected therewith are effected in a timely manner.

·                The Borrower/Beneficiary/Guarantor meets the conditions precedent to CDB’s disbursement under funding agreements, that extensions of time required for such satisfaction are given or initiated (as appropriate) and that certification of the satisfaction of such conditions is issued upon such satisfaction.

·                Borrowers and other recipients of CDB’s funds and CDB’s staff members receive accurate and timely advice on the application and interpretation of all CDB’s internal and external policies, procedures, guidelines, schemes, rules and regulations as the same may from time to time be amended, revised or replaced.

·                Notices required under loan, technical assistance and consultancy agreements for suspension of disbursement, cancellation of undisbursed balances, termination of existing obligations and for any other purposes are drafted, finalised and issued as and when such instructions are received.

·                All necessary legal action and/or contacts for the purpose of enforcing CDB’s security or recovering sums outstanding under a loan, technical assistance or consultancy agreement is promptly initiated and pursued once a decision has been taken to recall the loan or require a refund of a grant.

·                In serving as a member of the project appraisal team, attending review meetings and giving comments on project documents, due observance is given to accuracy, appropriateness, consistency and clarity.

·                Assistance is provided to the General Counsel (GC) and the DGC with respect to such other duties related to the legal work of CDB.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

The ideal candidate for this role must: 

·                Be a qualified Attorney-at-Law, Barrister or Solicitor as evidenced by relevant qualification. 

·                Be practicing or able to practise in one or more of CDB’s member countries. 

·                Have at least five years’ working experience in the practice of law. 

·                Have engaged in a general law practice with experience in the preparation of documentation with respect to loans and other financial transactions and corporate matters. 

A postgraduate degree in law, or a degree in another field relevant to the CDB’s work would be an asset. 

Knowledge or experience in international development law would be an asset. 

Working experience in the practice of law in one or more of CDB’s BMCs would be an advantage.