ABOUT FINCRED FINANCE

Fincred Finance is a fast-growing financial services institution dedicated to providing innovative credit solutions while maintaining the highest standards of governance, compliance, and customer service. As part of our continued growth and commitment to strengthening our legal recovery function, we are seeking a highly experienced and results-oriented Litigation Manager to join our leadership team.

This is a strategic and operational role responsible for managing the company's litigation portfolio, legal recoveries, dispute resolution processes, and legal risk exposure. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in maximizing recoveries, safeguarding company interests, and ensuring compliance with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

ROLE SUMMARY

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the Litigation Manager will lead and oversee all litigation and debt recovery activities of the company. The role requires a seasoned legal practitioner capable of managing complex litigation matters, coordinating external counsel, enforcing security interests, and driving legal recovery strategies that contribute to the company's profitability and risk management objectives.

The ideal candidate will possess strong litigation expertise, commercial acumen, leadership capabilities, and extensive knowledge of debt recovery and enforcement procedures within the Zambian legal framework.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Litigation Manager shall be responsible for:

Litigation Management

• Develop and implement effective litigation and legal recovery strategies.
• Manage the company's litigation portfolio and ensure timely progression of all legal matters.
• Institute, defend, and oversee court proceedings involving debt recovery, contract enforcement, repossessions, insolvency matters, and other commercial disputes.
• Monitor court matters and ensure compliance with all procedural and statutory timelines.
• Coordinate and supervise external advocates, debt collectors, bailiffs, auctioneers, and recovery agents.

Debt Recovery & Enforcement

• Drive legal debt recovery initiatives and maximize recoveries on delinquent loan accounts.
• Oversee enforcement of judgments, securities, guarantees, and settlement agreements.
• Develop legal recovery action plans for non-performing loan portfolios.
• Provide strategic recommendations on high-risk accounts and recovery actions.

Legal Advisory & Risk Management

• Serve as the principal legal advisor to management on legal, regulatory, and operational matters.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate legal risks affecting the business.
• Provide legal opinions on lending transactions, contracts, and commercial arrangements.
• Support management in handling regulatory investigations, complaints, and dispute resolution processes.

Contract & Documentation Management

• Review, draft, negotiate, and approve contracts, loan agreements, security documents, policies, and legal correspondence.
• Ensure legal documentation adequately protects the company's interests and complies with applicable legislation.

Compliance & Governance

• Monitor developments in legislation, case law, and regulatory requirements affecting the financial services industry.
• Ensure compliance with relevant laws, regulatory directives, and internal policies.
• Assist management in strengthening governance frameworks and legal controls.

Reporting & Leadership

• Prepare monthly litigation and recovery performance reports for Executive Management.
• Maintain accurate litigation records and legal case registers.
• Lead and mentor junior legal and recovery personnel where applicable.
• Develop and implement legal department policies, procedures, and performance standards.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPIs)

The Litigation Manager will be evaluated against the following performance measures:

Debt Recovery Performance

• Achievement of approved monthly and annual legal recovery targets.
• Improvement in recovery rates on non-performing loan portfolios.
• Reduction in legal recovery turnaround times.

Litigation Effectiveness

• Litigation success rate on concluded matters.
• Timely conclusion of litigation files.
• Successful enforcement of judgments and settlement agreements.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Zero missed court appearances, filing deadlines, or statutory obligations.
• Reduction in legal losses arising from procedural failures.
• Compliance with all applicable regulatory and legal requirements.

Contract Management

• Timely review and approval of legal documents.
• Reduction in contractual and legal risk exposure.

Reporting & Administration

• Maintenance of a fully updated litigation register.
• Submission of accurate monthly litigation and recovery reports within agreed timelines.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Applicants must possess:

• Bachelor of Laws (LLB) Degree from a recognized institution.
• Advocate of the High Court of Zambia with a valid Practicing Certificate.
• Membership in good standing with the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ).
• Minimum of five (5) years post-admission experience in litigation, debt recovery, commercial law, banking law, or financial services.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex litigation portfolios and debt recovery matters.
• Strong knowledge of:
  • Civil litigation procedures
  • Debt recovery and enforcement mechanisms
  • Banking and financial services law
  • Commercial and contract law
  • Corporate governance and regulatory compliance
• Proven ability to manage multiple legal matters simultaneously.
• Strong negotiation, advocacy, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and legal case management systems.
• Valid Class B Driver's Licence.

COMPETENCIES

The successful candidate should demonstrate:

• Strong leadership and decision-making capabilities
• Commercial awareness and business acumen
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• High ethical standards and professional integrity
• Strong negotiation and conflict resolution abilities
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work under pressure and manage competing priorities
• Results-oriented approach with strong attention to detail

• Develop and implement effective litigation and legal recovery strategies.
• Manage the company's litigation portfolio and ensure timely progression of all legal matters.
• Institute, defend, and oversee court proceedings involving debt recovery, contract enforcement, repossessions, insolvency matters, and other commercial disputes.
• Monitor court matters and ensure compliance with all procedural and statutory timelines.
• Coordinate and supervise external advocates, debt collectors, bailiffs, auctioneers, and recovery agents.
• Drive legal debt recovery initiatives and maximize recoveries on delinquent loan accounts.
• Oversee enforcement of judgments, securities, guarantees, and settlement agreements.
• Develop legal recovery action plans for non-performing loan portfolios.
• Provide strategic recommendations on high-risk accounts and recovery actions.
• Serve as the principal legal advisor to management on legal, regulatory, and operational matters.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate legal risks affecting the business.
• Provide legal opinions on lending transactions, contracts, and commercial arrangements.
• Support management in handling regulatory investigations, complaints, and dispute resolution processes.
• Review, draft, negotiate, and approve contracts, loan agreements, security documents, policies, and legal correspondence.
• Ensure legal documentation adequately protects the company's interests and complies with applicable legislation.
• Monitor developments in legislation, case law, and regulatory requirements affecting the financial services industry.
• Ensure compliance with relevant laws, regulatory directives, and internal policies.
• Assist management in strengthening governance frameworks and legal controls.
• Prepare monthly litigation and recovery performance reports for Executive Management.
• Maintain accurate litigation records and legal case registers.
• Lead and mentor junior legal and recovery personnel where applicable.
• Develop and implement legal department policies, procedures, and performance standards.

• Strong litigation expertise
• Commercial acumen
• Leadership capabilities
• Extensive knowledge of debt recovery and enforcement procedures within the Zambian legal framework
• Strong knowledge of civil litigation procedures
• Strong knowledge of debt recovery and enforcement mechanisms
• Strong knowledge of banking and financial services law
• Strong knowledge of commercial and contract law
• Strong knowledge of corporate governance and regulatory compliance
• Proven ability to manage multiple legal matters simultaneously
• Strong negotiation skills
• Strong advocacy skills
• Strong stakeholder management skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications
• Proficiency in legal case management systems
• Strong leadership and decision-making capabilities
• Commercial awareness and business acumen
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• High ethical standards and professional integrity
• Strong negotiation and conflict resolution abilities
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work under pressure and manage competing priorities
• Results-oriented approach with strong attention to detail

• Bachelor of Laws (LLB) Degree from a recognized institution.
• Advocate of the High Court of Zambia with a valid Practicing Certificate.
• Membership in good standing with the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ).
• Valid Class B Driver's Licence.