Legal Advisor Vacancy at ECSA-HC March 2026

Organization: East, Central, and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC)
Location: Arusha, Tanzania
Employment Type: Contract
Application Deadline: 31 March 2026

About ECSA-HC

The East, Central, and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC) is a leading intergovernmental organization established to promote regional cooperation in health across member states. Founded in 1974 (formerly known as the Commonwealth Regional Health Community Secretariat), ECSA-HC has grown into a permanent regional mechanism supporting health initiatives in:

Kenya
Lesotho
Malawi
Mauritius
Eswatini
United Republic of Tanzania
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe

The organization works with member states and partners to improve health standards in the region through:

Regional cooperation and collaboration
Health research and capacity building
Policy development and advocacy
Promoting efficiency and effectiveness of health services

ECSA-HC also extends support to non-member states including Botswana, Burundi, Eritrea, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Sudan, Seychelles, and Somalia.

Objective of Engagement

ECSA-HC is seeking a reputable legal firm to serve as its Legal Advisor on a retainer basis. The primary goal of this engagement is to:

Mitigate legal risk
Ensure compliance with international best practices
Support the organization’s strategic objectives

The selected firm will provide expert, practical, and timely legal advice in a range of areas critical to international organizations.

Scope of Required Services

The legal firm will provide advisory services in the following key areas:

Public International Law – Treaties, privileges, immunities, status agreements, and MOUs.
Institutional Governance – Legal interpretation of constitutive documents, governance structures, and rules of procedure.
Contract & Commercial Law – Drafting and negotiation of procurement, consultancy, licensing, and partnership agreements.
Dispute Resolution & Litigation Management – International arbitration, mediation, and employment or contractual disputes.
Administrative & Employment Law – Advice on internal justice systems, staff regulations, and personnel matters.
Regulatory Compliance – International sanctions, anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing, and data protection regulations.
Ethics & Investigations – Investigating allegations of fraud, corruption, harassment, SEA, and advising on whistleblower policies.
Specialized Advisory – Intellectual property, environmental law, and maritime law.
Diplomatic Relations – Understanding operations, immunities, and privileges of international and diplomatic organizations.

Mandatory Qualifications and Experience

Interested firms must demonstrate:

International Reputation: Proven track record advising governments, international organizations, or multinational corporations.
Relevant Experience: Minimum 10+ years in relevant legal areas, supported by client lists and case studies.
Regional Presence: Network of offices or partnerships across ECSA-HC operational areas.
Multilingual Capabilities: Ability to provide legal advice in the organization’s official languages.
Conflict of Interest: Written confirmation of no existing conflicts of interest.

Proposed Team Profile

The firm must propose a dedicated team including:

Partner-in-Charge: Senior partner with 15+ years of experience, overseeing work quality and client relationship.
Relationship Partner / Managing Associate: Day-to-day liaison and point of contact.
Specialized Lawyers: Associates with expertise in the required legal areas.

CVs of all team members must be included in the proposal.

Expected Qualities and Working Methodology

The selected firm should demonstrate:

Responsiveness: Ability to provide urgent advice under tight deadlines.
Practicality: Pragmatic, solution-oriented, and operationally realistic advice.
Cost-Effectiveness: Transparent fee structures, including discounted hourly rates, fixed fees, or capped project fees.
Cultural Sensitivity: Understanding of public service mission and diplomatic context.
Confidentiality: Strict adherence to data security and confidentiality standards.

Duration

ECSA-HC anticipates entering a three-year framework agreement with the selected firm. Shortlisted firms will be invited for interviews and presentations.