Legal and Contracts Officer in Harare, Harare at American Friends of Mutala

Africa Clinical Research Network (ACRN) is an African-led clinical research organization building the next generation of trial capacity across the continent. We work with existing hospitals, research units, and investigators to enable high-quality clinical research—from investigator-initiated studies to late-phase and registration trials—while strengthening local systems, skills, and infrastructure.

ACRN operates as a pan-African site management and research delivery platform, combining strong clinical operations, regulatory expertise, data and digital systems, and quality management. Our model is practical and embedded: we focus on making trials work in real settings, reducing friction for sites, sponsors, and regulators, and delivering reliable, audit-ready data.

We partner closely with governments, regulators, academic institutions, and industry to expand Africa’s role in global clinical research, while ensuring that studies generate local value—through workforce development, institutional strengthening, and improved patient care.

At ACRN, you’ll work on meaningful, complex projects with global impact, alongside a multidisciplinary team that values rigor, accountability, and innovation. We are building something durable, ambitious, and distinctly African—and we are looking for people who want to help shape it.
Application Deadline: 31 August 2026

About the role

The Legal and Contracts Officer provides substantive legal support across ACRN’s clinical research, life sciences, and corporate operations. The role is responsible for drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and managing a wide range of agreements spanning regulated clinical trial activities and non-regulated organizational matters, ensuring legal, regulatory, fiduciary, and governance compliance. Operating at the intersection of research, operations, and governance, the role advises leadership on legal and contractual risk, supports compliant execution of clinical trials and partnerships, and safeguards ACRN’s legal and reputational interests. The role also supports board and corporate governance functions, including preparation of board documentation, resolutions, and statutory records. Working closely with senior leadership, external counsel, sponsors, and partners, the Legal and Contracts Officer plays a critical role in enabling compliant, ethical, and sustainable research operations.

What you'll do

• Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of agreements, including clinical trial agreements, site agreements, vendor contracts, NDAs, MOUs, collaboration agreements, and corporate contracts.
• Ensure contracts appropriately address legal, regulatory, financial, and operational risks.
• Support timely contract execution to enable research and organizational activities.

• Provide legal support for regulated clinical research activities, ensuring alignment with GCP, applicable regulatory requirements, and sponsor obligations.
• Review clinical trial documentation to ensure legal and contractual consistency with protocols, insurance, and regulatory approvals.
• Advise on legal implications of study conduct, amendments, and close-out activities.

• Identify, assess, and advise on legal and contractual risks across the organization.
• Support development and implementation of governance frameworks, policies, and controls.
• Advise leadership on fiduciary duties, liability exposure, and compliance obligations.

• Oversee contract lifecycle management, including tracking obligations, milestones, renewals, and expiries.
• Ensure contracts are properly executed, stored, and retrievable.
• Support resolution of contractual disputes or issues in coordination with leadership and external counsel.

• Support board and committee functions, including preparation of agendas, papers, resolutions, and minutes.
• Maintain statutory registers, corporate records, and governance documentation.
• Support compliance with corporate, statutory, and regulatory filing requirements.

• Manage legal aspects of insurance coverage, including clinical trial participant insurance and organizational policies.
• Ensure insurance arrangements align with contractual and regulatory requirements.
• Liaise with insurers and brokers as required.

• Coordinate with external legal counsel on specialized or jurisdiction-specific matters.
• Manage legal inputs from external advisors to ensure consistency and cost-effectiveness.
• Interface with sponsors, partners, vendors, and regulators on legal matters as required.

• Ensure legal documentation meets organizational quality and governance standards.
• Support internal awareness and training on contractual and governance requirements.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of legal and contracts processes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Law (LLB) or equivalent legal qualification.
• Admission to practice law in at least one jurisdiction is preferred or required, depending on local requirements.

• Postgraduate qualification in health law, commercial law, or corporate governance.

• Minimum of 3-5 years’ experience in legal practice or in-house legal roles.
• Demonstrated experience drafting and negotiating complex contracts.

• Experience in clinical research, life sciences, healthcare, or regulated industries.
• Experience supporting boards, governance structures, or nonprofit organizations.
• Experience working with international partners or multi-country operations.

• Strong legal drafting, analytical, and negotiation skills.
• Sound judgment in risk assessment and decision-making.
• Ability to operate independently and advise senior leadership.
• High integrity, discretion, and professionalism.
• Clear communication with legal and non-legal stakeholders.