The Assistant Director, Litigation and Arbitration is responsible for planning, directing and coordinating all activities of the Legal team engaged in arbitration and litigation.

WATER AND SEWERAGE AUTHORITY OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Job Title:   Assistant Director, Litigation and Arbitration

Division: Legal

Department/Section: Litigation & Arbitration 

Location:Head Office, St. Joseph

Reports to: General Counsel and Corporate Secretariat

1.0 JOB PURPOSE:  

The Assistant Director, Litigationand Arbitration is responsible for planning, directing and coordinating all activities of the Legal team engaged in arbitration and litigation. 

The Assistant Director, Litigationand Arbitration will provide legal advice and guidance on a wide range of legal issues. This includes providing leadership and strategic oversight to the Team of Attorneys in the execution of their duties and management of external legal advisors and consultants.

This role supports a transformed Authority in achieving its strategic mandate through the development and execution of policies and/or programs, accountability for staffing and leading teams to achieve the stated strategic goals.

This role ensures that the Authority has a robust strategic plan designed to achieve short and long-term sustainability goals, initiatives and projects through active environmental scanning, research strategies, business planning and development strategies and project planning and execution.

2.0KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

1. Contributes to the development of the strategic plan for the Division/Department/Unit by planning, organising and coordinating activities designed to achieve the transformation agenda.

2. Provides wide aspect guidance to the attorneys under his/her control as a primary means to facilitate the execution of their substantive job functions.

3. Develops, implements and promulgates policy initiatives designed to improve the execution of the Department’s mandate.

4. Develops an organization-wide legal mitigation strategy and framework to minimize exposures.

5. Leads the development of reporting on Departmental outputs, provides data and intelligence that is used to inform strategy and planning.

6. Leads the analysis of research that informs the Authority’s legal mitigation strategies and objectives.

OPERATIONS

7. Researches all laws and regulations that pertain to the Authority and provide the necessary advice and guidance as required.

8. Ensures compliance with all Legal and Governmental Regulations. 

9. Compiles all legal documents and prepares reports, letters and agreements.

10. Drafts and reviews licenses, leases, contracts and Memoranda of Understanding.

11. Provides legal opinions and reviews all legal documents.

12. Assists and/or drafts pleadings for litigation matters.

13. Liaises with internal and external Counsel for matters in Court. 

14. Attends Court proceedings as may be required.

15. Manages the legal implications of new projects. Acts as an arbitrator to mediate disputes between parties such as labor and management to find mutual resolution; mediates disputes between the Utility and any third party.

PEOPLE 

16. Collaborates with leaders and the Board on the settlement of disputes.

17. Collaborates with relevant stakeholders in the conduct of research and analyses that inform legal strategies and implications for sustainable and economic development for the Authority.

18. Leads the human resources activity for the unit by managing staff performance through coaching, oral and written discipline and making appropriate interventions for improved performance.

19. Collaborates with Team Leads, Attorneys, Ministry of Public Utilities and all other stakeholders to execute and evaluate projects and initiatives.

REPORTS

20. Completes plans and executive level reporting for the Department/Unit’s function.

21. Completes activity reporting for all accountabilities.

22. Provides reporting on projects under management.

Together with such other tasks as required by the Director and which are appropriate up to the grading level of the post.

3.0COMPETENCIES

CORE

1. Safety: Adherence to the safety practices, laws, codes guidelines, as outlined in the Safety Policy, Operational Manuals and other company documents. Safety First!

2. Teamwork: To work together with one or more persons / organizations to complete a project or task, working towards a common good to benefit the team or organization. Demonstrating the ability to develop, maintain, and strengthen partnerships with others both inside and outside the organization.

3. Enterprise Customer Advocacy: An obvious focus on what is best for the customer throughout the enterprise, a desire to assist and/or serve customers and meet their needs. Taking personal responsibility for addressing issues in customer-service, with prompt and effective solutions and without becoming defensive; Ability to prioritize multiple customer needs and actin accordance with the department initiatives and the organisation's core values. It is simply about putting the customer first in everything that we do at WASA. 

4. Professionalism: The habitual and judicious use of communication, technical and problem-solving skills, clinical reasoning, emotions, values, and reflection in daily practice for the benefit of the company and community.  Demonstrates a conscientious, courteous, and business-oriented manner while on the job. 

5. Uprightness: Adhering to the company’s Code of Conduct policy and all other company policies and guidelines. Promotes professionalism, morality, civility and ethical principles, demonstrating commitment to openness, being transparent and honest in one’s dealings with persons internal and external to WASA i.e., Doing the Right Thing All the Time.

TECHNICAL

6. Law: Demonstrated expertise and track record in the use and understanding of the laws of Trinidad and Tobago. The ability to demonstrate depth of knowledge and skill in the specialized discipline.

7. Business Analysis: Knowledge and ability to apply the principles of business analysis in the planning, engineering, and requirement gathering for business case analyses for policy initiatives encompassing environments, operations, processes, and practices.

8. Project Management:The ability to apply formal project management principles and practices during the planning, implementation, monitoring and completion of projects. The ability to identify resources needed to meet project objectives, develop and manage the project plan, including timelines, deliverables, milestones, and costs. The ability to identify potential roadblocks and risks and develop contingency plans to deal with them.

LEADERSHIP

9. Business Acumen: Demonstrates a deep understanding of the business environment, including the business case for MDBs. Capable of developing strategies that secure sustainable development of the company, capable of building and cultivating external relationships.

10. Critical & Strategic Thinking: Sees the bigger picture and strives to effectively integrate departmental resources into a cohesive whole. Takes a strategic approach to leadership and planning, thinking about long term Authority deliverables and organizational transformational strategies. Works to implement the strategic plan, monitoring and reviewing departmental activities to ensure they are aligned with the broader Authority objectives and goals. Self-directed thinking that produces new and innovative ideas and solves problems. Reflecting critically on learning experiences and processes and making effective decisions.

11. Results Orientation: The ability to set challenging goals with desired results and to focus one's effort and the effort of the unit on the desired result. Demonstrating a strong sense of urgency in achieving results and solving problems to accomplish work.

12. Managing through Change and Uncertainty: Adjusts thinking and behaviour to resiliently face change and uses experience to fuel growth. Embraces failure as a learning opportunity for self and others. Enables the process of change and transition while helping others navigate through the effects of change.

13. Communication: The ability to communicate effectively both verbal and written. Effectively and appropriately interacts with others to build and foster existing relationships, influence, and facilitate the sharing of ideas and information.

14. Stakeholder Management:  The ability to work cooperatively with stakeholders, business professionals and partners and advise on strategic and operational issues, through insights that support business decisions.

15. People Leadership: The ability to inspire, motivate, and empower people to achieve organizational goals. Coaches, mentors, and manages employee experience, and employee performance, through mindful preparation. Creates space for others to lead.

4.0QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

4.1Bachelor of Law Degree from a recognized institution.

4.2Legal Education Certificate or equivalent from a recognized institution. 

4.3A qualified Attorney-at-Law authorized to practice in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

4.4At least ten (10) years’ working experience in the legal field including five (5) years at managerial / senior level.

5.0KEY RELATIONSHIPS:

1. Direct Reports: Team Leads

2. Indirect Reports: Auditors 

3. Internal Contacts: Assistant Directors

4. External Contacts: Government agencies, IDB, CDB, CARICOM, CARIRI, PAHO

6.0ACCOUNTABILITIES/OUTPUTS: (Areas for which the incumbent is directly answerable for attaining and delivering in the course of duty)