Legal Counsel (Charity)

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced legal professional to join a leading international antislavery
organisation. This role reports to the Managing Director, Finance and Administration and is based in London.

Client Details

Our client is a leader in the global movement to end modern slavery. This organisation works to combat many different forms of extreme exploitation, including forced labour, human trafficking, forced marriage, and the worst forms of child labour. It:

• invests in those countries and sectors with the greatest incidence of modern slavery.
• analyses which interventions work best and shares that knowledge.
• brings together a community of activists committed to ending extreme exploitation and empowered by the knowledge of how best to do so.
• generates funding by demonstrating how effective interventions can protect those at risk of being exploited and free those in situations of exploitation.

Our client has supported hundreds of organisations in Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, Indonesia, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Thailand.

Description

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced legal professional to join a leading international antislavery
organisation. This role reports to the Managing Director, Finance and Administration (based in London) and will coordinate the provision of legal advice and support across our clients global operations, with the support of pro-bono General Counsel (provided by a former Board member) and outside counsel. The post holder will operate as an agile, responsive, and collaborative partner to managers across the organisation, and will give advice and recommendations to the Senior Leadership Team and Board.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Support the senior leadership team and Board in relationship management with both internal and external stakeholders, and advise on wide-ranging, complex and sensitive issues;
• Provide support for all governance and legal matters affecting the organisation, seeking advice from pro-bono General Counsel and / or outside counsel where required;
• Manage outside counsel to meet all legal and regulatory requirements, and manage legal and reputational risk;
• Provide the organisation with advice and recommendations on the management of legal risks arising from operations globally, including the organisations design and delivery of new initiatives and programs;
• Assist internal stakeholders in ensuring compliance of proposed activities with applicable national and
  international laws, Board policies and mandates, and contractual obligations (including those imposed by
  donors);
• Advise on the development and adherence to internal operational and decision-making processes and
  ensure standardised approaches to legal practices across the global organisation;
• Advise senior management in relation to any legal claims by or against the organisation, seeking support
  from pro-bono General Counsel and outside counsel when required; and
• Help to ensure regulatory compliance of the organisation, including applicable US, UK, and other
  regulatory bodies

Profile

The successful candidate will be a qualified lawyer licensed to practise in the UK or US who specialises in Human Rights law. The following are essential skills and qualifications required to thrive in this position:

• Qualified lawyer who is licensed to practise law in the UK or US;
• Experience of legal practice, including time spent in a law firm and / or in senior in-house legal roles;
• Experience of US and / or UK non-profit law; and
• Experience of some or all of the following: negotiating contracts, advising on legal aspects of personnel issues (with general understanding of labour and employee relation law), ensuring compliance with multiple regulatory regimes, corporate governance, and fiduciary duty issues

Personal attributes will include:

• High standards of personal conduct and integrity and a role model for ethical behaviour;
• Ability to provide legal advice and identify alternatives or options in planning and decision-making, guiding others through complex situations;
• Can exercise sound judgement to identify and manage impact with risk mitigation;
• Comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty;
• Ability to seek data and input and take calculated risks;
• Ability to formulate and present strategy and policy;
• Tact, diplomacy and discretion in dealing with sensitive issues;
• Ability to work independently, displaying strong initiative in solving day-to-day problems with limited direction, displaying decisiveness, resilience and integrity;
• Ability to work in an international, diverse and multi-stakeholder environment with a global perspective;
• Naturally connects and builds strong relationships with others, demonstrating strong emotional intelligence and an ability to communicate clearly and persuasively; and
• Exceptional oral, written, and interpersonal skills, and excellent presentation of legal matters

Job Offer

This role offers a competitive salary, excellent pension and a flexible working environment.

For further information about the package on offer for this position, and in order to find out more about the role, please contact Rosie Gage of Michael Page Legal (London)