Senior Legal Counsel

About the role

The organization is building an in‑house legal function to support its regional environmental advocacy work across Southeast Asia. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Senior Legal Counsel will act as a strategic legal partner, integrating legal risk management into program and operational decisions.

Key responsibilities

• Design and implement a regional legal and risk‑management framework aligned with local laws and international standards.
• Provide legal advice on environmental campaigns, public communications, protests, and freedom‑of‑expression issues.
• Advise senior leadership on governance, regulatory compliance, and organizational risk.
• Manage employment and industrial‑relations matters, including restructuring, collective bargaining, and investigations.
• Oversee litigation, regulatory proceedings, and coordinate external counsel across multiple jurisdictions.
• Review, negotiate and draft commercial agreements, contracts, and memoranda of understanding.
• Guide data‑privacy, intellectual‑property, and other compliance matters.

Required profile

• Extensive experience providing legal counsel to NGOs, charities or advocacy organisations operating in multiple Southeast Asian jurisdictions.
• Proven ability to advise senior management on complex regulatory, governance and campaign‑related risks.
• Strong track record in employment law, litigation management and external counsel coordination.
• Excellent analytical, communication and stakeholder‑management skills.

Required skills