The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) is a non-profit, scientific institution that conducts research on the most pressing challenges of forest and landscape management around the world. Using a global, multidisciplinary approach, we aim to improve human well-being, protect the environment, and increase equity. To do so, we conduct innovative research, develop partners’ capacity, and actively engage in dialogue with all stakeholders to inform policies and practices that affect forests and people. CIFOR is a CGIAR Research Center, and leads the CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA). Our headquarters are in Bogor, Indonesia, with offices in Nairobi, Kenya; Yaounde, Cameroo

Read more about this company

Regional Legal Counsel

Job Type

Full Time

Qualification

MBA/MSc/MA

Experience

10 years

Location

Nairobi

Job Field

Legal and Regulatory

Duties and responsibilities

• Lead contract drafting, review, negotiation, and administration for grants, research agreements, procurement, leases, NDAs, Host Country Agreements, and related legal instruments to ensure legal soundness and timely operational support.
• Provide practical legal advice across multiple jurisdictions on corporate, regulatory, employment, tax, administrative, dispute, and other legal matters to support sound and compliant decision-making.
• Lead regional compliance support, including investigations, case management, reporting, and training, to strengthen adherence to internal policies and external legal requirements.
• Support regional departments and country operations with day-to-day legal guidance to enable compliant, risk-aware, and efficient implementation of institutional activities.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate legal and regulatory risks, including data privacy, research ethics, health and safety, environmental, and other emerging compliance requirements, to protect CIMMYT’s interests.
• Coordinate with Headquarters and regional stakeholders on governance, policy interpretation, and institutional legal matters to ensure consistency and alignment across the region.
• Conduct legal research, prepare legal opinions and related documents, and improve legal tools and workflows to strengthen service delivery across the region.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Law (LL.M.) or related advanced legal qualification.
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience as in-house legal counsel or in a comparable legal role, preferably supporting regional or multi-jurisdictional operations.
• Strong experience in contracts, legal advisory, regulatory compliance, and risk management; experience in international non-profit, development, research, or agricultural research organizations is an advantage.

Education, knowledge and experience

• Master’s degree in Law (LL.M.) or related advanced legal qualification.
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience as in-house legal counsel or in a comparable legal role, preferably supporting regional or multi-jurisdictional operations.
• Strong experience in contracts, legal advisory, regulatory compliance, and risk management; experience in international non-profit, development, research, or agricultural research organizations is an advantage.

• Lead contract drafting, review, negotiation, and administration for grants, research agreements, procurement, leases, NDAs, Host Country Agreements, and related legal instruments to ensure legal soundness and timely operational support.
• Provide practical legal advice across multiple jurisdictions on corporate, regulatory, employment, tax, administrative, dispute, and other legal matters to support sound and compliant decision-making.
• Lead regional compliance support, including investigations, case management, reporting, and training, to strengthen adherence to internal policies and external legal requirements.
• Support regional departments and country operations with day-to-day legal guidance to enable compliant, risk-aware, and efficient implementation of institutional activities.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate legal and regulatory risks, including data privacy, research ethics, health and safety, environmental, and other emerging compliance requirements, to protect CIMMYT’s interests.
• Coordinate with Headquarters and regional stakeholders on governance, policy interpretation, and institutional legal matters to ensure consistency and alignment across the region.
• Conduct legal research, prepare legal opinions and related documents, and improve legal tools and workflows to strengthen service delivery across the region.

• Contracts
• Legal advisory
• Regulatory compliance
• Risk management

• Master’s degree in Law (LL.M.) or related advanced legal qualification.
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience as in-house legal counsel or in a comparable legal role, preferably supporting regional or multi-jurisdictional operations.
• Strong experience in contracts, legal advisory, regulatory compliance, and risk management; experience in international non-profit, development, research, or agricultural research organizations is an advantage.