Job Description

What we do
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) responds to worldwide humanitarian needs through its global network of delegations. The ICRC is an impartial, neutral and independent organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence and to provide them with assistance.
The Resource Mobilization Division (REM) is in charge of coordinating resource mobilization efforts across the institution to engage with multiple stakeholders ranging from donor governments, multilateral institutions, National Societies, the private sector including corporates, foundations, high-net-worth individual (HNWI), ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWI) and the general public to maintain a sustainable stream of quality income for ICRC's humanitarian operations worldwide.
As part of the REM division, the Clearing House unit helps relationship managers to negotiate, conclude and manage successful and lasting relationships with donors and partners.
Purpose of the position
As a delegated function within the Office of Corporate and Legal Affairs (OCLA)'s corporate legal function (CLF) ecosystem, the Legal Counsel within the Clearing House unit provides substantive advice and ad hoc support to donor and partner relationship managers and other stakeholders in relation to fundraising activities.
Main Duties & Responsibilities

• Provides legal advice and support to the review, drafting and negotiation of financial contribution-related proposals, agreements and partnerships and any other activities performed by the Clearing House unit
• Leads the outreach and review by Subject Matter Experts (SME), allowing for constructive counterproposal and ensuring coherent and aligned positions with ICRC internal corporate policies, frameworks and baselines
• Triggers the escalation mechanism and shepherds this process when new ground needs to be breached and new red lines drawn by the institution
• Approves the signature of contracts in the system following due review process
• Contributes to the development of standards for managing donor and partner contractual engagements (process, language, templates, frameworks, risk logs, etc.)
• Contributes to the development and capacity of the Clearing House unit, including knowledge and business intelligence to build expertise on funding agreements and donor requirements
• Contributes to any learning opportunities drawn from the discussion and negotiation with donors and partners and subsequent reflections on changes of approach
• Interacts with OCLA on any legal issues and trends related to donors and partners in relation to fundraising activities and provides ad hoc support to OCLA on other legal matters where needed

Education & Professional Experience Required

• University degree in law degree. Admission to a national bar is a strong asset
• Minimum 5 years either in-house as a corporate legal advisor or in a law firm on corporate legal matters with a multinational dimension required
• Preferably over 8-10 years of overall professional experience
• Solid experience in contract law, business law, the law of international civil service, or equivalent experience in applicable administrative law required
• Experience in the legal sector with international organization, non-governmental organization entities is a strong asset
• Good knowledge of the non-profit and international organization sector including donors such as ECHO, JICA, CIDCA, KOICA and other development donors
• Knowledge or experience of the ICRC is an asset
• Proficiency in both spoken and written English is essential. Fluency in French and German is an asset

Desired Profile & Skills

• Demonstrated leadership capabilities
• A strong sense of accountability
• Proven people management skills
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team and foster a spirit of cooperation
• Skilled in representing the ICRC in various professional contexts
• A focus on serving the needs and interests of beneficiaries and clients

Relationships
Internally, interacts with directorate, department and division leadership and their teams, and field-based managers/ coordinators, as well as with OCLA and the CLF ecosystem.
Externally, interacts with Movement partners, donors, partners and peers in other organizations, as well as outside counsel.
Our values

• At the ICRC, we value impact, collaboration, respect, and compassion. We seek candidates who demonstrate behaviors based on these shared values. For more information on the ICRC values, please visit this

Additional information

• Location: Geneva
• Type of contract: Maximum-term contract
• Duration of assignment: until 31st Aug 2026
• Activity rate: 100%
• Grade: C1
• Target starting date: ASAP
• Application deadline: Sunday, 19th Oct

ICRC is committed to diversity and welcomes applications from qualified candidates regardless of disability, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour or ethnic and national origins, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.
Location: Geneva (GVA)
Job Family: Management
Contract Type: Fixed term contract
Title: Legal Counsel (800968)
Job Specific Details
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