Regional Legal Counsel at Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)

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.

Deadline 16th July 2026.