General Counsel

SOS Children's Villages, founded in 1949 by Hermann Gmeiner, is the world's largest non-governmental organization focused on supporting children and young people without parental care, or at risk of losing it.

Child neglect, abuse and abandonment is everywhere. Families are at risk of separation. Locally led, we work in more than 130 countries and territories to strengthen families who are under pressure so they can stay together. When this is not in a child or young person's best interests, we provide quality care according to their unique needs.

Together with partners, donors, communities, children, young people and families, we enable children to grow up with the bonds they need to develop and become their strongest selves. We speak up for each child's rights and advocate for change so all children can grow up in a supportive environment.

Location: Innsbruck or Vienna/Austria

Mission

The General Counsel Office succeeds the former Integrity, Compliance and Legal Department, with a specific focus on providing general legal advice on a range of complex legal and governance issues and requirements as they impact the federation’s ability to operate in compliance with its statues, Rules of Procedures and as they pertain to local and/or international laws.

While the General Counsel reports directly to the CEO as part of the Executive Board, it acts as the legal voice of the organisation and as required, the scope of its services is expanding to the federation leadership and its various boards and Member Associations.

The General Counsel is leading and is supported by a team of legal experts. S/he oversees and manages the provisions of all legal services within the organisation to ensure maximum protection of its legal rights and to maintain its operations within the limits of described applicable local/international laws.

This includes as necessary the further development of the organizations Statutes, Policies and Guidelines according to defined specifications in close coordination and partnership with third parties, including but not limited to business partners, external lawyers, external auditors and government bodies. The incumbent ensures a sector relevant governance structure for the organisation to minimize risk and liability for the organisation while optimizing the relevant legal processes in support of key business objectives.

As the acting legal representative of the organisation, the incumbent provides strategic guidance, consultation and support to the executive board and its senior leadership including as necessary to its member associations, on a comprehensive range of legal and associated issues involved in delivering on the mission of the organisation. This is to ensure that the organisation is legally compliant with respective internal policies and procedures and applicable local and international laws in direct support to the organization’s ethical integrity and values-based conduct. In delivering on her/his role, the General Counsel carries a paramount responsibility to respect, to further develop as necessary and to uphold to the highest safeguarding standards, which the organisation has committed to in order to protect the wellbeing of children and young people in its care, staff and all those who engage in the work of the organisation.

Tasks & Responsibilities

While reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the incumbent provides independent legal advice, guidance and/or counsel to the Executive Board, respective boards and senior management of SOS Children’s Villages international, and other key stakeholders of the organisation.

Within the given scope of work, the incumbent will be responsible as follows:

• Provides accurate legal counsel and guidance to the leadership and management of the organisation on a wide range of legal matters and complex strategic issues such as, but not limited to, policies, procedures, rules and regulations and local/international laws pertaining to all who potentially carry an organizations liability; this may include but is not limited to commercial contracts, inter-governmental-contracts- intellectual property, data privacy and more

• Anticipates and identifies legal issues and provides legal counsel to the organisation in order to develop legal strategies and solutions, often in situations of great political, public relations, or financial risk or significance, and with limited time for assessing alternatives

• Ensures compliant governance mechanisms are in place, are followed and further developed as necessary, in close cooperation with respective stakeholders

• Oversees the legal affairs of the organisation in line with the assigned scope and portfolio

• As requested and supported by a team of legal experts, responsible for legal reviews, researches, interpretation, and preparation of both written and oral opinions on a wide variety of legal issues.

• Drafts, reviews and approves policies and procedures, regulations, by laws and other legal documents.

• Reviews contracts, leases, and other legal documents; conducts research of legal issues and recommendations on revisions as necessary

• Represents and oversees the representation of the organisation and its legal positions and interests regarding legal compliance as it pertains to the set of assigned area of responsibilities -  both towards internal as well as external business contacts, authorities, and other third parties

• This includes but is not limited to: coordination of external law firms at national and international level including managing and setting up pro-bono legal counsel relations

• Manages potential and actual legal disputes and provides sound assessments of claims and proposed solutions

• Further develops, minimizes and oversees risk management from a legal and compliance perspective as it pertains to the assigned portfolio of the General Counsel Office

• Drives simplification and standardization projects and supports the implementation of new tools and systems related to legal tech

• Manages and further develops the General Counsel Office and its team of expert professionals, including developing a network of legal advisors in the regions through training, communication and other appropriate support

• As part of the senior leadership, the incumbent acts as a multiplier of ethical standards across the federation as reflected in our code of conduct and is accountable for role modeling safeguarding principles and upholding the highest standards of our values-based approaches to safeguard the wellbeing of the children/young people, the communities we work with, our staff and all those we engage with in our work.

Requirements

Essential:

• 10 to 15 years of relevant progressive experience including at least 5 years at senior management level, preferably with a combination of a corporate and international non-profit environment

• Experience in a child-care context would be a distinct advantage.

• Strong experience in providing legal counsel at senior leadership level in complex, diverse and multicultural environments.

• Understanding of cross-cultural situations and value diversity, gained through international work experience (three years minimum)

• Direct field experience (preferably at national or local level in different parts of the world)

• Demonstrated ability to provide competent legal advice and counsel at senior leadership level on a wide range of legal and policy issues

• Sound knowledge of the range of applicable laws and regulations which potentially have an impact on the organization's policies and operations.

• Strong knowledge and understanding of Austrian law.

• Demonstrated ability to analyze and interpret complex issues and to prepare legal opinions

• Sound knowledge and experience with governance issues and respective administrative matters

• Ability to develop and implement legal strategies and solutions

• Strong aptitude for identifying potential problems and operational risks, and developing actions necessary to solve or mitigate them

• Experience in managing high-pressure and high-visibility operational problems, specifically internal frauds and significant audit issues. Direct first-hand experience in investigation and managing corruption in a developing environment

• Results-orientated individual with strong ethical approach, courage and integrity

• Demonstrated ability to successfully manage a large corporate or centralized organizations legal office

• Sound demonstrated experience in leading and managing a team of professional experts, including employee development and performance management skills

• Sound demonstrated experience and ability to remotely supervise and coordinate the work of legal professionals and consultants combined with the ability to foster a cooperative work environment.

• Ability to work with multiple stakeholders and comfortable interacting at the most senior levels including government officials within a culturally diverse environment

• Ability to translate complex information to a range of different target groups

• Excellent oral and written communications skills

• Sound negotiations skills

• Excellent command of English and German (both written and oral)

• Strong willingness and ability to relocate to Austria including traveling outside of the assigned duty station.

• EU citizenship or eligibility to work in the EU

Desirable:

• Exposure to and/or knowledge of external/internal audit and investigatory/forensic processes and procedures
• Experience working in a federation or similar environment

We offer

• A diverse range of interesting tasks in a leading INGO multicultural working environment

• As a responsible employer we provide a range of training schemes and encourage educational enhancement

• A salary that will be commensurate with experience and qualifications

• 14 salaries/year

• Home-office possibility

• Possibility to work from abroad max 25% of your working time

• 25 days of paid annual leave

• Choice between Innsbruck and Vienna office

If you are interested in this position, please submit your detailed application including motivation letter in English at https://careers-sos-kd.icims.com

This position remains open until filled.