GOAL has responded to the world’s major humanitarian crises since its founding in 1977, working with vulnerable communities in more than 60 countries over the last 40 years. While GOAL continues to be an agile first-responder to humanitarian crises, it is also committed to working with vulnerable communities to help them survive crises and support them on the road to recovery.

GOAL’s purpose is to save lives and empower communities to develop resilience and greater control over their lives and livelihoods. GOAL aims to increase the resilient wellbeing of the world’s poorest people and focuses on those who are excluded or marginalised, particularly those who are vulnerable due to socio-economic status, gender or age.

This is an exciting opportunity to join an organisation with a very important mission. Working in a dynamic fast paced work environment, GOAL is seeking to recruit a passionate, experienced, Legal Counsel to help us achieve our important global mission. The individual will work closely with multiple members of the senior leadership team at HQ and across global operations. GOAL offers a competitive salary; professional development opportunities; and a operates a flexible hybrid working model (attendance in office required 2 days per week)

Job Purpose

• Leading the legal function of GOAL and its engagement with stakeholders, internal and external.
• Adhere and demonstrate an active commitment to GOAL values throughout work practices.
• Ensure duties and responsibilities of the legal function (detailed below) are carried out to a high standard and ensure changes/amendments to legislation are proactively identified and communicated to CEO and relevant senior stakeholders within GOAL.
• Provide legal advice and support to the senior teams across GOAL and to the Board of Directors.
• As Assistant Company Secretary, the role requires working with the Company Secretary to ensure statutory company secretarial obligations of Group legal entities are complied with (e.g. ensure board and committee meetings held with minutes being recorded; corporate records and statutory filings are maintained; etc);
• Support the business (people and process/systems) to continuously strengthen and improve the quality of the legal documentation.
• Compliance: advise on processes to ensure compliance with relevant laws applicable to GOAL and necessary filings with applicable regulators aligned to overall organisational compliance strategy in place in GOAL;
• Work closely with the Compliance and Risk functions within GOAL to assist in achieving the highest levels of compliance and risk management globally;
• Manage and develop GOAL’s relationships with external pro bono lawyers who support and volunteer services to GOAL;
• Maintain strict confidentiality, independence, integrity and awareness in all dealings internally and externally, including the building of strong internal and external relationships.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Commercial Contracting

• Review, draft and negotiate a broad and diverse range of contracts with our partners and suppliers globally, including key strategic projects; supplier/service/consultancy contract; grant and sub-grant Contracts; MOUs; NDAs; collaboration Contracts etc.

Legal Case Management (Ireland, UK and Countries of Operation)

• Work with in-country management teams and local legal counsel to maintain and progress existing portfolio of legal cases/disputes before complaints bodies/courts/tribunals. Proactively work with the relevant in-country senior management and local lawyers to assess and strategically analyse merits of legal claims/cases, ensuring effective management of same..

Legal Advisory

• Governance: supporting strategic corporate projects including revising governing documents, intra-group and inter-company frameworks/agreements and other strategic alliances.
• Support HR department on employment related issues.
• Provide legal guidance on data protection and privacy matters, work with external pro bono lawyers to prepare inter group data transfer agreements and provide support to the DPO.

Assistant Company Secretary;

• Support the Company Secretary in all matters which includes monitoring changes in relevant legislation and the regulatory environment and take appropriate action/oversee systems that ensure the company complies with all applicable legal and statutory requirements.
• Ensure statutory filings are made in Ireland, UK and provide and in all other jurisdictions where GOAL has a presence.
• Maintain statutory books, including registers of members, directors, secretaries, beneficial owners, and sealing.

Compliance

• Keep abreast of new laws; rules and regulations, ensuring best practice and compliance with company and charity law, among others.
• Cooperation with Internal Audit, Investigation and Donor Compliance functions, ensure adherence to donor requirements and monitor and implement actions necessary to address adverse findings/trends at global and country level.

Experience & Skills

• Professional legal qualification as solicitor or barrister
• Minimum 7 years’ post-qualification experience in a senior role in-house, in a law firm or at the Bar; international experience in the development sector is an advantage.
• Proven ability to build and maintain effective relationships with colleagues and external partners.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, presentation, and inter-personal skills with the ability to gain and sustain trust and confidence at all levels of the organisation.
• Ability to work independently and on own initiative and to take pro-active and innovative approach to solving complex problems.
• Flexible, organised and performance focused, strategic thinker.
• Good general knowledge of current events, particularly international affairs and international humanitarian law and policy
• Commitment to GOAL’s work and core values
• Honesty, integrity and a commitment to openness and transparency

GOAL offers staff flexible working with our hybrid model, we require our HQ employees to work 2 days per week from our office in Dun Laoghaire, Dublin

GOAL is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to building an inclusive environment for all employees. We know that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.
All employees share in the responsibility for fulfilling GOAL’s commitment to equal employment opportunity and equal treatment. GOAL does not discriminate against any employee or volunteer; or any applicant for employment or volunteering on the basis of age, gender identity, ancestry, political opinion, civil status, medical condition, ethnic background, disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws