Legal Counsel

Our organisation works to advance philanthropic impact to create a more just and sustainable world. Through Porticus and Laudes Foundation, we engage globally on complex societal and environmental challenges. Our work takes place in diverse legal, political, and operational contexts, and requires careful judgment, strong governance, and sound legal foundations.

As Legal Counsel, you will support the Legal team with a broad range of day‑to‑day legal, compliance and organisational matters, with a particular focus on   Swiss law. The role reports to the Head of Legal and is designed for a pragmatic legal professional who enjoys combining legal advisory work with coordination and hands‑on support. You will work closely with internal teams and external counsel, while independently managing defined tasks and projects within your remit. Alongside core responsibilities, there is room to shape the role based on your strengths, learning goals, and interests.

This role suits someone who wants their work to be closely tied to real‑world impact, while also enjoying the practical challenge of getting things done across a wide range of legal and organisational topics.

Job Description

Day in the life

No two days will look exactly the same, but a typical day may look like this:

• You start the day by checking in on a few open items: a Swiss data‑protection question from a colleague, a consultancy agreement awaiting review, and a grant agreement that needs a final legal sense‑check before it can move forward. You spend some time translating a legal requirement into a short, practical note for a programme team.
• Later in the morning, you may join a short call with colleagues from grant operations or finance to talk through a contracting or compliance question, helping clarify next steps and flag where external Swiss counsel input might be useful. You follow up by coordinating with external counsel, confirming scope and timelines, and making sure advice is reflected correctly in internal documents.
• In the afternoon, you might review and update contract records, prepare documents for corporate governance meetings, or check that regulatory documentation is complete and up to date. You could also be drafting or updating internal guidance based on recurring questions you’ve seen come up, helping make things clearer and easier for colleagues going forward.

Qualifications

For this role, you must be eligible to work in Switzerland, i.e. in possession of a valid work permit for Switzerland.

Qualifications

• Swiss law degree (MLaw or equivalent)
• Approximately 3–5 years of hands‑on working experience, ideally in an international environment
• Solid working knowledge of Swiss law, particularly corporate governance, data protection/privacy, and regulatory frameworks
• Fluent in English (written and spoken)
• Demonstrable affinity with mission-driven or values led work

What you bring / how you work:

• You’re pragmatic and solutions‑focused:  You enjoy figuring out what will work in practice and you aim for proportionate, sensible outcomes and help colleagues move forward.
• You’re organised and deliberate in how you work : You plan your work thoughtfully, keep an overview of priorities, and use your time and energy where it matters most. You’re comfortable juggling multiple tasks without losing track of details.
• You build relationships naturally : You work well with colleagues across teams, understand who to involve when, and use collaboration and informal connections to get things done smoothly.
• You take initiative and learn quickly : You don’t wait to be told what to do, but step in where support is needed. You’re comfortable picking up new topics, asking questions, and working through ambiguity as you grow in the role.
• You’re organisationally aware : You understand that legal advice doesn’t exist in a vacuum. You consider how your input affects other teams and the organisation as a whole, and tailor your approach accordingly.
• You think problems through carefully : You’re able to break issues down, spot what information really matters, connect the dots, and explore underlying causes before proposing next steps

Additional Information

What we offer

We offer a competitive and well‑rounded benefits package, aligned with our ambition to support meaningful work while enabling a healthy and sustainable work‑life balance.

• Flexible and hybrid working : We believe people do their best work when they have flexibility. You’ll have access to a great office environment, combined with the option to work from home (approximately 2 days per week)
• Remote working : You may work remotely for up to 10 days per year from any location in the world
• Holidays : We offer 25 days of annual leave (based on full‑time employment), as well as the option to take additional days for volunteering
• Comprehensive employment benefits : incl. learning budget, pension scheme, home office budget.

If you wish to apply,  please submit your CV and motivation letter in English (in PDF format). Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, therefore we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early should we receive a sufficient number of applications.

Reference checks are part of the final hiring procedure.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

We stand for equal opportunities and are committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse team in an equitable and inclusive environment.  We strongly encourage applications of people with lived experience, as well as from candidates coming from any minority or underrepresented groups.