Senior Legal Counsel Organisation

Permanent* / full time

*offered on a 12 month contract basis initially, with possibility of extension / move to permanent contract, subject to local terms.

Location: Amsterdam, the Netherlands (hybrid). 

Salary: The approximate gross salary for this role will be around €81,667.09 -  €87,111.57 Euros per annum (including 8.33% holiday pay) in the Netherlands, which is 75-80% of the salary band, in which you can grow to 100%. 

For further information about the compensation and benefits package available please see the ‘What we can offer you’ section below. 

Eligibility: Applicants must speak and write English and Dutch at C2-level and be a member of the Dutch Bar or have the possibility to reactivate Dutch bar registration.

Greenpeace International (GPI) is seeking a Senior Legal Counsel Organisation to provide independent, robust, and solutions-oriented legal advice and support on strategic and operational organisational matters. This will include advising on and leading projects with a legal scope, in order to protect GPl’s integrity, organisation, people, assets and ability to take risks, as well as to further our objectives and support the development and implementation of the Global Legal Strategy, in cooperation with the General Counsel.

You will also provide high level strategic legal advice to the independent National and Regional Organisations (NROs) on legal matters, with a focus on governance related issues. It will be part of your role to oversee the Legal Unit’s Organisation pillar, by maintaining strategic oversight of organisational matters, including governance and compliance,  providing pastoral line management to direct reports, and sharing of knowledge, expertise and ideas to improve the overall quality and impact of the Legal Unit efforts.

In this role you will, among other things: 

• Manage a small team ensuring objective setting, performance management, feedback, and career development and assume mid-level budget holder responsibilities.

• Provide independent strategic and operational legal advice and support to the International Executive Director, Strategy and Management Team, and governance bodies on corporate structure, registration, governance, and other organisational matters, to ensure compliance, transparency, accountability, and resilience.

• Provide legal advice to all GPI’s functions, units and departments on the following legal issues: contracts, policies, compliance, entities, privacy, and intellectual property.

• Provide strategic and operational legal advice on matters relating to the global Greenpeace network concerning complex and multijurisdictional matters.

• Manage Greenpeace’s trademark programme and other intellectual properties. 

• Ensure legal representation of GPI in disputes (litigation and non-litigation) on commercial and other organisational issues, in cooperation with the General Counsel and external counsel when needed. 

• Participate in the GPI Critical Incident Management Team and other crisis response situations, and assess and mitigate risks and build resilience at GPI and across the Greenpeace network, in collaboration with the International Development Department. 

Please see the full job description HERE.

What we’re looking for:

• University degree in Dutch law and Dutch bar registration; 

• Substantial and demonstrable experience working as an attorney (advocaat) and/or company lawyer in the Netherlands, in a commercial law practice; 

• Good knowledge and experience of corporate administration and governance both in an international and Dutch context;

• Demonstrable in-depth knowledge of Dutch employment, contract, corporate and commercial law, with a track record of upholding compliance;

• Demonstrable understanding of and ability to mitigate risks;

• Experience in civil and/or administrative litigation (preferred);

• Ability to develop, implement and manage complex projects and to guide legal project teams;

• Knowledge of human rights law is an added value (preferred);

• Management experience with proven ability to build effective teams (preferred);

• Demonstrable commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and ability to lead and collaborate with cross-cultural teams;

• Exceptional influencing skills, plus strong negotiation, conflict resolution, communication and presentation skills; 

• Ability to communicate with a wide range of stakeholders;

• Strong ability to communicate complex legal issues, tailored to targeted audiences; 

• Strong skills in capacity-building, training and knowledge transfer; 

• Analytical skills and comfortable using data insights to make decisions;

• Fluent written and spoken Dutch and English, with other languages being an added value; 

• Ability to work under pressure, with the flexibility to work on call, outside of normal business hours, and to travel if required; and

• Support for and belief in the core aims and values of Greenpeace.

Please visit the careers site HERE, to learn more about working for Greenpeace International.

What we can offer you:

You’ll be encouraged to develop both personally and professionally, taking advantage of the wide range of learning and development opportunities available to our staff. The GPI Legal Unit also offers opportunities for in-house lawyers to grow professionally. Staff can also access our wellness initiatives. 

Greenpeace International’s Legal Unit consists of a team of specialised lawyers that provide independent legal advice on:

• organisational matters both strategic and operational;

• risk management and strategic defence of campaigns, the organisation, and staff;

• strategic litigation to advance the fight against environmental destruction; and

• advocacy efforts to strengthen environmental and human rights.

We share legal knowledge with other lawyers who work for the independent Greenpeace organisations across the globe, on such issues as environmental law and freedom of expression cases involving Greenpeace activists or organisations.

The Greenpeace International Legal Unit is a highly collaborative team of professionals. The Senior Legal Counsel Organisation leads the organisational pillar of the GPI Legal Unit. They line-manage and empower a small and impactful team of in-house organisation lawyers, including the Legal Counsel Organisation and Associate Legal Counsel Organisation. The Senior Legal Counsel Organisation works closely with the General Counsel, Senior Legal Project Manager, Legal Coordinator, Senior Legal Counsel Strategic Defence, and Senior Legal Counsel Strategic Litigation. To learn more about the GPI Legal Unit, please visit our webpage. 

About us:

Greenpeace is a global campaigning network. It comprises 26 independent national/regional organisations, and a coordinating organisation, Greenpeace International. Greenpeace uses peaceful, creative confrontation to expose global environmental problems, and develop solutions for a green and peaceful future.

Our goal is to ensure the ability of the earth to nurture life in all its diversity. That means we want to:

• protect biodiversity in all its forms

• prevent pollution and abuse of the earth’s ocean, land, air and fresh water

• end all nuclear threats

• promote peace, global disarmament and non-violence

To Apply:

We are looking for an energetic and resilient professional with a global mindset and the ability to see both the big picture and the interconnecting details from a legal perspective and at an organisational level. The ideal candidate should be someone who supports and believes in Greenpeace International’s mission and values, is committed to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, and can inspire and empower others.

If you share our vision, please click 'apply for this job' below, to begin your application.

To apply for this role, we require you to answer questions from a selection of key criteria and upload your CV (no longer than 3 pages) via our online application form. All documents must be in English.

Addressing the key criteria in your answers is an important part of your application. We will be looking for evidence that demonstrates your skills and experience in these areas. Use examples where possible, to draw attention to experience, knowledge, achievements and skills gained in past employment or voluntary/leisure activities, provided they are relevant to the post.

It’s advisable to prepare your responses to the six questions, in light of the  key criteria, before starting your online application, as you are unable to save and return to it at a later date.

At GPI, we understand the benefits of using open AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT), however for the purpose of this application we want to see answers that were drafted by candidates themselves, without relying on these tools, so we can get a good impression on your thinking and writing skills.

If you have any questions about this vacancy or the application process, please email us at recruitment.int@greenpeace.org. Please note that all applications must be filled out via the website and can't be submitted via this email.

Greenpeace International is an equal opportunity employer with a longstanding commitment of providing a work environment that respects the dignity and worth of each individual. We recognise and value the benefits and strengths that diversity brings to our employees and the whole organisation, and we thrive in an environment that encourages respect and trust. We do not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of age, ancestry, citizenship, colour, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation and would like to invite you especially to apply!

If you are passionate about our mission and you fit the job profile then we would love to hear from you!

CLOSING DATE: Sunday 5th October 2025 23:59 (CEST),