AVP/VP Legal - Indonesia

Overview

This role serves as senior in-house counsel responsible for transaction, commercial, litigation, employment, and compliance matters across multiple jurisdictions. The position covers work from Singapore HQ and other jurisdictions including Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Kenya, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam, with additional interactions involving funders from Australia, Canada, Sweden, the United States, and elsewhere.

Success in this role means deals close on time using enforceable documentation, compliance gaps are identified early, external counsel usage is targeted and cost-controlled, litigation is managed effectively, and business teams view Legal as an enabler.

Responsibilities

Transactions, Contracts & Credit Documentation

• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial, partnership, and collaboration agreements, NDAs, MOUs, service contracts, and grant or donor-funding agreements.
• Lead legal documentation for capital-markets and lending activity, including fund, bond, and note documentation; loan and credit agreements; security documents; and term sheets, with external counsel as required.
• Negotiate directly with counterparties.
• Set and maintain standard templates, preferred positions, and fallback positions.

Regulatory Compliance & Risk

• Draft, review, and maintain internal and external-facing policies, including AML/KYC, anti-bribery and corruption, data protection, and safeguarding.
• Monitor compliance by the organization and third parties.
• Track regulatory developments in Singapore, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and other relevant jurisdictions.
• Lead legal risk assessments and compliance reviews.
• Support corporate and entity matters, including entity set-up, relocation, or restructuring as the organization expands.
• Conduct multi-jurisdictional legal research and convert findings into clear, practical guidance.

Strategic Advisory & External Counsel Management

• Advise leadership on strategic matters, new products, and market entry, providing clear, risk-weighted recommendations.
• Select, instruct, and manage external counsel across jurisdictions, including scoping work and controlling legal spend.
• Manage disputes and pre-litigation matters, including development of litigation strategy and coordination and oversight of litigation counsel.

Legal Operations

• Own the contract repository, template library, and approval workflow.
• Use document management and legal tech tools to improve turnaround times and record-keeping.
• Build playbooks and run short trainings so non-legal teams can handle routine matters.

Requirements

• Law degree and admission as a lawyer in your jurisdiction.
• 8+ years’ post-qualification experience at a leading law firm, in-house at a bank, fund, DFI or impact organization, or a combination.
• Strong drafting and negotiation skills across commercial contracts, employment law, and finance or credit documentation (loans, bonds, security).
• Working knowledge of the laws of at least one of Indonesia, India, the Philippines, Singapore, or Vietnam; alternatively, a common law jurisdiction including Australia, Canada, the UK, or the US. Exposure to other emerging markets and a relevant regional language is a plus.
• Track record managing external counsel, disputes or cross-border expansion and restructuring, and advising senior management directly, with some litigation exposure.
• Demonstrated ability to work across cultures and handle complex issues without clear answers.
• Native-level proficiency in English.

Preferred Qualifications

• Some experience in impact investing-related transactions and/or gender-lens and climate finance is a plus (not required).
• Experience advising and partnering with business teams in a fast-moving, cross-jurisdiction environment.

Compensation & Benefits

• Compensation and benefits details were not provided in the job description.

Location

• Singapore (covers work across Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Kenya, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam, among other jurisdictions).