Senior Counsel – Institutional and Administrative (5597)

About AIIB 

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is a multilateral development bank whose mission is financing the Infrastructure for Tomorrow—infrastructure with sustainability at its core. We began operations in Beijing in January 2016 and have since grown to 109 approved Members worldwide. We are capitalized at USD100 billion and AAA rated by the major international credit rating agencies. Collaborating with partners, AIIB meets clients’ needs by unlocking new capital and investing in infrastructure that is green, technology-enabled, and promotes regional connectivity. 

The mission of the Legal Department (LEG) is to sustain AIIB’s mandate-based multilateral development financing by protecting the Bank’s international legal status, helping the Bank make good decisions, and safeguarding the Bank against legal risks through authoritative, actionable, and impartial legal advice and services. LEG provides advice to the Bank’s management and governing bodies on all legal aspects of the Bank’s investment, financial, institutional, and administrative activities.

The Counsel / Senior Counsel – Institutional and Administrative will be primarily responsible for providing legal and policy advice and support to the Corporate Secretary Vice Presidency and the Office of the President, with a view to protecting AIIB’s interests and ensuring compliance with its mandate, policies and procedures. In particular, the Senior Counsel – Institutional and Administrative will be responsible for advising on governance issues in connection with the operations of the Board of Governors, the Board of Directors, and the administration of AIIB by the President, among many others. The Senior Counsel – Institutional and Administrative may also be assigned by the line manager to work across functional boundaries, including in the areas under the authority of the Vice President, Chief Administration Officer, Chief Ethics Officer, Ombudsperson, and other institutional or administrative functions on which LEG is required to advise.

Accountabilities & Responsibilities

• Lead in the provision of legal and policy advice and support to the Office of the President and the Corporate Secretary Vice Presidency on the outreach to Members including admission of new Members; preparations for, and conduct of, the meetings of the Board of Governors, the Board of Directors; and other governance‑related matters.
• Lead in providing legal advice on the interpretation of AIIB’s constituent instrument and other legal instruments adopted or issued by the governing organs of AIIB.
• Draft and negotiate legal instruments with Members on AIIB’s privileges, immunities, exemptions, and facilities, including in relation to AIIB’s headquarters as well as offices outside of AIIB’s headquarters.
• Lead in advising the Administration Vice Presidency on administrative legal matters, including those in relation to human resources management (such as the formulation of employment, compensation and benefits, staff grievances mechanism policies and the application of those policies to specific cases), corporate procurement, facilities and administrative services, records and information management, communications as well as emerging social media issues, personal data privacy and the use of information technology.
• Lead in advising the ethics, integrity and ombuds functions.
• Lead in advising the Policy and Strategy Vice Presidency and its Operational Partnership Department on partnerships initiatives including the Multilateral Cooperation Center for Development Finance (MCDF).
• Take a principal role in the development of AIIB’s internal legal framework.
• Conduct research and draft memoranda, correspondence, legal opinions, papers, and notes concerning institutional, corporate and administrative issues.
• Pilot the promotion of  innovative approaches and seek improvement of work processes and products.
• Coordinate and collaborate in the legal field with other MDBs and development partners to advance AIIB’s purpose and objectives in assigned areas.
• Display good judgment and be answerable for the work products and advice provided.
• Contribute to institutional, departmental or unit initiatives, including knowledge management and publications.
• Perform other assignments at the General Counsel’s request to further the effective performance of the functions of the Legal Department.

Knowledge, Skills, Experience & Qualifications

• Minimum 5-8 years (for Counsel) and 8 – 10 years (for Senior Counsel) of relevant professional experience, with the most recent 3 – 5 years in a lead capacity (for Senior Counsel), covering preferably wide-ranging experience in the relevant aspects of international organizations’ legal work. Applicants, however, are not required to have professional experience in all the fields outlined above.
• Prior proven track record of leading, managing or mentoring teams in a professional capacity is highly desirable.
• Excellent command of English, including drafting and negotiating legal documents in English.
• Strong analytical skills and excellent legal drafting and legal advisory abilities.
• Effective communication skills, including speaking persuasively and presenting ideas clearly.
• Intellectual leadership and strong interpersonal, diplomatic and partnership skills.
• Ability to innovate while mitigating legal risk.
• Superior level of resourcefulness, ability to work autonomously and under pressure.
• Advanced law degree and qualified to practice law in at least one jurisdiction.

AIIB is committed to diversity, transparency and inclusion. We believe our strength comes from having a team with the right diverse skills, experiences and abilities selected through a merit-based competitive process. We actively encourage applications from people from both within and outside AIIB members, regardless of nationality, religion, gender, race, disability or sexual orientation. 

Join us and help create a prosperous and sustainable Asia while growing your career in a diverse and innovative environment. 

Previous experience and qualifications will determine the grade and job title at which successful applicants will enter AIIB.

Those who submitted applications for the Senior Counsel – Institutional and Administrative (req. no. 5566) position do not need to reapply.