Job Opportunities in Switzerland

Legal Counsel
Starting Date: As soon as possible
Contract type: Full-time and open-ended
Salary: CHF 111’400, commensurate with relevant seniority and experience
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Application closing date: 30th September 2024


About the Job
Better Cotton is now seeking an In-house Legal Counsel to join the Finance & Services function to
help support the organisation in achieving its new strategic direction by ensuring our legal risks are
minimised.
The In-house Legal Counsel will report to the Director of Finance & Services and take the lead in
ensuring compliance with all laws and regulations that apply to Better Cotton and by promoting
legal, compliance and risk management best practice throughout the organisation. The role includes
responsibility for day-to-day legal reviews and responding to legal issues and questions arising from
Better Cotton and Better Cotton Growth and Innovation Fund (GIF) operations and programmes.
This is our first in-house legal counsel role. The Legal Counsel will manage outside counsel and
collaborate closely with law firms that provide legal support for the organisation.
This challenging role offers excellent opportunities for personal and professional development,
supporting us to deliver the organisations mission.


Areas that play to your strengths
We are seeking a motivated Legal Counsel to join our Finance Team. In this role, you will be
responsible for:

• protect Better Cotton’s interests and manage Better Cotton’s legal affairs in support of its

mission;

• support the CEO and COO through providing advice on suitable corporate structures to

enable efficient execution of strategy, manage risk and support our people in the countries
where we operate;

• advise and counsel the GIF Board and Better Cotton Council and Senior Management on a

broad range of legal issues;

• carry out initial legal reviews of all Better Cotton and Better Cotton GIF contracts to support

programmatic activities in accordance with the law;

• identify and develop efficient solutions to address potential legal issues and exposure,

including adherence to international, Swiss, finance laws and disclosure laws;

• support the Finance and HR teams in ensuring that rules relating to the tax-exempt status of

each Better Cotton entity, employment practices, and human resources requirements are
adhered to – referring to outside counsel as appropriate; 1 Legal Counsel – September 202

• conduct initial and ongoing reviews of current practices, including, but not limited to, taxes,

document retention, employment actions, governance, leases and contracts, insurance, and
financial controls to identify and address legal issues;

• support the Procurement team with the ongoing revision of contract templates; preparation

of standard contracts for procuring goods, services, facilities, and supplies;

• prepare corporate governance and organisational policy documents, including resolutions

for consideration by the Council and Board of Directors, and advise on other governance
matters;

• strengthen Better Cotton’s ability to forecast by staying up to date on the law, legal trends,

and industry developments in relation to operations and reporting;

• reduce our organisational risk by supporting the drafting of the legal clauses for grant

contracts. This will require close collaboration with members of the leadership team and
fundraising team members to ensure an efficient contracting process;

• work closely with the COO and Senior HR Manager on legal matters relating to employment

policies, personnel management, and human resources compliance:

• initial review of and response to any legal claims against Better Cotton in coordination with

outside counsel;

• support training and skills-building of Better Cotton staff around compliance, risk

management, and reporting requirements;

• lead on the governance review project which is an organisational thematic priority for Better

Cotton in 2025-2027;

• have oversight of the trademark portfolio of Better Cotton, and
• any other duties as assigned by management.

We are looking for someone who is having
the following skills, knowledge, and experience:

Essential

• Law degree with work experience in the field of law and licensed to practice law in

Switzerland.

• Experience in the not-for-profit sector, ideally at an international level.

• Demonstrated ability to navigate legal frameworks from various countries.
• Ability to identify legal issues and risks in various areas, including tax-exempt organisations,

Desirable


2 Legal Counsel – September 202

• Experience working in multi-cultural settings.

• Interest in and commitment to sustainability.
  

What we offer

• Competitive salary
• Hybrid working – Two to three days/week in the office.

• The opportunity to work from anywhere in the world for up to one month per year
• Flexible working, with core hours from 10 am to 4 pm local time

• Continuous learning and development
• Pension scheme
• 25 days paid annual leave, plus 8-9 Bank Holidays and a further 3 days off over Christmas

• Enhanced parental benefits

• A warm, positive working environment where everyone is valued
• The opportunity to make your mark and make a difference.
  

Working arrangements
The position is full-time (40 hours per week) and will be based in Geneva. Better Cotton offers
flexible working, with core hours being 10 am – 4 pm.

Travel may occasionally be required.


Apply now
Send us your CV (2 pages maximum) and a brief cover letter (1-page maximum) by or before
30.09.2024 via this link.

In your cover letter, please include an explanation of why your experience is specifically relevant to
this role at Better Cotton. We want to see your personal style – what makes you tick and why you
think your next opportunity is here with us.


Our hiring process

Initial Screening:
If you are selected, you will be contacted for an initial screening, which may involve a brief phone
interview or video call. The purpose is to learn more about you, confirm basic qualifications, and
discuss the role and organisation.

Interviews:
If you are confirmed after the initial screening, you will be invited for interviews. The interview
process at Better Cotton may include one or more rounds of interviews with various stakeholders,
such as the hiring manager, team members, and potentially senior management.

Assessment and Testing:
Depending on the role, you might be required to complete assessments, technical tests, or skills
evaluations to gauge your competency and suitability for the position.
3 Legal Counsel – September 202

Reference Checks:
Once you progress further in the process, reference checks are conducted to validate your work
history, skills, and qualifications, and for some roles, your education and criminal history.

Offer stage:
After completing interviews, assessments, and reference checks, the hiring team evaluates your
performance and fit for the role. If you are selected and your references are relevant and
satisfactory, you will receive a formal job offer letter outlining the terms of employment,
compensation, benefits, and any other relevant details.


About Better Cotton
Better Cotton is the world’s largest cotton sustainability programme. Our 200+ colleagues of
37+ nationalities are united by a shared passion and commitment to achieving the Better Cotton
mission: to help cotton communities survive and thrive, while protecting and restoring the
environment. Through our network of field-level partners a quarter of the world’s cotton is now
grown under the Better Cotton Standard. We have united the industry’s stakeholders behind our
efforts, from ginners and spinners to brand owners, civil society organisations and governments.
Everyone who cares about cotton and its sustainable future can now be part of something better.


About our Values
The post holder will be expected to operate in line with our workplace values which are:

• Trustworthy (including honest, transparent, credible)
• As having Integrity (including responsible, authentic)
• Positive (including problem-solving, pragmatic)
• Engaging (including adaptable, inclusive, holistic)
• Daring (including courageous, innovative, game-changing)

Being you @ Better Cotton
Better Cotton is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal
opportunity employer with a strong commitment to good practice and transparency in the
management of natural, human, and financial resources.


We have a zero-tolerance approach to any attitudes or behaviours that put children or adults at risk
of harm. Safeguarding incidents are acts of serious misconduct and are grounds for disciplinary
action, up to and including, dismissal and referral to relevant authorities for criminal prosecution.
Therefore, all offers of employment are subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening
checks.
4 Legal Counsel – September 202