Position information:

Location: Hivos offices (The Netherlands, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Lebanon, Costa Rica)

Hours: FT (100%)

Reports to: Head of Business Development

Salary Range: Conform country salary scale

Deadline: September 6th, 2026, 23.59 UTC

About Hivos

Hivos is an international human rights and social justice organization founded in 1968, guided by strong humanist values. The organization is committed to promoting freedom, dignity, and equal opportunities, and to ensuring that people can actively participate in decisions that affect their lives and communities. Hivos works in partnership with civil society actors, activists, and communities to amplify diverse voices, strengthen agency, address structural inequalities, and support marginalized groups to organize, advocate, and claim their rights.

Through its programs and partnerships, Hivos contributes to inclusive, equitable, and sustainable societies where people have equal access to rights, resources, and opportunities. More about Hivos at: www.hivos.org.

About the role

The Negotiations & Compliance Senior Officer (NCO) is a senior specialist within the Business Development Department, providing strategic leadership and expert advice on legal, contractual, compliance, and risk management matters across Hivos' global portfolio.

The NCO safeguards Hivos' interests throughout the business development lifecycle, from opportunity assessment and bid preparation through contract negotiation, implementation, amendment, and closure. The role identifies and addresses legal, contractual, regulatory, and reputational risks associated with donor-funded programs and strategic partnerships.

Working closely with Business Development Managers, Program Teams, Finance, Control, Internal Audit, Core Leadership Teams (CLT), and the Director, the NCO helps ensure that agreements are legally sound, operationally feasible, compliant with donor requirements, and aligned with organizational objectives.

The NCO serves as Hivos' internal expert on donor contractual frameworks, negotiation and dispute resolution, compliance obligations, due diligence, and related governance matters, coordinating external legal counsel and specialist advisors when required.

Purpose of the role

The Negotiations & Compliance Senior Officer contributes to Hivos' organizational sustainability and risk management by:

• Ensuring donor, consortium, partnership, and other agreements are legally robust and aligned with Hivos policies and strategic priorities.
• Providing expert legal, contractual, and compliance advice to support informed decision-making.
• Securing favorable and workable contractual outcomes through effective negotiation with donors, partners, consortium members, and other stakeholders.
• Strengthening compliance with donor regulations, contractual obligations, governance standards, and applicable legal requirements.
• Assessing contractual feasibility and risk during opportunity development and bid preparation.
• Building organizational capacity in negotiation, contract management, compliance, and risk mitigation.
• Managing complex contractual issues, including disputes, donor reviews, and contract termination processes where required.

Responsibilities and duties

Contract analysis and development

• Analyze calls, bids, and proposed agreements for legal, contractual, and operational implications.
• Develop and review contracts, Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), and related legal instruments.
• Advise Program Managers and Portfolio Managers on appropriate contract structures, conditions, and risk allocation.

Negotiations and legal advisory

• Define negotiation strategies, positions, and acceptable negotiation bandwidth.
• Support the Head of Business Development and Executive Board in complex negotiations with donors and partners.
• Participate in contract negotiation teams as the senior legal and contractual advisor.

Compliance and risk management

• Ensure compliance with donor requirements, contractual obligations, and applicable legal frameworks.
• Assess legal and contractual risks and advise on proportionate mitigation and escalation measures.
• Support go/no-go decisions through contract and compliance risk analysis.
• Monitor adherence to key contractual obligations during implementation.

Stakeholder and donor relations

• Build and maintain relationships with donor legal and contractual counterparts.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of donor legal, contractual, and technical requirements.
• Act as a key point of contact for contractual and compliance-related matters.

Knowledge sharing and capacity building

• Develop and disseminate practical guidance and knowledge on contracts, risk, compliance, and negotiation.
• Strengthen legal awareness and negotiation skills within Business Development and Core Leadership Team.
• Support organizational learning and continuous improvement in contract and negotiation practices.

Strategic Risk, Governance and Assurance

• Identify emerging contractual, regulatory, compliance, and reputational risks that may affect Hivos' operations and funding portfolio.
• Advise senior leadership on significant risk exposure related to strategic partnerships, consortium arrangements, and complex donor agreements, including risk acceptance, mitigation, and escalation.
• Contribute to strengthening organizational governance frameworks, internal controls, and compliance systems.
• Support the development and implementation of policies, procedures, templates, and guidance related to contracting, compliance, and risk management.
• Monitor developments in donor regulations and legal frameworks and advise on their implications for Hivos.

Internal Coordination and Liaison

• Work closely with Business Development Managers, Program Managers, Portfolio Managers, CLT, and Director on legal, contractual, and regulatory matters affecting operations and partnerships.
• Coordinate engagement with external legal counsel and subject matter experts when specialized advice is required.
• Partner with Control and Internal Audit in strengthening policies, procedures, internal controls, and corrective action plans arising from internal audits, donor reviews, and external audits.
• Participate in internal compliance audits where appropriate and support the review and refinement of findings and recommendations.
• Support Program, Control, and Internal Audit teams in managing donor relationships following significant fraud, misconduct, or irregularity cases, including remediation and communication.
• Advise and support the Executive Board and Program Teams on contract termination, dispute resolution, arbitration, and related legal processes, and represent Hivos in such engagements when formally mandated by the Executive Board.

Donor Due Diligence and Review Coordination

• Coordinate due diligence reviews conducted by donors, their representatives, or external auditors, working closely with the Director, Head of Programs, Portfolio Manager, Finance, and Internal Audit/Control.
• Serve as the primary liaison throughout review processes, including coordinating information, preparing management responses, and developing action plans to address findings and recommendations.
• Support the Controller/Internal Audit function in developing, monitoring, and following up on corrective and remedial actions to ensure timely resolution of findings and continuous improvement in compliance and governance practices.

Consortium and Partnership Management

• Lead the review and negotiation of consortium agreements, partnership agreements, subgrant agreements, and implementation arrangements.
• Ensure contractual obligations and risk allocations between consortium members are clear, fair, and enforceable.
• Advise Program Teams on partner compliance obligations and contractual requirements.
• Support the resolution of disputes arising within consortia, partnerships, and donor-funded projects.

Position level

• Senior-level position with organization-wide advisory responsibility.
• Acts as an expert and strategic advisor on legal, contractual, compliance, and risk matters.
• Influences decision-making at CLT and Director

Skills and competencies

• Advanced knowledge of contract law, compliance management, and risk assessment principles.
• Strong negotiation, influencing, and dispute resolution skills.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze complex contractual and legal issues and provide practical solutions.
• Strong strategic thinking and sound judgment in high-risk environments.
• Excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to communicate complex legal and compliance matters to non-legal audiences.
• Strong organizational awareness and political sensitivity.
• High ethical standards, integrity, and discretion when handling confidential matters.
• Excellent analytical, drafting, and problem-solving abilities.
• Strong project management and prioritization skills.
• Ability to work effectively across multicultural and geographically dispersed teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English. Dutch is an advantage.

Education and experience

• Master's degree or equivalent academic level in Law, International Law, Business Law, Public Administration, Governance, International Relations, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience within international NGOs, multilateral organizations, development agencies, or similar institutions.
• +8 years of experience in contract management, legal advisory services, negotiations, compliance, risk management, or a related field.
• Proven experience negotiating complex donor agreements and partnership arrangements with institutional donors.
• Demonstrated experience advising senior management and executive leadership on legal, contractual, and compliance matters.
• Experience supporting donor due diligence reviews, audits, investigations, or compliance assessments.
• Knowledge of major institutional donor frameworks, including EU, Sida, FCDO, GAC, MFA, UN agencies, and foundations, is highly desirable.
• Experience managing external legal counsel and specialist advisors.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently in complex and high-pressure environments.
• Possession of a legal qualification or certification is an added advantage.

What we offer

We offer a stimulating work environment in a professional international organization with very dedicated staff. We offer a labour contract based with remuneration commensurate with the experience and expertise. Contract renewable depending on performance.

If you wish to apply

Please click the "Apply" button located at the top right-hand corner of this page on this platform.

Please submit the following documents no later than September 10th, 2026, 23.59 UTC: résumé/CV in English (maximum two pages, PDF format), and a letter of interest in English (maximum one page, PDF format).

If you are selected for the final stage of the selection process, professional references will be requested from previous employers, and safeguarding vetting will be conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, which Hivos has endorsed.

A police clearance (VOG) may be required where the position requires it and national laws allow it. Exceptions will only be made where local legislation prohibits such clearance or where a candidate is unable to obtain it due to activities related to LGBT+ and human rights.

We may check social media unless applicants state that they do not wish us to do so. The accuracy of information provided in the curriculum vitae will also be checked.