Legal Counsel

Legal Counsel, Corporate and Compliance 

The Finance and Administration Department at INSEAD encompasses a diverse range of critical functions, including Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A), Finance, Legal, Procurement, Risk, and Audit. This department plays a pivotal role in ensuring the institution's financial health, compliance, and operational efficiency, supporting INSEAD's mission to deliver world-class education and research. 

INSEAD is seeking a Legal Counsel, Corporate and Compliance to join our Finance and Administration Department. This is a full-time, permanent contract position based at Europe Campus in Fontainebleau. A hybrid working model is in place – 3 days on campus, 2 days from home. 

About the job 

The role of the INSEAD Corporate and Compliance Legal Counsel is to support the Corporate and Compliance Director in performing her/his responsibilities.  

These include:  

• Corporate:  Corporate support and guidance for the INSEAD entities in compliance with the applicable laws, recommendations and guidance regarding corporate governance pursuant to best international practices, implementation of the relevant processes.  In addition, general guidance and support shall be provided when required for the other entities and legal bodies within the INSEAD ecosystem; and   

• Compliance & Ethics:  the development, implementation, and maintenance of a fit for purpose compliance and ethics program which is compliant with applicable laws and best international practices,   

This is a broad remit however as “The Business School for the World” the good governance, compliance, and ethics is critical to INSEAD, and the other entities and structures within the broader INSEAD ecosystem on which it depends, both operationally and on which the global INSEAD brand is built. 

Your role within the team 

Key Responsibility:  To support the Corporate and Compliance Director in performing his/her responsibilities: 

• Developing, implementing, maintaining (update) corporate and compliance policies and procedures.  
• Assisting the Compliance Director with the handling and follow-up of internal alerts
• Developing sound knowledge and understanding of corporate and compliance laws and best practices in the EU (including France), Singapore, the United Arab Emirates (in particular Abu Dhabi as well as in the Global Market zone), and the United States and disseminate updates, learnings, and lessons learned.  
• Developing, and giving guidance and training to employees and other relevant INSEAD communities on corporate matters and compliance & ethics obligations, behaviours, and expectations.  
• Understanding areas of corporate risk and compliance & ethics risks in conjunction with risk and internal audit, and conduct regular corporate and compliance impact/risk assessments and audits.  
• Working with the Corporate and Compliance Director to implement the recommendations arising from impact assessments and audits.   
• A mindset of regular engagement with stakeholders and continuous improvement.  

Corporate:  

• Providing general governance and corporate-related advice in support of the Corporate and Compliance Director.
• Supporting the preparation of board and annual general meeting materials for the INSEAD entities (and, to the extent required, the foundations internally managed), as well as their committees, which includes the preparation, approval, and filing of corporate documents and resolutions. Liaising with various stakeholders to ensure the timely preparation of documentation.
• Ensuring good governance across all INSEAD entities. Structuration and implementation of an authority Matrix implementation, Drafting of legal delegations under applicable law, and process any legal certification, notarization, legalization, and apostilles. 
• Maintaining the database of corporate documents and information for the INSEAD entities and, to the extent possible, the entities within the broader INSEAD ecosystem.  This includes reaching out regularly to relevant stakeholders to collect and upload the most up to date information. 

Compliance & Ethics:  

• Supporting the Compliance Director with the activities necessary to implement a compliance program which is, in particular, compliant with applicable laws regarding anti-corruption and bribery, anti-trust, sanctions and trade controls, anti-money laundering, gifts and hospitality, and conflicts of interest. 
• In particular, this includes:
  • the French anti-corruption law known as Sapin II and the principles described in the AFA Guidelines, and applicable anti-corruption laws in the US, Singapore, and the UAE and such other places as INSEAD may be conducting business.
  • Supporting the management and oversight of whistleblowing reports, including coordination with investigators and follow-up of related investigations and remedial actions
• Giving general advice and guidance on compliance and ethics matters.

More generally, the Legal Counsel, Corporate and Compliance is expected to exhibit:

• The 4 key competencies of a compliance and ethics specialist: subject matter expertise; understanding of the business; building networks; and leveraging available resources. 
• The 6 Competencies and the Way We Work @INSEAD: Growth Mindset, Empathy, Integrity, Professionalism, Client Focus, Collaboration.

The ideal candidate profile