Programme Manager, Asia Pacific

The Thomson Reuters Foundation stands for free, independent journalism, human rights, women’s empowerment, and the rule of law. We expose corruption worldwide and play a leading role in the global fight against human trafficking. We use the skills, values, and expertise of Thomson Reuters to run programmes that trigger real change and empower people around the world, including free legal assistance, journalism and media training, coverage of the world’s under-reported stories, and the Trust Women Conference.

The Foundation is recruiting a Programme Manager for TrustLaw. The position would be based in Singapore in Thomson Reuters’ office.

TrustLaw is the Thomson Reuters Foundation's global pro bono service that connects NGOs and social enterprises with the best law firms around the world. Launched in 2010, TrustLaw has grown to include 2,400 members in 170 countries, including over 500 law firms and in-house legal teams and over 1,900 NGO and social enterprise members. Our mission is to spread the practice of pro bono worldwide to drive social change.

The Foundation is seeking a highly skilled and dynamic lawyer to expand its award-winning TrustLaw programme across the Asia Pacific region, and support us with scoping legal projects and research programmes across all of Asia more broadly. We have a growing presence in the region already but recognise a huge potential for expansion of our services there and plan to run a number of high profile programmes and events in the region. We are looking for the ideal candidate to lead these efforts.

Responsibilities

Based in Singapore, the successful candidate will be responsible for both supporting our service across Asia and expanding the TrustLaw programme across Asia Pacific, as well as representing the Thomson Reuters Foundation in the region. This will include:

• Strategically handling pro bono requests from our community of NGOs and social entrepreneurs, from the scoping of the pro bono projects, connecting the client with lawyers and follow up with the parties involved
• Mapping out and implementing strategies to expand the TrustLaw membership, making sure that we serve both the best NGOs and social enterprises, as well as the strongest law firms and corporate in-house legal teams 
• Management of multiple cross-border research and policy advisory programmes that address the most critical needs facing our NGO and social enterprise members and contributing towards achieving impact through a high quality end product. 
• Relationship management of key TrustLaw members and facilitating their engagement with the service, through hosting events and managing regular communications, marketing and PR.
• Representing TrustLaw and the Thomson Reuters Foundation by speaking publicly on our work at panels, conferences, or other speaking engagements. 
• Support the team on thought leadership projects including the TrustLaw Index of Pro Bono and TrustLaw training courses. 

The candidate

• An experienced lawyer with strong legal skills and experience in pro bono and/or in international development or social change. You will have at least 5 years post-degree working experience (ideally with at least two of those years as corporate counsel or in private practice). 
• The candidate must be fluent in English and Mandarin, with excellent written and spoken communication skills and an ability to adapt messages to different audiences. We are looking for a clear communicator who can confidently present the Foundation and our work at high level meetings. Additional languages would be favourable. 
• The candidate will have strong experience working with the charitable, philanthropic or social enterprise sector, with a strong understanding and interest in the pro bono sector. They should have a good understanding of the legal industry internationally and with extensive experience working with a diverse range of stakeholders, from senior corporate executives and partners of top law firms to social entrepreneurs, NGOs and any other beneficiaries of our services.
• The candidate will be a confident public speaker and networker who is highly professional.
• The candidate will have experience working with a diverse range of stakeholders, from senior corporate executives and partners of top law firms to social entrepreneurs, NGOs, and any other beneficiaries of our services.
• The candidate must be able to work quickly under pressure, to juggle multiple tasks and requests simultaneously, to meet deadline requirements and to drive projects to completion.
• The candidate must have a level of independence and initiative, be self-motivated, with an ability to design their own agenda and take responsibility to advance and complete projects.
• Experience using Salesforce would be favourable. 
• This role will include a significant amount of travel across the region and occasionally to London. 

This is a one-year contract with the potential to extend, based in Singapore. The salary is commensurate with experience.

Deadline for applications: 11 May 2015.
To apply for this position, send your CV and covering letter describing how you meet the specifications for this role and what you bring to it to trustlaw@thomsonreuters.com with subject line “Programme Manager, Asia Pacific”.