Legal Counsel - Blended Finance

Vacancy

Legal Counsel - Blended Finance

The Legal Department is seeking a Legal Counsel specializing in Blended Finance, focusing on complex debt structures and financial agreements. The role involves advising on transactions, negotiating with donors and clients, and coaching junior colleagues. Sounds interesting? Then click apply!
  • Educational levelMaster degree (WO)
  • DeadlineJuly 9, 2025

Your role

You are deep in discussions with your commercial colleagues on how to extend a guarantee instrument for solar rooftop portfolios in west Africa when your phone rings - negotiations with a major donor are stuck and you are needed to explain the implications of the proposed reporting requirements. It looks like the training session you prepared for junior colleagues on Indian convertible debentures will have to wait for next week. Deadlines are tight, so you call in external counsel to help massage expectations of the donor and take a deep breath – you have an afternoon of contract review ahead, so you had better get lunch...  

If the above sounds like just another day at the office, you might be a Counsel in the Private Equity and Structured Finance team of the FMO Legal Department, with a focus on Blended Finance. As a Counsel, you will work together with a variety of professional disciplines in deal teams, advising on a variety of financial agreements, upstream with donors and downstream with FMO’s clients.  The role requires a strong grasp of complex debt structures and the interplay between donor mandates and private investments. You will work across the full investment spectrum from early-stage structuring of guarantee instruments, to debt investments requiring creative structuring and innovative risk mitigation. While protecting FMO’s interests, you negotiate, manage and close these transactions pragmatically, with an understanding of the multiple bottom lines needed for successfully executing blended deals. You actively participate in interdepartmental projects and contribute to the knowledge base of the team. You are a true sparring partner for colleagues and management, as well as clients and external lawyers. As Counsel, you coach more junior colleagues, and you contribute to the implementation of internal initiatives.  

Our offer

  • Competitive Compensation based on your experience: EUR 90K-105K annual gross pay (based on 40-hour work week)
  • Pension scheme, partly paid by FMO
  • 31 holidays
  • The opportunity to travel and meet clients on due diligence missions and negotiations.
  • Working remotely abroad for 60 days in a rolling period of 12 months.
  • Hybrid way of working (50/50)
  • 4 times 9 working hours is possible

For more information, please visit our website Secondary Benefits - FMO. 

Your team

FMO is a leading innovator in the development finance space. The Legal Team works closely with our clients. They ensure clients understand the deal at hand. This includes both its benefits and risks. We take pride in our pragmatic and collaborative spirit. We consistently strive to improve our service. This is how we maximize impact and build strong relationships with our clients.

Your background

  • Demonstrated expertise with debt and blended capital is required, applicants without such experience will not be considered. The ideal candidate will also bring demonstrated knowledge of debt funds and fund structures generally.  
  • A proven ability to view risk pragmatically and creatively, taking into consider various stakeholder conditions, time horizons and extrinsic risks. 
  • A master’s law degree in Dutch or English law (or a comparable foreign law degree).  
  • Minimum of at 5 years’ experience with a law firm, (development) finance institution or equity fund – applicants with greater experience will be considered.   
  • Knowledge of English law and/or the laws of the State of New York is an advantage.  
  • Fluent in English language, both verbally and in writing.  
  • A versatile and committed team player with an international attitude, down to earth, pragmatic, pro-active and result-oriented with strong project management and social skills.   
  • Candidates must live in or be willing to relocate to the Netherlands, this is non-negotiable.

Please note, if we make you an offer to join FMO, you will need to work through the screening process with our screening partner. The process is designed to check your integrity and reliability.