International legal counsel

Van Oord; Gorinchem; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Travel allowance

Home working allowance

Pension scheme

Health insurance

Development opportunities

Employee communities

Bonuses

Holidays

Job summary

Van Oord in the Netherlands seeks an (Senior) Legal Counsel International Projects to advise tendering, operations, project, procurement and logistics teams on international offshore construction contracts.

You will draft, review and negotiate FIDIC and LOGIC agreements, advise on insurance, safety and environmental matters, and support project teams in high‑risk, time‑critical offshore projects. You will also manage claims and disputes to protect Van Oord's commercial interests.

Qualifications

• Construction law expertise with post-qualification experience.
• Offshore and maritime sector experience valued.
• Familiarity with major contract forms used in offshore construction.
• Commercial mindset with ability to navigate high-risk, time-critical issues.
• Strong written and spoken English communication with diverse stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Advise on contracts and risk allocation across offshore construction projects.
• Draft, review and negotiate offshore contracts including FIDIC and LOGIC.
• Advise on insurance, safety and environmental regulatory matters.
• Support tendering, project, operations, procurement and logistics teams.

Skills

Construction law expertise

Offshore and maritime experience

Contracting and negotiation skills

Commercial and strategic mindset

Strong communicator and team player

Job description

As(Senior) Legal Counsel International Projects, you are a trusted legal adviser to our tendering, operations, project, procurement and logistics teams. You provide pragmatic, commercially sound legal advice throughout the lifecycle of international offshore construction projects.

You will work on a broad range of construction, transportation, installation and maritime service contracts, while contributing to the successful delivery of projects in a complex and dynamic offshore environment.

You are a qualified construction lawyer who combines strong technical expertise with a pragmatic and commercial mindset. You are comfortable working in an international, high-risk and time-critical environment and can effectively advise stakeholders at different levels of the organisation.

• Construction law expertise
  You have at least 4 years of post-qualification experience and solid experience in construction law. A UK or common law background is preferred.
• Offshore and maritime experience
  Experience in the maritime, offshore energy or offshore construction sector is highly valued. You understand the contractual and operational realities of working with vessels and complex marine operations.
• Contracting and negotiation skills
  You have experience with major contract forms used in the offshore construction sector, including FIDIC and LOGIC, and are confident drafting, reviewing and negotiating complex commercial agreements.
• Commercial and strategic mindset
  You combine strong legal knowledge with excellent commercial awareness. You are decisive, solution-oriented and able to remain calm and effective when dealing with high-risk or time-critical situations.
• Strong communicator and team player
  You have excellent written and spoken English communication skills and work effectively with diverse stakeholders. You demonstrate strong critical thinking, self-awareness and the ability to constructively challenge and debate within project and tender teams.

• A salary that matches your responsibilities and experience
• Attractive travel allowance (€0.31 per km) and home working allowance (€2.45 per day)
• 32 holidays (of which a maximum of 7 are collective)
• Variable bonus, partly dependent on company results
• Attractive pension scheme
• Option for collective health insurance (Van Oord pays for your supplementary package)
• Extensive development opportunities, including a comprehensive online academy via Goodhabitz
• Communities to join, such as Young Van Oord, Van Oord Women, and the Van Oord staff association
• Various events and sports activities, such as skiing, sailing weekends, cycling, and motorcycling tours

• Advise on contracts and risk allocation
  Draft, review and negotiate a wide range of offshore construction contracts, including bespoke agreements, FIDIC and LOGIC standard forms, transport & installation contracts and offshore support, maintenance and repair agreements. You advise on contractual risk allocation, including weather exposure, delays and complex maritime operations.
• Support projects and commercial teams
  Act as a trusted legal partner to tendering, project, operations, procurement and logistics teams, translating complex legal issues into clear, practical and commercially viable solutions.
• Advise on insurance, safety and environmental matters
  Provide general legal guidance, in close cooperation with our insurance department, on construction-related insurance matters including CAR, P&I, Hull & Machinery (H&M) and offshore project insurance. You also advise on offshore safety and environmental regulatory frameworks relevant to marine construction, transport, installation, maintenance and repair activities.
• Manage claims and disputes
  Proactively support project-related claims and disputes, helping determine the right strategy to achieve successful outcomes while protecting Van Oord's commercial interests and maintaining key business relationships.