New Job Director, Legal In Washington

The Foundation

We are the largest nonprofit fighting poverty, disease, and inequity around the world. Founded on a simple premise: people everywhere, regardless of identity or circumstances, should have the chance to live healthy, productive lives. We believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve. We provide an exceptional benefits package to employees and their families which include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with no premiums, generous paid time off, paid family leave, foundation-paid retirement contribution, regional holidays, and opportunities to engage in several employee communities. As a workplace, we’re committed to creating an environment for you to thrive both personally and professionally.

The Team

"Guidance, Solutions, Integrity" describes the Legal division’s approach to providing responsive legal guidance supporting pursuit of the foundation’s mission and implementation of the foundation's programmatic and operational strategies. The Legal division delivers comprehensive legal services by providing efficient and reliable legal guidance, managing legal risk, and supporting the development of solutions to achieve the mission of the foundation and its affiliated entities.

The Legal division partners with our colleagues across the foundation to enable the mission-driven work by maintaining an efficient, well-run global organization where employees can thrive and make their best contributions. Doing this well requires effective collaboration, strong alignment, and thoughtful planning across both operational and programmatic teams – as well as shared accountability for mitigating risk and optimizing the foundation’s operational resources.

Your Role

The Director of Legal (Enterprise Operations) will provide critical support to the Chief Legal Officer (CLO) and Legal division across a wide range of complex legal matters. Serve as a member of the Legal Leadership Team and senior legal counsel to the foundation, providing advice and counsel on a broad range of legal and strategic issues primarily related to the charitable and operational goals of the foundation. This position assists in identifying and addressing cross-foundation legal issues, as well as development and management of legal team staff. This position reports to the Chief Legal Officer.

We seek a leader who will assist in identifying and addressing cross-foundation legal issues, as well as development and management of legal staff and others conducting activities in support of the foundation’s Legal team.

Does this role align with your skills, experience, and aspirations? Are you inspired and excited about our mission? If yes, this might be the right role for you!

• Serve as relationship manager for multiple foundation operations and programmatic teams, divisions, regional offices, and affiliates, as appropriate. Providing business-oriented legal and risk management advice on a broad range of complex legal and strategic matters crucial to the foundation’s mission.
• Participate as a member of the Legal Leadership Team, providing legal team leadership, supporting a “one team” culture, developing strategy and goals, and enhancing operational efficiency.
• Lead and inspire a highly motivated and skilled team of attorneys and legal professionals, to assure effective and efficient coverage, coordination, work allocation and communication regarding legal issues.
• Provide risk management advice and legal counsel on a broad range of complex matters, on issues related to foundation operations, with a focus on supporting Global Security, Global Facilities, Events & Travel, Information Technology, and Business Design team strategies, government policy and advocacy, media and communications, contracts and procurement.
• Review, advise, and address escalated legal and business issues related to investments, agreements, transactions, and other projects.
• Collaborate and maintain relationships with programmatic teams and operations divisions, including Grants & Contracts Services and Finance, to provide support and assist implementation of gold standard practices applicable to activities and obligations, including financial issues, corporate governance, delegation of authority, and annual filings.
• Lead outside counsel engagements, responsible for reviewing budgets and assessing performance.
• Support training and education of personnel on legal issues and oversee continuing implementation of compliance training program.
• Keep current on new and emerging laws, policy developments and standard methodologies related to compliance programs, particularly those relating to tax-exempt organizations and private foundations.
• Represent the foundation externally in events and meetings.

Your Experience

• Extensive experience advising and counseling on a diverse range of legal matters with demonstrated ability to establish and implement legal compliance strategies that aid executive leadership and staff.
• Familiarity with the laws and regulations applicable to private foundations preferred.
• Ability to support a highly skilled and demanding client base, serving as counselor and providing guidance on ground-breaking, emerging legal issues in a complex, fast-paced and evolving policy environment.
• Experience thinking strategically, creatively, and proactively.
• Ability to identify and analyze risks and opportunities and develop innovative and effective solutions.
• Ability to communicate in a clear and compelling manner with internal and external audiences and advise on issues that may not have clear answers.
• Ability to lead change and build effective relationships to gain the respect and trust of others.
• Excellent judgment, intellectual quickness and curiosity, resourcefulness and resilience.
• Ability to work with adaptability, efficiency, enthusiasm, and diplomacy both individually and as part of a team effort.
• JD and bar membership are required, with 15+ years of experience.
• Ability to practice law in the United States.

The typical salary range for this role is $252,350.00 - $468,650.00 USD. The exact offer will be determined by a variety of factors such as the candidate’s individual skills, qualifications, and experience relative to the requirements of the role.

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Hiring Requirements

As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.

Depending upon your work location, we may require proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 and any recommended booster doses. All employees based in the United States are to provide proof of full vaccination upon hire and any recommended boosters, subject to applicable laws.

Candidate Accommodations

If you require assistance due to a disability in the application or recruitment process, please submit a request here.

Inclusion Statement

We are dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We strive for a global and cultural workplace that supports ever greater diversity, equity, and inclusion — of voices, ideas, and approaches — and we support this diversity through all our employment practices.

All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve our mission will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to race, color, age, religion, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and prior protected activity.