Associate General Counsel

Position Summary:

The Associate General Counsel will work with the Legal Department (“Legal”) and the Vice President, Operational Effectiveness and Enterprise Risk Management (“Operational ERM”). The Associate General Counsel shall assist Legal and Operational ERM to: (i) provide legal and ethical advice and counsel to the Institute’s programs and departments; (ii) prepare, negotiate, review and approve legally binding documents; and (iii) manage risk to the Institute through policy development, education, compliance and risk assessment and management.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

Legal

• Provide general legal advice and counsel to Institute programs, departments and personnel on a variety of legal issues.

• Provide subject matter expertise on specific Institute-wide policies and procedures.

• Work to improve legal templates and processes for review, including the development of additional resources for Institute use and to build the Legal Department’s knowledge capital.

• Conduct research on various legal issues as necessary and requested.

• Assist to develop and provide appropriate trainings for Institute programs, departments and personnel.

• Regularly review contracts, MOUs, agreements and other legally binding agreements routed for review and approval pursuant to Institute policies and procedures.

• Support the Legal Department and Operational ERM on matters related to international activities.

• Assist with management of outside counsel as needed.

Enterprise Risk Management

• Assist the Vice President of Operational Effectiveness and Risk Management with research, drafting, consultation, and project management support necessary to identify, manage, and mitigate risks that could impede the Institute’s success or jeopardize its people, assets, finances or reputation.

• Assist with researching, drafting and communication of new policies designed to mitigate known risks.

• Review existing processes or planned initiatives to identify and grade the likelihood/impact of risks and recommend mitigation steps.

• Work collaboratively with internal stakeholders to develop a risk-aware culture and educate decision-makers on how to identify and mitigate risks.

• Work collaboratively with consulting, audit, or other firms hired to help identify and recommend mitigation of risks; assist with implementation of any recommended changes.

• Assist with tracking, reporting and communicating the status of risk mitigation efforts to internal stakeholders, senior executives and the Board of Trustees.

Knowledge/Skills Experience:

• Experience with legal, management and operations in a nonprofit context preferred, including knowledge of the laws, regulations and best practices of 501(c)3 tax exempt organizations.

• Experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating contracts, agreements, grants, subcontract/subgrants, consulting agreements, and other corporate legal documents.

• Familiarity with standard concepts, practices, policies and procedures within the contracting field in the nonprofit sector.

• Knowledge of risk management best practices preferred (but not required).

• Demonstrated excellent oral and written communication skills.

• Experience developing solutions to complex problems and challenges in a collaborative way that ensures legal compliance and risk mitigation while also enabling mission objectives

• Ability to build strong collaborative working relationships with Institute clients to build trust and rapport

• Professional independence, initiative and strong organizational and project management skills.

• Commitment to collaboration, collegiality, teamwork and diplomacy.

Education/Experience Requirements:

• Juris Doctor from an American Bar Association accredited law school.

• Minimum four years of legal experience; Prior non-profit experience preferred.

• Must be licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia or eligible to waive into DC to practice.