Senior Associate, General Counsel

Join us and make a difference in global investor protection.

Who We Are

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), a nonprofit organization established by Congress, oversees the audits of public companies and SEC-registered brokers and dealers to protect investors and to further the public interest in the preparation of independent, accurate, and informative audit reports.

Our investor protection mission is focused on modernizing audit standards, enhancing audit inspections, and strengthening enforcement of PCAOB rules and standards and other related laws and rules. People are at the heart of our mission at the PCAOB. As we carry out that mission, we strive to uphold the highest standards in audit quality with investors families, savings, and futures in mind.

Role Summary

The PCAOB has a full-time, regular position for a Senior Associate, General Counsel in the Office of General Counsel (OGC). The Senior Associate, General Counsel is OGCs front-line people-leader and is assigned to lead teams of attorneys in one of our regulatory or corporate program areas. In addition, this role supervises the legal work performed by their team and coordinates with the General Counsel and Deputy General Counsel to ensure that the organizations legal needs are met. The Senior Associate, General Counsel is also expected to perform their own hands-on legal work e.g., legal research and drafting memoranda or rule releases as needed to support the organizations objectives. This role will be based in the PCAOBs Washington, DC headquarters office and will report to Deputy Director, General Counsel.

Responsibilities

• Serve as in-house counsel, with duties primarily in one of two program areas: (1) advising and counseling on Registration, Inspections, Enforcement, and Standards or (2) advising on organizational operation including, but not limited to, contract review, internal policies and procedures, finance, human resources, privacy and data protection, and insurance.

• As Office of General Counsel point person in an assigned program area, lead day-to-day work, be responsible for meeting objectives, and be responsible for issue resolution in the program area.

• Lead assignments involving novel legal issues and coordinating with other PCAOB offices and divisions.

• Communicate key legal guidance to the Board and PCAOB staff.

• Oversee the work of outside counsel.

• Represent the PCAOB and negotiate arrangements relating to the PCAOBs regulatory program with external organizations and agencies.

• Facilitate PCAOB compliance with SEC requirements.

• Perform the full range of supervisory duties, including evaluating employee performance; make recommendations for appointment and promotion; hear and resolve complaints; identify development and training needs of employees; other related supervisory tasks.

• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education/Technical Expertise

• Juris doctor (JD) from an accredited law school in the United States.

• Active member of the Bar.

• Minimum of 15+ years of legal experience with either a law firm, corporation, government agency, regulatory body, or combination thereof.

• Experience in an environment related to accounting, financial matters, or public auditing.

• Superior technical abilities, regulatory knowledge, and leadership skills.

• Ability to work independently and as a member of a team.

• Superior verbal and written communication skills.

• Ability to effectively represent the organization to a variety of both internal and external constituencies.

• Strong interpersonal skills.

• Strong time management and organization skills.

• Ability to respond to changing circumstances and adapt to meet new opportunities/challenges.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge and experience relating to securities laws.

• Knowledge and experience relating to rulemaking and administrative law.

Leadership/Management Skills and Abilities

• Ability to drive a positive tone at the top of the organization and hold others accountable for doing the same.

• Ensures that own behavior and the behavior of others is consistent with the highest ethical standards and aligns with the values of the organization.

• Must be able to motivate and inspire employees at all levels of the organization in order to enhance team commitment and individual performance.

• Proven ability to develop, coach, and mentor staff, providing constant feedback and clear direction.

• Ability to promote collaboration by unifying teams, setting common goals and incentivizing collaborative behavior.

• Demonstrated success in establishing and maintaining positive working relationships with others, both internally and externally, to achieve the goals of the organization.

• Strong ability to build credibility, organize effectively, solve problems quickly and communicate clearly.

• Possesses the balance and emotional intelligence required to meet the diverse needs of the divisions/offices.

• Proven ability to navigate and resolve various types of conflict in a timely and productive manner.

Equal Employment Opportunity

All PCAOB employees are entitled to equal opportunity and a professional work environment, free of discrimination and harassment. A workplace free of discrimination and harassment is fundamental to professional success and to the PCAOB's mission. The PCAOB will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable law.

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