General Counsel

Position Summary

The General Counsel is responsible for ensuring compliance with regulations, identifying and documenting regulatory risks and assisting the organization and developing controls. This position involves planning, organization, and execution of day-to-day operational compliance activities.

Duties and Responsibilities

Compliance Oversight

• Advise senior management, and others within the organization on nonprofit corporate, tax, compliance, intellectual property, corporate governance, benefits, litigation, and employment law issues;
• Ensure organizational compliance with contracts and applicable law and regulation, such as lobbying, regulatory and public policy matters and laws relating to charitable solicitations in New York State and nationally;
• Advise on Board governance documents and governance issues, preparing materials for Board and committee meetings. Partner with members of the Senior Leadership Team on management of Board and related committees;
• Monitor and advise on legislative developments related to nonprofit organizations, including human resources and benefits-related legislation;
• Review and/or prepare for filing various financial reporting documents, such as the Form 990 and state registration forms, filings relating to lobbying compliance, filings relating to governmental pre-qualifications and filings due to watchdog agencies, such as the Better Business Bureau, System for Award Management (SAM), etc.

Contracting Oversight

• Draft, review, revise, negotiate, and/or execute a variety of contracts, such as grant, funding, and program agreements with nonprofits collaborating with Race Forward on program, agreements relating to data sharing, vendor and consultant agreements, and agreements relating to ownership of intellectual property, corporate sponsorships, special events, licensing, real estate and leases, among other things, and advise senior management on related issues;

Senior Leadership Team Advising

• Advise on risk management practice, liability, and insurance matters, liaising with external brokers to determine appropriate insurance liability products and to provide certificate of insurance upon request;
• Participate in strategic planning and response, both in the broad sense and on day-to-day matters.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

To perform successfully in this role, incumbent should possess skills identified below:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Ability to comprehend, interpret, and apply the appropriate sections of applicable laws, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, and policies.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.

Qualifications and Experience

• Juris Doctorate degree and 3 - 5 years' proven experience in nonprofit contracts administration, risk management or compliance officer roles.
• Experience in nonprofit governance, including c4 organizations, and union engagement.
• Brilliant oral and written communication skills.
• Highly-analytical with strong attention to detail.
• Strong understanding of general nonprofit law and tax regulations pertaining to tax-exempt organizations and a working knowledge of contracts, trademarks and copyrights, employment law, and nonprofit compliance required.
• Experience researching and effectively communicating corporate and legal matters to a lay audience required.
• Strong leadership skills, interpersonal/communication skills, and critical thinking skills required.
• Supervisory experience preferred