Description:
Position Overview:The Associate General Counsel, under the supervision of the General Counsel, provides legal representation to A Non-Profit Organization on a wide range of matters, both programmatic and operational, and has primary responsibility for legal support related to labor and employment. The position involves direct contact with senior management and frequent and extensive collaboration with program and operations staff in New York and the regional offices, grantees, co-funders, and other parties.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
- Provide legal advice and guidance for programmatic work at the Foundation to enable impactful outcomes in a compliant manner.
- Advise the Foundation, including its Human Resources team, on labor and employment matters for a global workforce, such as employment agreements, performance management, compensation, employee benefits, insurance, accommodation requests, and any other employee-related matters.
- Set, review, and update local and global policies and templates for compliance with law, consistency across the network, and to reflect the practices and values of the Foundation.
- Manage the drafting and negotiation of agreements for (a) labor and employment needs, including retention and severance of employees, secondees, temporary employees, professional employer organizations, and (b) to advance programmatic objectives, including negotiation and drafting of MOUs, contracts, and grants.
- Advise on matters of classification, develop policies, and review contracts for independent contractors.
- Develop, oversee, and provide train and best practices to staff on Foundation policies and legal issues.
- Oversee processes for the provision of visas and provide advice, in coordination with external counsel, on immigration matters.
- Engage with external counsel for escalations and review of documents and matters, and coordinate with the General Counsel to manage litigations, mediations, and complaints, as appropriate.
- Conduct legal research as needed
- Advise and assist on other legal matters and special projects throughout the Foundation.
- Manage outside counsel as necessary.
Education, Experience, and Skills
- Generally expected to have 12 years of experience in practicing law, with at least 5 years of post-qualification specialization in labor and employment law, preferably through in house practice
- Juris Doctorate (J.D.) (from ABA-accredited law school) required
- Candidates must be members of the New York Bar or eligible for immediate membership.
- Experience working for an international organization and/or in a non-profit or private foundation is preferred
- Familiarity with local considerations in the jurisdictions of Kenya, Thailand, Italy, and/or Latin America is preferred
- Experience handling sensitive employee matters, strong drafting and negotiating skills, and a detail-oriented approach to the delivery of work.
- Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate (verbal and written) legal and strategic advice with diverse stakeholders and then use practical thinking and a sensible risk-based approach to achieve solutions.
- Commitment to handle matters with integrity, care, respect, and confidentiality.
- Ability to prioritize work from multiple internal clients and escalate as needed, including engaging and directing external counsel to coordinate and deliver advice.
- Commitment to continuous learning and support for organizational development in diversity, equity, and inclusion
- A creative focus on how to achieve the foundation's goals while minimizing legal risk.
- Must have the ability to work in diverse teams with shared responsibility and accountability.
Qualifications and Competencies
- Balances Stakeholders: Anticipates and balances the needs of multiple stakeholders.
- Cultivates Innovation: Creates new and better ways for the organization to be successful.
- Develops Talent: Develops people to meet both their career goals and the organization's goals.
- Manages Complexity: Makes sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems.
- Values Differences: Recognizes the value of different perspectives and commits to inclusion, equity, and diversity in every aspect of work.
