Description:

Join Save the Children and live your passion for helping the world’s children.  If you are inspired by our mission and feel you can bring your unwavering commitment to what we do, you too can contribute to the way the world treats children by applying your legal expertise as our next General Counsel.  Lead a group of dynamic legal professionals and provide best-in-class legal advice throughout our Agency. 

Reporting to the Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, the General Counsel is responsible for managing all legal affairs of the organization.  He/she will be advising the CEO, Board of Trustees and staff on legal issues and assessing and handling the Agency’s domestic and international legal needs, in addition to managing legal liability and a legal expense budget.  Serve on the Senior Management Team.

Job Requirements:

• Evaluate  Save the Children’s organization-wide domestic and overseas legal needs and exposures through a) legal review of all policies, practices and procedures; b) review of materials produced by each department regarding current and planned activities; and c) develop and oversee the strategic framework for the legal affairs of the organization;
• Advise Save the Children staff, the Senior Management Team and the Board of Trustees on legal matters; review and approve for the entire organization policies, contracts, basic country agreements, sample documents, disclosures, internal publications, brochures, reports and releases for donor or public dissemination and related materials;
• Provide advice and review related to legal activities associated with non-profit corporate governance, contracts and licensing, gift solicitations and gifts administration, trademark activities, employment matters, management of outside legal services, regulatory compliance including federal grants and contracts, general litigation, lobbying and advocacy and relationships with major donors and other SC entities;
• Participate and advise the crises management team during emergencies;
• Foster a client-focused culture within legal department providing leadership and staff with a spectrum of legal solutions based on mitigating Agency risk and ensuring high degree of compliance.
• Manage a legal team of 4 staff members and implement human resource management strategies (recruitment, retention, leadership development, succession planning) to support the achievement of agency strategic/operational goals.

Special Instructions:

Required

• JD required from accredited law school
• Current qualification to practice law in CT or to be acquired shortly thereafter
• 15+  years of practical legal experience
• 5 or more years of in-house legal department experience preferably as a chief or senior legal officer preferably with an NGO
• Experience with federal grants and corporate contracts desirable.
• Experience with government contract law desirable
• A proven track record of working with senior management in a global environment
• Global work experience, preferably in developing countries, coupled with an understanding of Save the Children’s mission
• Working knowledge of US Government acquisition regulations, trademark and copyright law
• Solid foundation in fundamental legal theories, ability to identify problems and legal issues, ability to articulate legal solutions
• Good negotiating skills
• Must be comfortable with and able to achieve goals in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities
• Must be a good problem solver
• Ability to interpret the law and have practical application
• Ability to communicate in writing and verbally with diverse audiences both internally and externally.

Contact: