Associate General Counsel
- Employer
- The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
- Location
- California, United States
- Salary
- Salary Commensurate with experience
- Closing date
- Oct 13, 2022
View more
- Position Type
- Fundraising, Other Fundraising, Programs, Other Programs
- Fields
- Other Fields
- Employment Type
- Full Time
About The David and Lucile Packard
Foundation
We work with people and communities to
create enduring solutions for just societies and a healthy,
resilient natural world. Over our nearly 60-year history, we have
worked with thousands of organizations and leaders in the U.S. and
worldwide to advance progress in the critical areas of science,
ocean and land conservation, climate change, women’s reproductive
health and rights, and the well-being of children, families, and
communities. At a time of multiple, intertwined crises globally and
here in the U.S., the Packard Foundation began in 2021 a
long-planned review of our grantmaking strategies. The first step
of our process was to rearticulate our vision and mission,
reexamine our organizational values, and create a strategic
framework that builds on and honors the Packard Foundation’s past
while advancing justice and equity in all that we do.
OUR VISION: A just and equitable world
where both people and nature flourish.
Our new vision embraces a future where both people and nature
flourish in a more just and equitable world. We explicitly
acknowledge that the fate of people and the natural environment are
inextricably linked. Solutions to the complex challenges we face
must account for this interconnectedness.
OUR MISSION: We work with people and
communities to create enduring solutions for just societies and a
healthy, resilient natural world.
Our new mission takes on the critical work of addressing root
causes of the challenges we face and mobilizing people for
collective action. In addition to building on approaches that have
guided our philanthropy for decades — working in partnership,
committing to issues over the long-term, and grounding our work in
science, knowledge, and data – we focus on understanding the
systems that either accelerate or impede progress. It is only
through just and equitable systems that we can find and sustain
solutions to some of the biggest challenges we face
today.
OUR VALUES: Equity, Integrity, Belief in
Individual Leadership, Thinking Big, Respect, and
Effectiveness.
In addition to clarifying our long-held values, we added equity. We
will champion equity by treating people with dignity, honoring a
range of ideas and perspectives from those closest to the issues,
creating inclusive processes, and funding people who have been
historically excluded to spur progress for all. For more
information, including our definitions of key concepts, please
visit our website.
About the Department
The purpose of the
Office of General Counsel is to oversee all legal work for the
Foundation, advise the Board and management, support grantmaking
and other activities, and ensure compliance with tax laws governing
private foundations.
About the Role
The Associate General Counsel
supports the work of the Office of the General Counsel and will
assist in advising on grantmaking, governance issues, tax, and
limited investment work. This role is responsible for providing
legal representation to the Foundation and for supporting staff by
providing counsel on a variety of complex issues. The position
includes ongoing work as well as short and long term projects such
as policy development, Board presentations and materials, and
research and analysis of tax and grantmaking issues. This role has
deep knowledge about out how foundations operate and the legal
requirements that private foundations must follow.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
Analyze
legal issues that affect the Foundation and its activities at the
local, state, federal and international levels and prepare written
analysis with conclusions, recommendations, policy suggestions, and
proposed implementation plans to meet the Foundation’s standards of
integrity and effectiveness and goal of creating staff friendly
policies and internal systems.
Advise management and staff on laws applicable to private
foundations; provide support to management and staff on grantmaking
and other activities at federal, state, and international
levels.
Review complex grantmaking, contract, intellectual property and
other issues; troubleshoot issues with staff and assist staff in
finding and implementing proper solutions and monitor as
needed.
Assist in developing and delivering training on legal issues.
Build and maintain strong relationships with outside counsel.
Identify areas and processes for improvement, make recommendations,
and implement and communicate changes.
Represent the Foundation internally and in interactions with
individuals and organizations external to the Foundation.
Support the Foundation’s internal processes and system.
Lead and facilitate Foundation-wide projects and contribute to
other teams.
Support the Office of the General Counsel to make work more
effective and efficient.
Other projects and work as assigned.
Qualifications
Experience:
Experienced
as a thoughtful and trusted advisor to management and staff.
Research and present solutions to complex issues.
Exercise judgment within defined and undefined practices and
policies to determine appropriate action.
Resolve issues in a timely and accurate manner.
Review complex grant documents and other materials, and identify
potential technical issues.
Manage multiple projects.
Work on assignments that are complex in nature where excellent
judgment is required in resolving problems and making
recommendations.
Manage confidential and sensitive data and situations.
Knowledge, Skills and
Abilities:
J.D. from an accredited institution
and a minimum of 6 years of related work experience and Admission
to the California bar.
Prior employment at a law firm, in-house corporate experience,
and/or work at a private foundation or large nonprofit is preferred
with specific experience advising private foundation
clients.
Experience advising governing boards and senior management of
complex, international organizations.
Strong analytical skills and ability to understand complex and
nuanced legal concepts and analysis and explain those to
non-lawyers and create practical processes, guidance, and
training.
Demonstrated working knowledge of laws applicable to 501(c)(3)
tax-exempt organizations and laws applicable to private
foundations, including in certain foreign jurisdictions.
Demonstrated expertise in several of the core areas of work listed
below:
Rules applicable to grantmaking to nonprofit, for-profit, and other
non 501(c)(3) organizations.
Rules for working with foreign charitable organizations and in
foreign jurisdictions.
Intellectual property, content management, and licensing.
Contract review and contract management, with experience in
international contract issues.
Program-related investments and mission investments.
Tax reporting requirements, including the 990-PF and required
attachments.
Employment law.
Demonstrated excellent research, writing, presentation, and
communication skills.
Excellent judgment as reflected in a professional record of
successfully and independently providing counsel to clients.
Excellent project and team management experience.
Ability to set priorities and anticipate information needed by
others as projects and situations develop; ability to juggle
multiple demands, organize time and identify resources for
projects.
Strong facilitation, teamwork, and client-service skills;
experience exercising influence and managing change while setting
an open and inclusive tone with others.
Comfort with ambiguity and the ability to work through challenging
complex situations; experience with resolving challenging
problems.
Experience which demonstrates discretion in handing information of
a sensitive and confidential nature; attention to detail and
accuracy.
Ability to interface effectively in a professional, courteous,
culturally sensitive, and tactful manner.
Administratively self-sufficient.
Demonstrated skill with Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and
SharePoint.
Compensation and Benefits
The position is
full-time. The salary range for this position starts at $220,000
per year. Offers are based on the candidate's years of experience
and our practice of upholding salary equity within the
foundation.
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation offers excellent benefits
for eligible employees. Current benefits include medical (HMO and
HDHPs), dental and vision coverage; 15% employer contribution to
employee retirement plan; life insurance, disability insurance,
vacation, and sick leave; an adoption benefit; fertility benefit; a
financial wellness program; health advocacy services, paid time off
to volunteer for nonprofit organizations; matching grants for
employee contributions to tax exempt organizations; commute
assistance; and tuition assistance.
Hybrid Work Policy
The Packard Foundation’s
current Hybrid Work Policy is that staff are expected to be in the
office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays each week.
COVID-19
The David and Lucile Packard
Foundation requires that all staff be fully vaccinated against
COVID-19, except as required by law. Any employment offer will be
contingent upon satisfactory proof that you are fully vaccinated
from COVID-19, subject to reasonable accommodations for medical or
religious reasons, and/or as otherwise required by applicable
law.
Get job alerts
Create a job alert and receive personalized job recommendations straight to your inbox.
Create alert