US General Counsel

Effective Ventures Foundation USA, Inc. is looking for a General Counsel to lead its legal group. EV US is a 501(c)(3) public charity that sponsors many charitable projects associated with effective altruism, including the Centre for Effective Altruism and 80,000 Hours. The General Counsel is responsible for managing all legal matters for EV US, including: 

• Ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations
• Identifying and mitigating legal risks
• Managing litigation and investigations
• Providing support on governance issues to the board of trustees
• Supporting fiscally sponsored organizations on legal matters

The Ideal Candidate 

EV US is at an inflection point, with a significant pivot in organizational strategy underway and very little “business as usual.” An ideal candidate for this role will therefore have the flexibility and creativity to work with internal stakeholders and external advisors to put EV US and its sponsored projects on the best footing to continue doing good in the world. We list key responsibilities below based on the legal team’s current activities, but candidates should expect to adapt based on organizational needs.

We also expect that most strong candidates will be familiar with effective altruism and longtermism, but we could see ourselves hiring an otherwise excellent candidate with more limited initial familiarity if they are able to demonstrate genuine interest and a desire to deepen their engagement on the job. An ideal candidate will see themselves as first and foremost working toward a better world and future, with that outlook framing their representation of EV US. 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Legal Risk Management, Compliance  and Day-to-Day Legal Support

• • Track and mitigate legal risks to EV US
  • Track and mitigate US legal risks to sponsored charitable projects
  • Manage relationships with outside counsel
  • Manage a diverse range of legal issues for EV US, including:
    • Tax and compliance issues
    • Corporate policies and procedures
    • Contracts of all types, from NDAs to complicated commercial transactions
    • Real estate and leasing issues
    • HR-related issues, including immigration and visas
    • Data protection compliance issues

• Governance Support to the Board of Trustees

• • Advise the board on governance issues
  • Help run board meetings when asked to do so

• Legal Structure and Relationship with EV UK

• • Manage legal issues around relationship with EV UK, EV US’s UK sister charity

• Support to Fiscally Sponsored Projects

• • Manage  EV US’s legal relationships with fiscally sponsored projects
  • Provide ongoing legal support to fiscally sponsored projects 

• Manage Legal Department 

• • Currently one Assistant General Counsel and admin personnel
  • Report directly to the CEO

Skills and Experience:

1. Ethical orientation: You should be committed to the principles of Effective Altruism and be ready to partner with the executive team to understand how legal considerations intersect with EV’s mission.
2. JD or equivalent and license to practice law in a US jurisdiction that would allow you to practice remotely as in-house counsel
3. 10+ years legal experience, with in-house experience a plus but not required
   1. Other pluses but not required:
      1. 501(c)(3) nonprofit experience
      2. Experience with cross-border legal and compliance issues
      3. Experience with corporate governance issues

1. Analytical Skills: Ability to identify, assess, and mitigate legal risks, as well as to analyze complex legal documents and contracts.
2. Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills to effectively convey legal advice and information to the board, employees, and other stakeholders. Ability to translate complex legal concepts into understandable terms for non-legal professionals. Ability to assess risk, effectively convey degree of certainty around risk, and help decision-makers effectively address complicated trade-offs.
3. Negotiation Skills: Strong negotiation skills to resolve legal disputes, negotiate contracts and manage legal issues in external relationships.
4. Attention to Detail: Meticulous attention to detail to ensure accuracy in legal documents, contracts, and compliance with laws and regulations.
5. Problem Solving: Ability to identify and resolve legal issues, as well as to provide creative and practical solutions to mitigate risks and support the organization’s objectives.
6. Interpersonal Skills: Strong relationship-building and collaboration skills to work effectively with colleagues, fiscally sponsored projects, and external legal counsel. Ability to manage and navigate sensitive situations, such as conflicts of interest and employee relations issues.
7. Crisis Management: Ability to work collaboratively through intense, stressful situations while maintaining morale and focus.

We encourage you to apply even if you do not believe you meet every single qualification.  Research shows that people who identify as being from underrepresented groups are more prone to experiencing imposter syndrome and doubting the strength of their candidacy, so we urge you not to exclude yourself prematurely and to submit an application if you’re interested in this work. We think the work we are doing makes representation even more important, and we strive to include a range of diverse perspectives on our team.

Salary and benefits

This is a full-time remote position. Your starting salary range is $156,000 to $180,000, depending on experience and location. There may be flexibility in salary for exceptional candidates with significant experience. 

Our benefits reflect our belief in investing in our people to build the strongest possible team. We want everyone to be able to be able to perform at their best as we provide world-class support and maximize our positive impact.

• Prioritised health & wellbeing
  We provide private medical, vision and dental insurance, up to 3 weeks’ paid sick leave, and a mental health allowance of $6,000 each year.
• Flexible working
  You’re generally free to set your own schedule (with some overlapping hours with colleagues). 
• Generous vacation
  We provide all team members with 25 days’ holiday each year, plus public holidays.
• Professional development opportunities
  We offer a $6,000 allowance each year and build in opportunities for career growth through on-the-job learning, increasing responsibility, and role progression pathways.
• Parental leave and support
  New parents have up to 14 weeks fully-paid leave and up to 52 weeks leave in total. We also provide financial support for child care to help parents balance child care needs.
• Pension and income protection plans
  We offer a 10% employer / 0% employee 401K contribution, and income protection insurance.
• Equipment to help your productivity
  We will pay for high-quality and ergonomic equipment (laptop, monitors, chair, etc.), in the office or at home if you work remotely.
• Global team retreats
  As we are a remote team, we hold in-person co-working weeks once a quarter and staff retreats once to twice a year to work on our plans and build strong working relationships.

Apply

Apply here

We’re looking for someone to start as soon as possible and will review applications on a rolling basis.

After considering your written application, we may invite you to complete a short trial task followed by further interviews. We’ll invite finalists to provide references.

We’re committed to fostering a culture of inclusion, and we encourage individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply. We especially encourage applications from women, gender minorities, and people of color who are excited about contributing to our mission. We’re an equal opportunity employer.

If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, or have any other questions about applying, please contact careers@ev.org.