This Assistant General Counsel role reports to the Deputy General Counsel who leads the Legal Team’s support to the foundation’s offices outside the US and many of the foundation’s operational functions, including Human Resources, Information Technology and Security, and Global Security. As the foundation evolves in size and complexity of its work, additional Legal support is needed. The individual we are seeking has legal expertise in US employment law, and a background or willingness to become a subject matter expert in the tax and business implications of placing employees in new jurisdictions in North America and providing employee benefits to a growing, global workforce.
The Assistant General Counsel role has two primary components: US employment law and related tax issues; and general support for operations and program teams.
Regarding US employment law and related tax issues, the role includes counseling HR professionals and other internal clients on employee relations and employment law compliance, assisting with US state tax analyses and registrations for a mobile workforce, advising on US federal tax treatment of employee fringe benefits, drafting employment related agreements and documents, managing claims and related investigations, and educating foundation personnel regarding laws and best practices applicable to US employers.
Regarding general support for operations and program teams, the role includes addressing issues that arise in the general operations of the foundation such as Security, Facilities, and IT, as well as managing discovery, developing employee guidance on various issues and preparing filings associated with a global workforce.
- Collaborate with members of the Legal Team, Human Resources, Finance, and other subject matter experts and foundation personnel to provide support and implement best practices.
- Provide practical business-oriented legal advice and counsel.
- Understand the objectives of internal client groups, develop creative solutions, and resolve issues using the legal framework and the foundation's values.
- Manage outside counsel as needed.
- Remain current on new and emerging US laws and regulations regarding employment law and related tax issues.
- Provide support on other legal matters and foundation policies and issues as needed and serve as an active member of the Legal Team.
- Travel for work purposes, when necessary.
- Subject matter expertise in employment law and at least one additional field of law, including employee benefits, tax law and/or litigation.
- A minimum of 3-5 years’ experience in a law firm and/or in-house legal department.
- History of effectively serving a demanding client base in a complex and fast-paced work environment.
- Detail-oriented and self-motivated.
- Flexibility to multi-task and agility to advise internal clients at all levels in the organization.
- Ability to communicate difficult legal concepts clearly and non-legalistically to business clients orally and in writing.
- Ability to prioritize work in context of the foundation’s risk tolerance framework.
- Ability to work with flexibility, efficiency, enthusiasm and diplomacy both individually and collaboratively as part of a team effort.
- Passion for innovation, learning and continuous improvement
- Comfortable with change and ambiguity
- Sense of humor, humility, perspective, equity and generosity
- Highest standards of ethics and integrity