The General Counsel (GC) has overall responsibility for the legal affairs of FHI 360 and its subsidiaries. The GC advises the company on legal matters, oversees legal department operations and provision of legal services, and formulates corporate legal strategy to protect against risk and advance business goals. In addition, the GC is responsible for oversight of research ethics and regulatory compliance, contracts management services, and the company’s multinational corporate insurance program.
The GC is a corporate officer and member of the Executive Team and serves as a close counselor to the CEO on all matters affecting the organization.
The GC must demonstrate executive level experience and success in devising and managing legal strategies, corporate relationships, and negotiations with public sector institutions, foundations, and commercial businesses. Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Providing guidance and overseeing compliance with US and international laws and regulations affecting the company's operations. Relevant areas of law include corporate governance and transactions; venture financing; tax exempt status and fundraising; contracts and commercial transactions, US government contracts and grants; patent, trademark, and copyright; licensing and technology transfer; data privacy, and labor and employment.
- Managing the budget and operations of the legal department, including:
- recruiting, training, supervising, and retaining effective legal professionals
- directing and managing effective legal service delivery processes to ensure timely and effective services for business partners within the company
- leveraging technology and metrics to maximize departmental efficiency and guide resource allocation; and
- formulating long-term strategic and development plans for the legal department to ensure expertise and capacity align with future business objectives and strategic priorities.
- Monitoring legal, regulatory and business developments to identify areas of legal and compliance risk, advise senior management, and formulate strategies to mitigate or manage the risks.
- Serving as a member of the Executive Team and other leadership groups responsible for setting the organization’s strategic direction, defining corporate policies, and evaluating the business and social performance of the organization.
- Advising the company on corporate structure and entity formation to facilitate operations and strategy, and negotiating, managing, and preparing documents for complex legal and business transactions.
- Serving as corporate secretary and supporting the Board of Directors' corporate governance and oversight activities.
- Serving as a member of the Retirement Plans Committee.
- Overseeing incident management and the defense, prosecution, and resolution of domestic and international litigation, arbitration or administrative proceedings, and other claims.
- Overseeing selection, management, and evaluation of US and international outside counsel, including local counsel and legal specialists.
- Overseeing management and administration of the company's corporate insurance program.
- Overseeing maintenance of company trademarks, and management of intellectual property protection and licensing matters.
- Overseeing management of the Clinical Regulatory and Compliance department and the Office of International Research Ethics, which oversee compliance with federal research regulations and protection of human research subjects.
- Overseeing Contracts Management Services, which handles negotiation, execution, and administration of the company's prime and subawards.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
- The GC reports directly to the CEO. The GC supervises a legal team currently comprised of two Assistant General Counsels, a Paralegal, and a corporate Assistant Secretary who supports the Board of Directors and the FHI Foundation. In addition to the legal team, the Director of Contract Management Services reports directly to the GC.
To fulfill this critical leadership position, FHI 360 seeks an accomplished attorney with the following characteristics:
- Understanding of and a drive to be actively associated with a not-for-profit human development organization that works in the US and internationally; experience working with an international non-profit or public organization is an advantage.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills including the ability to draft and analyze complex legal documents.
- Strong interpersonal skills and leadership experience and proven ability to gain the respect of, and work collaboratively with people in a wide range of professional disciplines.
- Strong business process management and proficiency with office technology.
- Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously across different geographies and cultural contexts.
- Ability to act independently while being sensitive and responsive to a diverse set of corporate equities and expectations.
- Willingness, interest and ability to travel domestically and internationally.
- Ability and willingness to represent FHI 360 in multiple social and professional settings at a senior level, including interacting with leaders at the most senior levels of government, business and civil society.
Minimum Requirements:
At least 15 years of legal experience in practice areas relating to FHI 360's operations including prior relevant in-house experience in a leadership or management role; strong preference for experience with international development funding and programs; prior experience working in government agencies and/or managing relationships with government representatives and agencies is an advantage.
- Deep understanding of and significant experience with US government grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts, including the Federal Acquisition Regulation and the Uniform Requirements for Federal Awards (2 C.F.R. § 200); familiarity with other public and private sector funder requirements is an advantage.
- Solid understanding of corporate financial management.
- Demonstrated ability to lead a high performing team and proven ability to collaborate with colleagues at all levels in a diverse professional and cultural environment.
- Prior experience providing legal support to Boards of Directors; service on for profit and/or non-profit boards is an advantage.
- Ability to read and/or speak one or more foreign languages is an advantage.
FHI 360 fosters the strength and health of its workforce through a competitive benefits package, professional development and policies and programs that support healthy work/life balance. Join our global workforce to make a positive difference for others — and yourself.