The Grants and Contracts Services team (GCS) at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation supports the development and execution of investments furthering the foundation’s charitable and operational objectives around the world. Contracts Solutions is a function within GCS comprised of attorneys and legal professionals responsible for managing and overseeing the foundation’s contracts work. Senior Attorneys on the Contracts Solutions team manage a portfolio of internal clients, support non-lawyers within GCS with respect to complex contracts or negotiations, and contribute to team-wide efforts to optimize the foundation’s policies, processes and tools and develop best practices relating to contracts.
We believe that energized people, working well together, fueled by great leadership in an inclusive environment in which they thrive, will do phenomenal things.
Core Responsibilities
- Work closely with a portfolio of internal clients to manage their contracting work, including:
- Drafting and negotiating contracts with an emphasis on consistency, clarity and compliance with applicable laws and policies
- Understanding client objectives and ensuring that contract terms support those objectives
- Counseling clients with respect to risk and mitigation strategies
- Encouraging practices consistent with principles of good stewardship
- Provide leadership and expertise within GCS, including:
- Establishing substantive and procedural norms for maintaining consistent, cross-foundation legal positions with respect to core contract terms
- Developing contract templates, guidance, training and best practices for non-lawyers
- Serving as an escalation point within GCS for complex contracts and negotiations
- Collaborate with the foundation’s Legal team on a variety of subjects related to contracts, including tax, intellectual property, employment, privacy, advocacy, and regulated activities
- Participate in foundation-wide initiatives, including projects related to the development and optimization of systems, policies, processes and tools affecting contracts
- Deep knowledge of and experience with commercial contract terms, including strong legal writing skills and the ability to translate business requirements into clear and concise legal terms
- Excellent negotiation and problem-solving skills, with an emphasis on building consensus and supporting long-term, productive vendor relationships
- Ability to counsel internal decision-makers, providing sound legal and organizational judgment
- Extraordinary communication skills leading to high-quality interactions with internal decision-makers and colleagues as well as vendors and other external partners
- Enthusiastic collaborator able to work well with others in a matrixed environment
- Ability to handle a large workload efficiently, balancing competing priorities and demands in a fast-paced environment
- Ability to adapt to and embrace change in a fast-paced, innovative work environment in which continuous improvement and embracing new challenges are norms