The Chief Legal and Policy Officer (CLPO) of Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) reports to the Executive Director (ED) and serves as the legal counsel to the organization’s leadership. The CLPO is an expert on laws affecting non-profit advocacy organizations and will partner with Amnesty’s senior leadership to develop a strong legal framework in support of our organizational effectiveness, innovation, compliance and risk mitigation. The CLPO proactively supports the ED and the Board of Directors in relationships and collaboration with the global organization, Amnesty International (AI), and external partners. The CLPO is responsible for AIUSA’s policy work and supervises a team of nine staff working on government relations; the CLPO also advises organizational leadership on governance issues, handles all staff union concerns, and manages other projects as assigned. The CLPO oversees a team of eleven staff, is a member of the Executive Team, and advises the Board of Directors.
Legal Counsel (approx. 55% of time):
- Advise the ED and the Board of Directors on legal matters affecting non-profit advocacy organizations and minimize legal risks to the organization while maximizing our ability to grow, innovate and advance our human rights work
- Keep the senior leadership of the organization aware of compliance issues and recommend proactive measures and actions to prevent or remedy any concerns
- Provide counsel and representation on litigation matters
- Provide legal guidance to the Board and the organization’s staff and membership to ensure that Amnesty’s activism is effective and impactful
- Advise the organization on establishing a 501(c)4 organization and ensuring that all compliance issues are managed
- Review and approve legal contracts signed by the organization and oversee any confidentiality agreements. Advise staff on how they can protect the organization’s legal standing.
- Oversee the union contract negotiations and implementation; represent senior management in the Labor-Management Committee
Policy, governance and global partnerships (20% of time):
- Supervise the Policy Director and ensure consistent application of and compliance with Amnesty International’s policy positions
- Advise the Board of Directors on governance functions and responsibilities and provide support and counsel to governance reform efforts; supervise the Governance Officer
- Support the Board’s policy consultations on the development of global policies
- Facilitate communication and strengthen relationships between AIUSA and AI
- Oversee reporting to AI and ensure that AIUSA is providing timely information to the global movement
Team Management (20%):
- Supervise the National Director of Advocacy and Government Relations and provide guidance and support to their team of professional staff
- Provide legal guidance to the team and ensure that lobbying records are carefully monitored and reported
- Encourage a culture of high performance and continuous development that values learning and a commitment to quality
- Mentor and manage staff with a commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility principles
- Establish and monitor staff performance and development goals, offer ongoing and regular feedback, and give attention to professional development of all staff
Special initiatives (5%):
- Lead new initiatives when requested by the ED or Chief Development and Operations Officer (CDOO) to pilot new approaches, to capture opportunities or to address risks
- Innovative thinker, with a track record for translating strategic thinking into action plans, outputs, and results
- Strong legal skills and analysis with ability to effectively identify and communicate risks and guidance to others
- Exceptional and persuasive communicator; written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation
- Excellent leadership and management skills; experience in building, mentoring, facilitating, and coaching a team of professional staff
- Outstanding judgment and creative problem-solving skills, including negotiation and conflict resolution skills
- Ability to make decisions in a changing environment and anticipate future needs
- Energetic, flexible, and proactive; a good team player eager to collaborate with all colleagues across the organization, including the senior management team, the Board of Directors, and volunteer member leaders
- Passion for AIUSA’s mission
KNOWLEDGE and EDUCATION
- Experience in providing legal counsel and leadership to non-profit advocacy organizations; experience in human rights or international organizations a plus
- Minimum 10 years of experience in a senior management role working with the Executive Director and senior management team
- Experience in policy and government relations an advantage