General Counsel - #260431

Department/Program

Operations

Reports To

Chief Operating Officer

Status

Full Time

LOCATION:

Washington, DC or Portland, OR preferred; AK, CA, FL, MD, TX, VA, WA, WV)

About Ocean Conservancy

Ocean Conservancy works to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges. Together with our partners, we create evidence-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it.

Position Summary

We are looking for an experienced General Counsel to join our team, providing strategic legal guidance and ensuring the organization remains compliant with all relevant laws and regulations. The General Counsel will play an essential role in supporting operations and will report directly to the Chief Operating Officer (COO).

The General Counsel will be responsible for overseeing the business legal aspects of the organization, ensuring compliance with regulatory, employment, and governance laws. This position will provide legal counsel to senior leadership, ensuring the organization operates within legal boundaries while advancing its mission. The General Counsel will collaborate closely with the COO, executive leadership, other departments, and outside counsel, when necessary, to address legal challenges and manage risk across the organization.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Legal Support

• Collaborate with the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and other senior leaders to address legal aspects of Ocean Conservancy’s operations and strategic initiatives, which may include, but not limited to, nonprofit lobbying, intellectual property, fundraising, data privacy, social media, operations, programs and partnerships.
• Provide ongoing legal counsel on nonprofit governance, and employment law to ensure the organization’s programs align with federal, state, and local laws.
• Provide legal advice to ensure compliance while pursuing our mission.
  
  

Regulatory and Compliance Management

• Oversee the organization’s compliance with nonprofit-specific regulations and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
• Develop and implement policies and procedures to ensure compliance with relevant regulatory requirements, including environmental, fundraising, and tax-exempt status regulations.
• Keep the organization informed about changes to federal and state laws that impact the nonprofit sector and environmental advocacy.
  
  

Employment Law and HR Compliance

• Provide legal guidance on employment matters, including employee relations, disputes, hiring, terminations, compensation, and benefits.
• Ensure compliance with labor laws, including federal, state, and local workplace regulations, and support the HR team with policy development and training.
• Work in partnership with the VP of People and Culture to draft and review employee agreements, contracts, handbooks, and other human resources documents.
  
  

Governance and Corporate Compliance

• Support the COO and Executive Leadership on matters of governance, including nonprofit compliance with IRS 501(c)(3) and 501 (c)(4) regulations, lobbying restrictions, and other tax-exempt status requirements.
• Advise on corporate governance best practices and legal obligations for board members and staff.
  
  

Contract Management

• Develop, negotiate, review, and maintain contracts, agreements, and memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with external partners, vendors, and stakeholders; this including cause marketing, sponsorship, royalty, fundraising, non-disclosure and lease agreements.
• Working with the Chief Development Officer to develop processes for gift agreements.
• Ensure all contracts support organizational business priorities and comply with applicable laws.
• Manage the legal aspects of grant agreements, donations, and sponsorship arrangements.
• Collaborate with appropriate external legal counsel when necessary and manage efforts to resolve disputes in a cost-effective manner.
  
  

Other Responsibilities

• Conduct internal legal audits to assess compliance with laws and identify areas for improvement.
• Provide ongoing training and resources to staff on legal matters, including ethical responsibilities and organizational policies.
• Support and coordinate on legal matters and interactions with regulatory agencies, advocacy organizations, and external stakeholders.
• Understand compliance requirements for all applicable registration requirements, annual filings and state charitable registration process.
• Other duties as assigned.
  
  

Qualifications

REQUIRED SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.
• A minimum of 10+ years of relevant work experience and years of legal practice as an attorney, preferably with US tax-exempt entities or international nonprofits.
• Demonstrated expertise in regulatory compliance and 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) governance.
• Experience advising nonprofit leadership on legal matters, including risk management, contracts, and strategic decisions.
• Familiarity with fundraising laws and grantmaking for 501(c)(3) organizations.
• Knowledge of the legal landscape surrounding environmental issues and nonprofit tax-exempt status.
• Strong experience managing legal disputes, contract negotiations, and working with external legal counsel.
• Demonstrated ability to handle stressful situations with professionalism, diplomacy, and with a calm demeanor.
• High ethical standards and exemplary customer service are mandatory.
  
  

Key Skills

• Collaborative Leadership: Ability to work closely with the COO and senior leadership team to provide sound legal advice and support organizational goals.
• Strategic Thinking: Strong ability to anticipate legal challenges and align legal strategy with the nonprofit’s mission and long-term vision.
• Problem Solving: Expertise in analyzing complex legal issues and providing actionable solutions.
• Clear Communication: Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to simplify complex legal information for leadership and staff.
• Ethical Integrity: A commitment to the highest ethical standards in the nonprofit sector, with a focus on transparency and accountability.
• A self-starter: Able to exercise independent judgment, flexible and motivated to take ownership of projects and demonstrate follow-through.
• Relationship builder: Excellent social and interpersonal skills with a proven ability to build effective relationships at all levels and across culturally diverse teams; builds trust quickly.
• Highly organized: A track record of meeting short- and long-term responsibilities in a fast-paced, dynamic organization.
• Committed to our mission of protecting the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges.
  
  

EDUCATION/TRAINING

• Juris Doctor (required) from an ABA-accredited law school.
• License to practice law in any state or territory of the US.
  
  

Compensation

Ocean Conservancy is committed to fair pay practices and posts expected salary ranges for each of its positions. Compensation will be commensurate with the candidate’s specialty skills, years of experience, location, and unique background. The expected minimum salary is $185,300. We would welcome the opportunity to connect with potential candidates whose salary requirements may be outside of the expected range.

HYBRID WORK ENVIRONMENT

Ocean Conservancy embraces a hybrid work environment, which allows our staff the flexibility to work virtually and in-person while building strong connections across the institution.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Ocean Conservancy provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

We encourage applicants who have a diverse level and range of relevant skills and experiences to apply. A 100% match is not required.