Associate General Counsel

~ Conservation International (CI) has been protecting nature for the benefit of all for over 30 years. Through science, policy, and partnerships, CI is helping build a healthier, more prosperous and more productive planet. ~

Position Summary

The Associate General Counsel (Americas Region) (“AGC”) works within CI’s Office of the General Counsel to manage the legal affairs of CI’s global and regional programs. The Office of General Counsel consists of a small global team of legal, compliance and internal audit professionals who work closely together to further CI’s mission and manage legal and regulatory risks. The AGC will manage and support CI’s international legal operations, including corporate registrations, governance affiliates, employment issues, contracting, grant making, compliance and risk management, and general legal program support. The AGC will also provide complex transactional support to DC based programs and departments, and will resolve legal issues, provide expert advice, and counsel staff on a range of issues affecting nonprofit organizations.

Location: The AGC position may be based in the following cities depending on CI’s needs and candidate’s experience and qualifications: Washington, DC area; Seattle, Washington; Bogota, Colombia; Lima, Peru; San Jose, Costa Rica; Mexico City, Mexico; or Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  

Depending on the successful candidate’s qualifications and ability to work in the U.S. and one of the specified other countries in the Americas region, CI would consider initial employment in the U.S., with a transition to the Americas region after one year.  It is anticipated that the AGC will report to the CI General Counsel.

Responsibilities

• Manage legal risk for assigned field-based programs in Latin America. Responsibilities for programs in other regions in which CI operates may be assigned depending on CI’s needs and the AGC’s experience and interest.
• Advise and counsel staff and leadership on issues of US and program country law. 
• Resolve legal issues while complying with operational policies and exempt organizations law, and providing creative support to programs. 
• Review legal matters and documents from assigned regions, and provide overall legal advice to ensure efficient operations.
• Provide expert legal transactional support to regional and headquarters-based departments and programs.
• Advise on matters of institutional risk, draft and review documents, advise on applicable legal and regulatory requirements, resolve conflicts of interest and disputes, and provide overall legal advice.
• Work as part of department teams on specialized legal initiatives designed to enhance CI governance of its international programs and to manage legal and regulatory risk.
• Other duties as assigned by the General Counsel

Qualifications

Required:

• JD or LLM required from accredited law school in country where based.
• At least 5 years’ prior legal experience, ideally (at least in part) in a nonprofit, multilateral organization or international corporate legal setting.
• Experience with international transactions, as well as compliance and taxation matters, helpful.
• Familiarity through professional or academic experience (such obtained through as LLM study or foreign attorney experience) with at least one other applicable legal system.
• Proactive, client-focused, solutions-based, collaborative work approach. Ability to work effectively and to lead cross-functional teams with remote supervision.
• Experience as outside counsel and/or in managing outside counsel; project supervision experience.
• Experience and familiarity with a culturally diverse and international work force.
• Member in good standing of an applicable bar.
• Strong English, Spanish and Portuguese language skills. French is desirable.
• Passion for conservation.

Preferred:

• English, Spanish and Portuguese language skills; French desirable.