Join the World's Top Legal Talent Network

The Foundation

We are the largest nonprofit fighting poverty, disease, and inequity around the world. Founded on a simple premise: people everywhere, regardless of identity or circumstances, should have the chance to live healthy, productive lives. We believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve. We provide an exceptional benefits package to employees and their families which include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with no premiums, generous paid time off, paid family leave, foundation-paid retirement contribution, regional holidays, and opportunities to engage in several employee communities. As a workplace, we’re committed to creating an environment for you to thrive both personally and professionally.

The Team

"Guidance, Solutions, Integrity" describes our approach to providing responsive legal guidance supporting pursuit of the foundation’s mission and implementation of our programmatic and operational strategies. We deliver comprehensive legal services by providing efficient and reliable legal guidance, managing legal risk, and supporting the creation of solutions.

The individual we are seeking will be responsible for providing legal support for grants, contracts, complex collaborations and other transactions in furtherance of our charitable objectives (collectively, “Transactions”). The legal support we provide will include structuring multiparty and complex relationships as well as drafting and negotiating complex agreements and advising program leaders on Transactions. This is an exciting opportunity to provide support across the foundation and its affiliated entities, including our Global Development and Gender Equality divisions!

What You’ll Do

Core responsibilities include:

• Structure, negotiate, and draft documents related to Transactions and provide practical legal advice and counsel.
• Provide support in other legal matters or foundation policies and issues as needed and serve as an active member of the legal team.
• Understand programmatic and other objectives of internal client groups and support the development of creative solutions and resolution of issues using framework for risk tolerance, priorities, and objectives.
• Understand and implement legal compliance using the best methodologies for completing transactions and other foundation activities, including with respect to tax-exempt organizations, global access (making access to technology and products available at an affordable price in low and lower middle-income countries), data/privacy matters, intellectual property, for-profit engagement and advocacy.
• Serve as the legal team’s relationship manager for certain foundation program strategy teams, working closely with leadership of those teams to become a trusted partner, provide guidance and help coordinate legal team resources as appropriate.
• Collaborate with other members of our team and foundation personnel as appropriate.
• Manage outside counsel as appropriate.
• Train and educate foundation personnel regarding laws and applicable good professional practices.
• Keep current on new and emerging laws and policy developments impacting business transactions, intellectual property, and private foundations.
• Some travel may be required.

Your Experience

• A Juris Doctor degree and current bar membership in good standing are required.
• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in the practice of law with proven expertise in being the lead lawyer in structuring, drafting, negotiating, and executing complex transactions, including collaboration agreements, commercial agreements, corporate transactions, and cross-border transactions.
• A combination of law firm and in-house counsel experience preferred.
• Direct experience guiding and advising clients on broad and multi-jurisdictional commercial legal and business matters, with knowledge of laws applicable to tax-exempt organizations, grant making and other investment vehicles within philanthropy a plus.
• History of effectively supporting a demanding client base and serving as counselor on ground-breaking, emerging legal issues in a complex, fast-paced and evolving legal and policy environment.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships and gain the respect and trust of others.
• Ability to prioritize work in context of our risk tolerance framework, priorities and objectives.
• Comfortable in a wide range of cultural and geographic settings, demonstrating culturally sensitive behavior with a diverse range of people.
• Passion for innovation, learning and continuous improvement.
• Strong business sense and client focus.
• Ability to work with flexibility, efficiency, enthusiasm, and diplomacy both individually and collaboratively as part of a team effort in a highly matrixed environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills, maturity, sound judgment, and ability to communicate in a clear and compelling manner with internal and external audiences.
• Intellectual curiosity, discipline, resourcefulness, and resilience.
• Self-motivated and have a passion for the mission of the foundation.
• Highest standards of ethics and integrity.
• Sense of balance, humor, and perspective.

Must be able to legally work in the country where this position is located without visa sponsorship.

The salary range for this role is $279,600 to $433,300 USD. As a mission-driven organization, we strive to balance competitive pay with our mission and new hires are typically brought into the organization at a salary range between the minimum and the midpoint salary range. Actual placement in the range will depend on a candidate’s job-related skills, experience, and expertise, as evaluated during the interview process.

Hiring Requirements

As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.

Candidate Accommodations

If you require assistance due to a disability in the application or recruitment process, please submit a request here.

Inclusion Statement

We are dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We strive for a global and cultural workplace that supports ever greater diversity, equity, and inclusion — of voices, ideas, and approaches — and we support this diversity through all our employment practices.

All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve our mission will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to race, color, age, religion, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and prior protected activity.