Join the World's Top Legal Talent Network

Application Deadline: Wednesday, March 27th

Who We Are

International Justice Mission (IJM) is the global leader in protecting vulnerable people from violence around the world. Our team of over 1,200 professionals are at work worldwide in over 30 offices. Together we are on a mission to rescue millions, protect half a billion, and make justice unstoppable.

We are a global community that cares for one another. We believe that the way we work is as important as the results we achieve. We provide professional excellence with joy and celebration to all those we serve.

The Need

For 25 years, IJM has pioneered the work to protect vulnerable people from violence. 9 out of 9 times in the last decade, IJM’s Justice System Strengthening Projects have reduced slavery and violence between 50 and 85% for very large populations of people in poverty. As we grow to expand our impact to protect 500 million people from violence by 2030, we are seeking a Chief Risk Officer & General Counsel.

The CRO is responsible for ensuring that the organization meets it fiduciary, legal, and duty of care requirements; setting enterprise-wide standards for compliance, duty of care, and risk management; and developing the systems, processes, and capacities to provide effective support for the mission. The CRO also serves as a key strategic advisor and counsel for the CEO, Global Leadership Team (GLT), and the IJM Board of Directors.

The CRO reports directly to the CEO and is part of the Global Leadership Team (GLT). The CRO provides direct supervisory management to the following functions and corresponding roles: General Counsel, Global Security and Enterprise Governance and Compliance.

_This position is hybrid (onsite Tuesdays & Thursdays) if located in the Washington, DC area or remote for non-local candidates and is only available for candidates with the right to work in the US.

_ Responsibilities:

Leadership: Working closely with the CEO and the COO, the CRO plays a significant role in the executive leadership of IJM’s global mission and vision. As a member of the GLT and the Global Operations Council, the CRO serves as a key strategic advisor and counsel for the executive leadership of the mission.

• Establish the organizational standards for the most critical areas of IJMs operations—compliance, risk management, duty of care, ethics, and safeguarding.
• Build and lead a matrixed team of core functional support areas, including legal, security, compliance, and corporate governance.

Legal Affairs:

• Serve as General Counsel and strategic advisor to the CEO, GLT, and Board.
• Build a matrixed team of world-class lawyers who provide excellent, solution-oriented legal support and counsel to the mission.
• Develop, implement, and manage the standards, processes, and capacities to ensure legal compliance across all of IJMs operations and activities.
• Manage the relationships and utilization of IJMs network of outside and pro bono legal counsel.
• Manage the systems and processes for maintaining IJMs legal and governing documents in compliance with internal and external requirements.

Policies & Compliance:

• Manage the Internal Governance framework of governing standards, policies, and processes.
• Develop, implement, and manage the cycle of training, review, compliance, and continuous improvement of IJM standards and policies.
• Develop, implement, and manage a global compliance function that effectively measures and builds a culture/capacity for compliance with key legal, ethical, fiduciary, operational, and programmatic standards/policies.

Corporate Governance:

• Supporting the effective corporate governance of the mission through strategic and administrative support for the IJM Global Board, including leading Board meeting content and execution, reporting communications, Board development, and Board policy.
• Manage the corporate governance of all legal entities within the IJM global enterprise and ensure that all offices/entities within the IJM Enterprise are compliant with local laws and the Sole Member governance framework.

Enterprise Risk Management:

• Develop, implement, and manage the structures, frameworks, and processes that equip the GLT and GLT Councils to identify enterprise-wide risks (internal and external) and make informed decisions to manage/mitigate those risks.
• Develop, articulate, and implement the governing standards on IJMs approach to risk (i.e., IJMs risk tolerance/appetite) and ensure that it is reflected in IJMs policies, operations, and activities.
• Lead the development, management, and training on IJMs crisis response framework; serve as the executive leader for enterprise crisis response.
• Regularly report to the Board and GLT on the portfolio of enterprise risks to the mission.
• Manage the standards and processes for negotiating, securing, and administering IJMs portfolio of business insurance policies.

Security:

• Lead a matrixed team of world-class security professionals who provide excellent, solution-oriented support, counsel, and training to the mission on safety and security.
• Develop, implement, and manage the standards, processes, and capacities to ensure safety and security standards and duty of care requirements are met across all of IJMs operations and activities.

Ethics and Safeguarding:

• Develop, implement, and manage the systems, processes, and capacities to identify and appropriately respond to any incidents or reports of ethical misconduct or safeguarding violations.

Data Management & Privacy:

• Develop, implement, and manage the systems, processes, and capacities for managing IJMs data in compliance with cross-jurisdictional legal requirements for data maintenance, preservation, management, sharing, privacy, and retention.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of ten (10) years of experience holding responsibility for legal affairs/compliance in a corporate or non-profit setting, providing executive-level legal counsel in an in-house or law firm setting, and leading and managing teams of legal professionals;
• Experience working directly with and advising executive-level leadership and Boards of Directors;
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in risk management, corporate governance, safety/security, and/or policy development/management strongly preferred;
• Experience working/providing counsel in a multi-national/global context, across multiple jurisdictions, and in cross-cultural settings strongly preferred;
• Demonstrated success in building and leading diverse teams of exceptional strength, professional excellence, effectiveness, and health; and
• Juris Doctorate degree and bar membership.

Critical Qualities:

• Eager commitment to IJM's Core Values: Christian, Professional and Bridge-Building;
• Superb written and verbal communication skills;
• Extraordinary strategic judgment and analysis;
• Collaborative, Mission-First, Servant Leader with Global Perspective;
• Ability to lead through influence;
• Rigorous analytical thinker with the capacity to quickly absorb new subject areas;
• Ability to interact with high-level, high-profile internal and external stakeholders;
• Orientation to process & systems thinking.

Application Process:

Upload Resume, Cover Letter & Statement of Faith* in one PDF document.

Application Deadline: Wednesday, March 27th

• What is a statement of faith? A statement of faith should describe your Christian faith and how you see it as relevant to your involvement with IJM. The statement can either be incorporated into the cover letter or submitted as a separate document and should include, at a minimum, a description of your spiritual disciplines (prayer, study, etc.) and your current fellowship or place of worship.

What does IJM have to offer?

• Comprehensive Medical/Dental/Vision benefits
• Monthly commuter and parking benefits in the DC metro area
• Retirement benefit options
• Paid leave starting at 23 days
• 12 holidays (plus early release the day prior)
• Daily, quarterly, and annual community spiritual formation
• Robust staff care resources

_IJM holds strict safeguarding principles and a zero tolerance to violations of the Safeguarding Policy, Protection against Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment Policy, and Code of Ethics. Candidate selection is based on technical competence, recruitment, selection and hiring criteria subject to assessing the candidates value congruence and thorough background, police clearance, and reference check processes.

_ _At IJM, we’re committed to building a diverse workforce through fair and equitable employment practices. IJM encourages people of any race, color, age, sex, marital status or political ideology to apply for employment. While we welcome everyone into this work, we truly believe that the work we are doing is God’s work, not our own, and practice spiritual disciplines together daily. That’s why we legally require under SEC. 2000e-1 [Section702] of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that all employees practice a mature orthodox Christian faith, as defined by the Apostles’ Creed.

_ _IJM requires a background check, police clearance and thorough review of references with an employment offer and/or employment contract.

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