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Major, Lindsey & Africa (MLA) has been exclusively retained by The Rockefeller Foundation (“Foundation”) to search for an Associate General Counsel located in New York, NY. Interested candidates should submit a resume to the MLA consultants managing this search (contact information below). Please do not contact The Foundation directly; all resumes sent to our client will be routed to MLA for handling and will delay the consideration of your application. Our client is an equal-opportunity employer.

To submit a resume or request additional information, please contact: Lee Udelsman, Managing Partner, at ludelsman@mlaglobal.com , and Eskor Edem, Director, at eedem@mlaglobal.com .

No telephone calls, please. You may be required to complete additional documents to be considered for this position.

Position Overview

Reporting to the General Counsel, the Associate General Counsel will support the Foundation by providing risk-based legal advice and guidance on global labor and employment law matters. The successful candidate will collaborate with local employment counsel in the Foundation’s various locations around the world on issues including local labor compliance requirements, general HR guidance, litigation, training, and employee relations matters.

Pay Range : $227,481 - $290,061. This represents the present low and high end of the Foundation’s pay range for this position. Actual pay will vary based on various factors, including but not limited to experience.

Work Schedule : This role is on a hybrid work schedule, and required to be in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

Principal Duties And Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice and guidance for programmatic work at the Foundation to enable impactful outcomes in a compliant manner.
• Advise the Foundation, including its Human Resources team, on labor and employment matters for a global workforce, such as employment agreements, performance management, compensation, insurance, accommodation requests, and any other employee-related matters.
• Work with the Foundation’s finance team to provide guidance on employee compensation and benefits matters, including ERISA, compensation and benefits plan design, severance agreements, and issues relating to these programs.
• Set, review, and update local and global policies and templates to comply with the law, ensure consistency across the network, and reflect the Foundation's practices and values.
• Manage the drafting and negotiation of agreements for (a) labor and employment needs, including retention and severance of employees, secondees, temporary employees, and professional employer organizations, and (b) to advance programmatic objectives, including negotiation and drafting of MOUs, contracts, and grants.
• Advise on matters of classification, develop policies, and review contracts for independent contractors.
• Develop, oversee, and provide training tailored to the Foundation's staff on best practices and legal issues impacting similar organizations.
• Oversee the process of acquiring visas and provide advice on immigration matters with the assistance of external counsel.
• Engage with external counsel for escalations and review of documents and matters, and coordinate with the General Counsel to manage litigations, mediations, and complaints, as appropriate.
• Conduct legal research as needed.
• Advise and assist on other legal matters and special projects throughout the Foundation.
• Manage outside counsel as necessary.

Qualifications & Skills

• Juris Doctorate from ABA-accredited law school and generally expected to have 10-12 years of experience in practicing law, with at least five years of experience specializing in labor and employment law (preferably as in-house counsel).
• Candidates must be members of the New York Bar or eligible for immediate membership.
• Experience working for an international organization and/or in a non-profit or private foundation is preferred.
• Familiarity with local considerations in the jurisdictions of Kenya, Thailand, Italy and/or Latin America is desirable.
• Experience handling sensitive employee matters, strong drafting and negotiating skills, and a detail-oriented approach to the delivery of work.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate (verbal and written) legal and strategic advice with diverse stakeholders and then use practical thinking and a sensible risk-based approach to achieve solutions.
• Commitment to handle matters with integrity, care, respect and confidentiality.
• Ability to prioritize work from multiple internal clients and escalate as needed, including engaging and directing external counsel to coordinate and deliver advice.
• Commitment to continuous learning and support for organizational development in diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• A creative focus on how to achieve the foundation’s goals while minimizing legal risk.
• Must have the ability to work in diverse teams with shared responsibility and accountability.

Key Attributes

• Balances Stakeholders: Anticipates and balances the needs of multiple stakeholders.
• Cultivates Innovation: Creates new and better ways for the organization to be successful.
• Develops Talent: Develops people to meet both their career goals and the organization’s goals.
• Manages Complexity: Makes sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems.
• Values Differences: Recognizes the value of different perspectives and commits to inclusion, equity, and diversity in every aspect of work.

About The Rockefeller Foundation

The Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy built on collaborative partnerships at the frontiers of science, technology, and innovation that enable individuals, families, and communities to flourish. We make big bets to promote the well-being of humanity. Today, we are focused on advancing human opportunity and reversing the climate crisis by transforming systems in food, health, energy, and finance. For more information, sign up for our newsletter at http://rockefellerfoundation.org and follow us on X @RockefellerFdn .

The Rockefeller Foundation offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that includes health insurance programs, tuition reimbursement and student loan repayment, a generous 401K, parental leave, and various forms of paid time off, all to help our employees feel energized, cared for, and engaged.

As an organization, we focus on six values to advance our culture and continue our success. We are dedicated to being Transparent, Optimistic, Accountable, Collaborative, Trusted, and Equitable. We operate from a strong commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in everything that we do. It is not only the right thing to do – we could not make an impact without our team members' diverse perspectives and experiences. We expect all employees at the Foundation to contribute by developing their unique perspectives and talent, challenging conventional wisdom through evidence and reason, and amplifying marginalized voices.

The Rockefeller Foundation is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity and compliance with all federal, state, and local laws concerning employment discrimination, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. To this end, the Foundation ensures equal opportunity to all employees and applicants regardless of race, color, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, lawful alien status, physical, mental, and medical disability, veteran status, liability for service in the United States Armed Forces, or any other protected status.

The Rockefeller Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.