General Counsel - New York, United States - BronxWorks

Description

Job Description

BronxWorks helps individuals and families improve their economic and social well-being. From toddlers to seniors, we feed, shelter, teach, and support our neighbors to build a stronger community. In all aspects of our work, we strive for the highest ethical and performance standards and are guided by the belief that people are to be treated with dignity and respect regardless of their present situation or past experiences. We have over 60 locations throughout the Bronx providing a variety of programs that offer assistance in the areas of family, children and youth support, educational services, senior services, homelessness, and workforce development, among others. We are an employer of choice for anyone interested in a meaningful career in the social services field.

Position Overview:

BronxWorks seeks an admitted attorney with at least ten years of relevant legal experience to serve as General Counsel. The General Counsel will report to the Chief Legal & Operating Officer and will serve as the organization's chief legal advisor and as an integral member of the leadership team of an award-winning nonprofit health and human services agency. The General Counsel will also have direct access to and regular interaction with the Executive Director and the Board of Directors and will supervise an Associate General Counsel/Compliance Director and Legal Specialist. The General Counsel will be responsible for legal, contract, compliance, risk management, and governance functions for BronxWorks, will support the human resources function through legal and compliance oversight, and will provide ethical guidance and oversight to the organization's legal services department. The position currently works two days from our Bronx, NY office and remote for the remainder of the work week.

Responsibilities:

• Manage the Legal Department. Build out the in-house legal team to include an Associate General Counsel/Compliance Director and Legal Specialist; provide management and mentoring once these positions are onboarded; delegate duties, as appropriate.
• Legal. Responsible for anticipating and identifying legal and regulatory issues of concern to the agency and developing legal strategies and solutions. Advise management to support the development, negotiation, and structuring of diverse programs, initiatives, and partnerships. Serve as strategic legal advisor to the Executive Team and other members of leadership.
• Contract review/management. Responsible for reviewing, negotiating, and drafting commercial leases and contracts with lenders, government & private funders, housing developers, vendors, professional service providers, contractors, consultants, software licensors, and programmatic partners; ensuring all contracts undergo appropriate legal review and related risk management, including vetting and managing vendor certificates of insurance; establishing and managing an efficient contract review, approval, and filing process, including a process for managing contract and insurance expirations and renewals; researching, identifying, and implementing a contract management system to streamline the processing and storage of all relevant legal documents.
• Governance. Responsible for ensuring Board and corporate actions are consistent with applicable law and appropriately documented; presenting to the Board of Directors on matters within purview; ensuring appropriate corporate structures for the organization's activities; developing and overseeing compliance with governance calendar; drafting, reviewing, and approving policies and procedures, bylaws, resolutions and other documents related to governance, regulatory compliance, and business operations of the agency and its governing board; leading relevant Board committees, setting agendas for meetings; ensuring meetings of the Board and its committees are appropriately documented in meeting minutes and establishing and managing an appropriate filing system for all governance documentation.
• Compliance. Serves as Compliance Officer for BronxWorks. Responsible for compliance with Medicaid, applicable privacy laws including HIPAA and NYS SHIELD, employment laws, employee safety requirements, contract/regulatory requirements (e.g., Federal - HUD; NYS - OTDA, OFCS; NYC - DHS, DYCD, HRA, DOHMH, etc.), and other applicable laws. Oversees the implementation, communication, and enforcement of the Compliance Program and Whistleblower Policy.
• Risk management: Responsible for ensuring adequacy of insurance policies and for managing insurance renewals and the vendor certificate of insurance program; ensuring appropriate organizational policies & procedures to mitigate risk; serving as agency's Safety Officer; advising management on risks associated with various programs and activities, existing and proposed; overseeing the organization's Safety Committee and incident review committees; overseeing and regularly reporting to Board on implementation of the Enterprise Risk Management program.
• Litigation & claims: Responsible for investigating, reporting, and facilitating appropriate response to all potential and known claims; as appropriate, drafting and submitting responses to complaints, inquiries, and investigations and selecting and managing outside counsel in the defense; informing executive management and Board of status of all significant litigation, claims, and investigations; responding to inquiries about legal matters from various external entities; responsible for reviewing and responding to all subpoenas.
• Human Resources (HR). Support the HR function by providing legal and compliance guidance and oversight. Among other things, review and advise HR personnel with respect to proposed employment actions, leave and accommodation administration, and other individual employment transactions. Assist HR to develop and implement appropriate policies and procedures, trainings for HR personnel as well as the organization's staff and managers, compliance calendars and checklists, audits, and other controls.
• Legal Services. Advise Director of Legal Services on all legal ethics issues applicable to the provision of legal services (currently consisting of immigration, eviction prevention, and crime victims legal services). Among other things, assist the Director to establish an appropriate conflict check process and advise on conflict of interest and privilege questions as they arise. Oversee appropriate compliance and ethics monitoring and oversight.

Qualifications:

• At least ten years of relevant legal experience as an admitted attorney, including at least five years in a supervisory role. Prior experience working as an in-house attorney for a nonprofit organization is strongly preferred.
• J.D. from an accredited law school.
• Member in good standing of the New York State Bar.
• Strong connection to the BronxWorks mission.
• Superior verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent writing, drafting, and analytical abilities.
• A thorough understanding of relevant federal, state, and city laws.
• Must possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities to create a compelling vision for the in-house legal and compliance functions, manage the successful implementation and execution of legal and compliance initiatives, promote a culture focused on ethics and compliance, and appropriately mitigate risk while supporting the organization's ability to execute on its mission and strategic plan.
• Must maintain high levels of personal and professional integrity, and act as an ethical agent who promotes core values, integrity, and accountability throughout the organization.
• Able to build and maintain productive professional relationships with contacts within and outside of the organization and work as an effective member of a team.
• Superior business acumen and ability to understand the organization's operations, functions, and external environment, and to strategically apply this understanding in executing the in-house legal and compliance functions.
• Demonstrated ability to complete activities/projects in a timely manner, on or before scheduled deadlines, with minimal errors.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite and other standard business technology. Able to use existing, new, and emerging technologies to support the in-house legal and compliance functions, and to develop and implement policies and procedures governing the use of such technologies by all stakeholders.
• The following qualifications are considered advantageous, but are not required:
  • Prior compliance and risk management experience
  • Contract management implementation experience
  • Employment law experience

Salary, Benefits and Hours:

• The salary range for this position is $175,000 to $200,000 per year, with potential flexibility based on several factors, including level of experience
• An overview of benefits can be found at
• Hours: Full time/Exempt
• Like all employees, the General Counsel is an employee at will.

Statement of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion:

BronxWorks seeks to build an inclusive organization grounded in respect for differences. BronxWorks is committed to equal employment opportunity and providing reasonable accommodations to qualified candidates and employees pursuant to applicable law. This commitment applies to all terms, conditions, and privileges of employment, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and employee development, placement, promotion, demotion, upgrading, downgrading, transfer, layoff and termination. We value and encourage diversity and solicit applications from all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, gender, sex, age, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military and veteran status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, status as a victim of domestic violence, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. If you require reasonable accommodation as part of the application process, please contact