General Counsel - Washington, United States - Campaign For Tobacco

Description

Job Description

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (the Campaign) is seeking an experienced and action-oriented General Counsel ("GC") to oversee legal and risk management operations for a growing and increasingly complex global public health organization. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, the GC will establish and develop relationships with senior management to ensure that the different programs in the organization have consistent and transparent operating protocols. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and its Global Health Advocacy Incubator program represent a collective effort to strengthen public policies that reduce tobacco use and its deadly toll in the United States and around the world, as well as other public health threats contributing to death and disease. The Campaign has a singular focus: to make the world a safer, healthier place for everyone.

Reporting to the President/CEO, the GC has primary responsibility for the organization's legal and risk operations, including domestic and global contracts execution. The GC will oversee integrated risk management operations and ensure that departments and teams work effectively toward organizational goals. They will periodically review and update policies to ensure that the organization is integrating organizational best practices in how it works in the U.S. and globally. The GC will serve on the Executive Committee and will take responsibility for developing an organization-wide risk management strategy and ensure that all staff are trained and understand organizational policies.

Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, has been retained to assist in these searches. All

inquiries, nominations, and applications with cover letters should be submitted in confidence to the search firm as indicated at the end of this document.

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

For more than twenty-five years, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids has led the fight to reduce tobacco use and its deadly consequences in the United States. The Campaign, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

General Counsel

Page 2 of 4

established in 1996, works with more than 130 organizational partners, including public health, medical,

education, civic, corporate, youth, and religious organizations. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and

the Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund are the leading advocacy organizations working to reduce tobacco use

and its deadly consequences in the United States and around the world. The Tobacco-Free Kids Action

Fund is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization separate from but affiliated with the Campaign for Tobacco-

Free Kids.

Through strategic communications and policy advocacy campaigns, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

and the Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund work to change public attitudes about tobacco and promote

proven policies that are most effective at reducing tobacco use and saving the most lives. The two

organizations work closely together to achieve the greatest impact, leading and supporting successful

policy advocacy campaigns in the United States at the national, state, and local levels and around the

world in low- and middle-income countries facing the greatest threat from tobacco.

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids has earned a stellar reputation for successful public health advocacy

in the United States and has contributed to the stunning 89% decline in youth smoking and 49% decline

in adult smoking since 1996, saving 8.6 million lives in the United States. With support from Bloomberg

Philanthropies and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Campaign helped pass new tobacco control

laws in 59 countries since 2007, saving 30 million lives in low- and middle-income countries—an effort

that reversed the steep growth in cigarette sales worldwide.

In addition to work fighting tobacco use, the Campaign's Global Health Advocacy Incubator applies a

broad range of advocacy experience to supporting civil society organizations working to address other

critical public health challenges. Building on the successes and lessons learned in the global fight against

tobacco deaths, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids launched the Global Health Advocacy Incubator in

2014 to strengthen advocacy capacity to improve public health around the globe. The Global Health

Advocacy Incubator provides strategic support to advocates working to enact and implement laws that

save lives.

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is unyielding in its resolve and committed to finishing the fight against

tobacco, but the battle is far from over. The GC will join the Campaign as it grows and strengthens its

reach nationally and internationally to foster proven, cost-effective solutions that reduce tobacco use and

save lives. The Campaign is governed by a 15-member Board of Directors and led by its second President

and CEO, Yolonda Richardson, who recently succeeded long-time President and co-founder Matthew L.

Myers on July 1, 2023.

The Campaign does not accept any government or tobacco industry funding. For more information about

the Campaign, please visit its website at

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

General Counsel

Page 3 of 4

Primary Role and Responsibilities of the General Counsel

The GC reports directly to the President and CEO and will work as a member of the Executive Committee

to further advance the company's growth and strategic model. They will oversee the following essential

functions:

Regulatory Compliance and Risk Management

• Conduct an annual audit of organizational support operations to recommend improvements;

work with the leadership team to address any issues raised.

• Develop and implement a best-practice risk management program to ensure organizational

compliance with U.S. law and regulatory compliance.

• Review all organizational contracts with outside vendors, including travel, hotel and event sites,

and other services.

• Review and advise on all contract terms, including but not limited to: intellectual property rights,

tax obligations, jurisdiction, conflict of laws, etc.

• Oversee conflict of interest policy and work with Human Resources to ensure that all staff are

trained and familiar with the policy.

• Serve as the primary liaison with outside counsel, both in the United States and abroad.

• Manage the organizational-wide process for lobbying and reporting.

Operational Oversight

• Provide advice and counsel on legal and other related matters to the President/CEO, Board,

Executive Committee, and other staff concerning all legal matters.

• Work with departments and teams to ensure departments are well-integrated and aligned,

processes operate properly, and policies are further developed and implemented transparently

and effectively.

• Review and update all procurement policies, procedures, and practices and manage the

contracting process for the organization.

• Provide strategic direction and oversight to the IT department and work with the IT team to

improve overall user experience with new systems and databases.

Board Support

• Serve as Secretary of the Board by preparing minutes and resolutions for board approval.

• Work with the President/CEO to plan quarterly board meetings and oversee the timely production

of board briefing materials for all board meetings.

• Work with the President/CEO as the principal liaison to the board to support board governance

and selected board committees.

• Enhance board communication by assisting the President/CEO to prepare regular board updates

throughout the year.

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

General Counsel

Page 4 of 4

Required Education and Experience:

• J.D. degree required with 10+ years of professional nonprofit experience in compliance and

enterprise risk management.

• A strategic and results-driven thinker who understands how operations support the broader

mission of the organization.

• Valuable insight into the policies, practices, and cultures of the industry.

• Depth of experience analyzing complex legal issues and conducting legal research.

• Ability to support cross-functional collaboration, develop staff, and set clear goals.

• Experience in managing compliance requirements across various jurisdictions and contractual

agreements.

• Effectively present information to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors.

• Experience in international development is a strong plus.

• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.

Applications, Inquiries, And Nominations

The Campaign has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist with this important

endeavor. Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion

of the search process. Inquiries, nominations, referrals, and CVs with cover letters should be sent via the

Isaacson, Miller website for the search.

Tim McFeeley, Partner

Amy Gillespie, Senior Associate

Henry Nickerson, Search Coordinator

Isaacson, Miller

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe our programs are

strengthened when they are developed and supported by individuals with diverse life experiences, whose

understanding of social and cultural issues can help make The Campaign's work more inclusive. We

encourage qualified applicants of all ages, racial, economic, social, cultural, sexual orientation, ability

and gender expressions, national origins and veteran status to apply.