Regional Director of Legal, North America

Strategic Legal Guidance & Risk Management  

• Ensure regional implementation and monitoring of global standards and policies that ensure legal compliance for IJM’s operations within the region. 

• Manage regional and other legally binding agreements to ensure IJM’s interests in the region are protected, and ensure contracts are elevated to Global Office of the General Counsel, when necessary. 

• Provide strategic legal research, analysis, and recommendations as necessary to the Regional President, North America and other regional leadership. 

• Provide strategic legal guidance and transactional legal support on all regional matters, elevating to the Chief Risk Officer and General Counsel as necessary. 

• Ensure all teams within the region receive necessary transactional and operational legal support, particularly on critical areas such as fundraising, employment, and nonprofit compliance.   

• Collaborate with regional fundraising and finance teams to develop solutions that allow the region to pursue innovative, high-yield fundraising initiatives, events, and partnerships in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. 

• Collaborate with Human Resources team(s) to ensure compliance with and proactively respond to all relevant employment-related standards and legal requirements throughout the region. 

• Oversee management of regional registrations and filings, and in coordination with the Officer, Global Governance, ensure all entities within the region are in good standing. 

• Responsible for management and outcome of all regional engagements with external legal counsel (paid and pro bono). 

Strategy, Planning, and Reporting 

• Develop and implement regional legal risk reduction and mitigation strategy. 

• Provide ongoing reporting from the region to the Global center regarding compliance measures, needs, and standards. 

Leadership and Management 

• Serve as part of the North American leadership team. 

• Directly supervise any regional legal staff. 

Networking and Partnership 

• Establish and maintain a rhythm of collaboration with North American leadership team and regional stakeholders. 

• Foster relationships across cross-functional teams to better understand regional goals and support needs. 

• Strategically cultivate, maintain, and utilize IJM’s external legal counsel (paid and pro bono) within the region. 

General Tasks 

• Oversee regional legal function budget. 

• Develop and implement regional systems, tools, and other resources for maintaining and monitoring legal compliance in the region. 

Training and Development 

• Ensure teams throughout the region receive/access the training, resources, processes and tools necessary to comply with global legal standards and policies, promote legal compliance, and reduce legal risk.  

• Actively participate in and contribute to a community of practice with other attorneys providing in-house legal services to IJM, periodically providing guidance and input on areas of relevant expertise within that community. 

Qualifications:  

Education & Experience 

• Law degree (J.D. or international equivalent) and active US bar membership. 

• At least 6 -8 years’ experience as a lawyer in a law firm or in-house setting. 

• Experience in non-profit legal matters preferred. 

Technical Competencies 

• Superb written and verbal communication skills. 

• Knowledge of related areas of law, including corporate legal matters, including contracts, intellectual property, non-profit regulatory compliance, fundraising, tax, insurance, and/or litigation preferred. 

Non-Technical Competencies 

• Mature Christian faith with an eager commitment to IJM’s core values: Christian, Professional, and Bridge-Building. 

• High emotional intelligence. 

• Ability to function as a strategic advisor 

• Ability to exercise relational leadership and lead through influence 

• Collaborative, solutions-oriented, and creative problem-solver 

• 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 

• Eager commitment to IJM's Core Values: Christian, Professional and Bridge-Building; 

• Self-starter with strong initiative;  

• Disciplined with priorities; 

• Strong interpersonal skills and self-awareness; 

• Exceptional verbal and written communication; 

• Flexible, collaborative and eager to support others; 

• Effective team player who fosters collaborative environment; and 

• Adept at creative problem solving. 

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

*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 candidate’s 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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