Vice President of Legal and Compliance Services and General Counsel

SUMMARY
UnidosUS (formerly NCLR) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that serves as the nation’s largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization. Since 1968, we have challenged the social, economic, and political barriers that affect Latinos through our unique combination of expert research, advocacy, programs, and an Affiliate Network of more than 300 community-based organizations across the United States and Puerto Rico. We believe in an America where economic, political, and social progress is a reality for all Latinos, and we collaborate across communities to achieve it.

Reporting to the CFO, the Vice President of Legal & Compliance Services and General Counsel is the organization’s senior legal and compliance advisor providing expert legal counsel and strategic guidance to the Board of Directors, Audit Committee, Leadership, and Management.

This position will possess a deep and broad understanding of the law, especially laws governing tax exempt organizations, including 501-c-3s, 501-c-4s, and 501-c-6s. This position will be able to translate their knowledge and experience into clear, concise, and practical legal advice that aligns with the organization’s mission, strategy, and goals.

This position will be able to proactively identify legal risks and offer solutions to mitigate them, potentially saving the organization from costly litigation and regulatory fines. This position will understand the organization inside and out and will possess the ability to translate complex legal issues into targeted strategies, and be able to work closely with the CEO, COO, CFO, and other top executives to align legal strategies with organizational objectives.

This position is responsible for a broad portfolio of legal and compliance functions, including:

Ensuring legal compliance with federal and state, laws, regulations, and grants.

Advising the Audit Committee on matters pertaining to enterprise risk management.

Providing advice about legal issues pertaining to program, policy, advocacy, legislative affairs, voter registration, immigration, as well as regulatory and tax compliance matters.

Representing the organization in litigation and court matters.

Ensuring compliance with the document retention policy.

Supporting the disaster recovery and business continuity program.

Administering all federal and state business registrations such as state solicitation and fundraising registrations.

Advising on the adequacy of directors and officers and other business insurance coverages.

Ensuring compliance with procurement, contracting, grant-making, and other policies and procedures.

Securing specialized legal and compliance advice from third-party experts whenever necessary.

This position is a member of the UnidosUS Leadership Team and is responsible for collaborating with designated employees within each department from across the organization in a matrixed structure to procure goods and services; to enter into and ensure compliance with contracts, inbound and outbound grants, and other legal agreements; and to deliver other legal and compliance services.

Location: This position is hybrid, and will be based in Washington, DC. UnidosUS policy is to work onsite at least two days per week or as needed to fulfill the duties of the position.

Salary: $270,000–$300,000

Essential Functions
Legal & Compliance Management: Create and operate an internal function that serves as a centralized center of excellence for all legal and compliance matters, including designing a matrixed process with governing policies and procedures that requires each department and its designated employees to first seek the legal department’s advice, counsel, review, and approval before:

Procuring goods and services.

Entering into any type of legal agreement.

Responding to a subpoena or request for information.

Engaging in litigation matters.

Concluding on matters of legal or regulatory compliance, corporate governance, intellectual property rights, cybersecurity attacks, and other enterprise risk management areas.

Expert Legal Advice and Counsel: Provide legal advice and strategic guidance to the Board, Cabinet, Leadership Team, and Management on a wide variety of complex legal, governance, regulatory, compliance, program, policy, advocacy, and operational matters.

Outside Legal Counsel Management: Maintain partnerships with a network of reputable law firms and legal professionals who have specialized knowledge, niche expertise, and requisite subject matter expertise that may be required from time to time to address unique or unusual legal, regulatory, and compliance matters.

Matrixed Management: This position currently does not directly manage any staff. This position will be required to demonstrate a variety of soft skills, including enterprise-wide collaboration, excellent communication, effective listening and comprehension, motivation and influencing, conflict resolution, and cross-functional teamwork.

Enterprise-wide Compliance: Ensure compliance with IRS regulations, legal agreements, OMB’s guidance for federal awards, governing documents, and all relevant laws and internal policies.

Procurement of Goods and Services: Create and maintain a centralized procurement compliance function governed by policies and procedures that all employees must adhere to, including formal RFP requirements and authorization limits.

Legal Contracts for Goods and Services: Create and maintain a centralized contracting compliance function designed around nonprofit best practices, using mandatory contract terms and pre-approved templates.

Outbound Grant Agreements: Create and maintain a centralized outbound grantmaking compliance process requiring mandatory terms and conditions and pre-approved grant agreement templates.

Inbound Grant Agreements: Create and maintain a centralized inbound grants management compliance function that ensures terms are reasonable, certifications are accurate, and federal grants comply with OMB Uniform Guidance.

Solicitation of Funds: In close collaboration with the Resource Development team, ensure the organization is in compliance with state laws that regulate the solicitation of funds for charitable purposes.

Risk Management and Mitigation: In collaboration with the Audit Committee, ensure the organization’s enterprise risk management function supports the mission and strategic goals while identifying and mitigating risks.

Pre-litigation and Litigation: In collaboration with outside counsel, lead and manage litigation and other legal disputes involving the organization, including court proceedings and settlement discussions.

Subpoenas, Information Requests, & Investigations: Lead the organization’s strategic response to subpoenas, information requests, depositions, testimonies, and investigations.

Document Retention: Ensure the organization’s document retention policy is consistent with best practices, ensuring documents are retained for legal obligations and discarded securely.

Business Insurance Coverage: Ensure insurance coverage is commensurate with each associated risk and contribute to the negotiation of insurance premiums and coverage limits.

Required Qualifications
Juris Doctor (JD) degree with strong academic record, bar membership in good standing, and the ability to practice law in the District of Columbia.

At least 15 years of experience in tax-exempt / non-profit law working for an in-house legal department, law firm, and/or governmental agency, including hands-on litigation experience.

At least 10 years of experience directly leading and managing professional legal staff within a matrixed nonprofit organizational structure.

At least 10 years of experience with nonprofit legal and compliance issues, including federal grants and contracts, civil rights, and enterprise risk management.

At least 10 years of experience providing advice about legal and compliance issues pertaining to program, policy, advocacy, legislative affairs, and regulatory/tax compliance.

At least 10 years of experience providing advice about the procurement of goods and services, including negotiating price/quality and preparing legal contracts and grants.

At least 10 years of experience in preparing presentations, documents, and reports for the board of directors, audit committee, and senior leadership.

At least 10 years of experience representing or preparing organizations for litigation and court matters, including responding to subpoenas.

At least 5 years of experience ensuring document retention/destruction best practices and administering business, solicitation, and fundraising registrations.

Ability to travel as needed (less than 10%).

Familiarity with directors’ and officers’ insurance and other coverages.

Strong contract document drafting, negotiation, research, analysis, and communication skills.

Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively, independently, and with a high degree of integrity and professional discretion.

Demonstrated experience with and knowledge of the Latino community.

Preferred Qualifications
Master’s in Business Administration (MBA).

Bilingual (English/Spanish) skills.

Skills and Abilities
Steadfast commitment to UnidosUS mission, vision, and values: Excellence, Respeto, and Accountability.

Ability to speak clearly and persuasively, listen for clarification, and deliver excellent presentations.

Excellent organizational and e-file management skills with the ability to work in a fast-paced, matrixed environment.

Self-motivated and initiative-taking with the ability to achieve results on a sustained basis.

Proficient in research tools including LexisNexis and AI applications such as ChatGPT and Microsoft Co-Pilot.

Sound and accurate judgment with the ability to make timely, well-reasoned decisions.

Competencies
Problem Solving: Gathers and analyzes information skillfully; develops alternative solutions.

Oral Communication: Speaks clearly; responds well to questions; demonstrates group presentation skills.

Written Communication: Writes informatively; edits for spelling and grammar; varies style to meet needs.

Leadership: Inspires and motivates others; effectively influences actions and opinions; accepts feedback.

Business Acumen: Understands business implications of decisions; aligns work with strategic goals.

Judgment: Supports and explains reasoning for decisions; includes appropriate people in decision-making.

Physical Demands and Work Environment
Ability to travel as needed (less than 10%).

Accurately complete detailed forms and reports.

Coordinate multiple tasks simultaneously and perform some repetitive motion activities.

Sit for prolonged periods of time; frequently required to stand, walk, and sit.

Frequently required to utilize hand/finger dexterity & frequently required to talk or hear.

Occasionally required to lift/push light weights up to 25 pounds.

Vision abilities including close, distance, peripheral, and depth vision.

COVID-19 Considerations: UnidosUS follows CDC guidance and encourages employees to stay up to date on vaccinations and preventive measures.

ABOUT US
UnidosUS (formerly NCLR) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that serves as the nation’s largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization. Since 1968, we have challenged the social, economic, and political barriers that affect Latinos through our unique combination of expert research, advocacy, programs, and an Affiliate Network of more than 300 community-based organizations across the United States and Puerto Rico. For more information, visit unidosus.org.

Employment with UnidosUS is contingent upon the successful completion of a background screen.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, national origin, marital status, religion, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, personal appearance, family responsibilities, political affiliation, or enrollment in a college, university, technical school, or adult education.

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