General Counsel

Democracy Fund•Washington, DC

2d•$300,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Democracy Fund is seeking a General Counsel to lead legal affairs and strategy for the Foundation and its partner 501(c)(4), Democracy Fund Voice. The General Counsel serves as a strategic thought partner to the Executive Leadership Team and program teams, and is a member of the Executive Team, applying pragmatic risk tolerance to enable bold, compliant impact in a complex external environment. The role also serves as Secretary to the Boards of both Democracy Fund and Democracy Fund Voice and plays a critical part in enterprise risk management, crisis response, and cross‑functional decision‑making across Legal, People/HR, Operations, Programs, and External Affairs.

Requirements

A Juris Doctor degree from an ABA-accredited U.S. law school.
Active bar membership in good standing in the District of Columbia or ability and willingness to waive into the D.C. Bar.
10+ years of relevant legal experience, with substantial in‑house experience advising tax‑exempt entities (foundations, complex nonprofits, social welfare organizations, or family offices).
Deep expertise in 501(c)(3)/(c)(4) compliance and affiliated structures is highly preferred.
Exposure to investigations/congressional inquiries and litigation preparedness is strongly preferred.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to clearly present legal concerns and recommendations to a non-legal audience.
High‑EQ, steady, and grounded under pressure; able to set healthy boundaries and thrive in a fast‑moving environment.
A self-starter with the ability to exercise independent judgment and focus on effective resolution of legal issues.
Decisive and pragmatic, focusing on the most material issues and helping the Foundation determine when (and when not) to pursue a particular path.
Flexible and adaptable, able to provide rapid response legal guidance and availability for occasional night and weekend work.
Detailed knowledge of the rules and regulations governing private foundations, public charities, and social welfare organizations.
Demonstrated record of providing a positive, creative, and problem-solving approach to address challenging legal issues.
A professional demeanor with demonstrated ability to maintain discretion in dealing with highly confidential information.
An effective builder of relationships and networks, gaining trust and achieving results in a collaborative environment.
Collaborative, non‑hierarchical “working General Counsel” with a strong partnership mindset across People/HR and other cross‑functional teams.
A curious, solutions-oriented mindset when collaborating with principals, Foundation team members, and partners.
Highly organized, with exceptional time management skills, and a dedication to excellence and integrity.
Ability to judge which stakeholders to incorporate into different projects and when to bring in outside counsel.
Demonstrates excellent judgment and a strong grasp of risk, enabling the Foundation to take smart, mission‑aligned risks rather than defaulting to risk aversion.
Value‑aligned and solutions‑oriented, with a demonstrated commitment to advancing racial justice and equity consistent with Democracy Fund’s mission.

Nice To Haves

Private foundation experience is helpful; government experience and/or large mission‑driven nonprofit backgrounds are welcomed.

Responsibilities

Maintain the highest level of professional and ethical standards, acting in compliance with both the letter and spirit of applicable laws and regulations.
Serve as Secretary to the Board of Democracy Fund and Democracy Fund Voice, advising the Board of Directors’ activities as they pertain to governance, regulations, fiduciary duties, potential conflicts of interests, minutes, bylaws, oversight and conduct, and IRS compliance.
Lead Enterprise Risk Management processes, engaging board and Foundation leadership on how to manage risk and implementing risk management projects and strategies.
Advise on emerging trends and provide insight on the regulatory and legal climate by tracking the development of issues that impact tax-exempt organizations.
Oversee litigation and dispute resolution.
Ensure legal services and advice to People/HR on issues such as separation of employment, conflict of interest, and general employment and labor law compliance.
Oversee protection of Democracy Fund’s intellectual property rights.
Oversee entity-specific compliance, including filings, disclosures, and record-keeping.
Negotiate commercial contracts and other operational agreements.
Provide guidance to the Board of Directors, Executive Leadership Team, and Executive Team members on legal matters related to all aspects of the Foundation’s operations.
Advise the Foundation’s Executive Leadership Team, shaping the direction of the Foundation and weighing in on critical programmatic and operational decisions.
Serve as the Foundation’s representative and spokesperson at public meetings, formal and informal briefings, and workshops on complex legal issues related to Democracy Fund’s work, representing the Foundation in philanthropic and nonprofit legal spaces.
Provide guidance and coordinate with colleagues to manage approach related to government relations.
Support and foster a culture of innovation while facilitating legally complex innovations, partnerships, grants, and contracts.
Lead the Foundation’s Ethics Committee to ensure potential conflicts are properly identified and managed to prevent any actual conflicts of interest.
Collaborate with the Senior Counsel, Associate Counsel, and other colleagues across the Operations and People team to provide training and legal guidance to staff on a range of topics related to 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) activities.
Collaborate with the Senior Counsel and Associate Counsel to maintain the legal repository and record for legal opinions and decisions.
Direct the Senior Counsel and Associate Counsel in researching legal issues and reviewing legal documents.
Oversee the selection and management of outside counsels and advisors; engage outside counsel to provide legal analysis where needed.
Maintain a strong internal culture of compliance with IRS non-profit laws and governance best practices.
Collaborate with the Legal team to set ambitious, motivating, and realistic priorities to foster smart risk taking across the Foundation while maintaining a strong culture of compliance.
Empower direct reports by providing ongoing guidance and feedback on their tasks, projects, and overall professional development.
Mentor the Legal team while fostering open communication and an open‑door environment.
Develop and manage annual Legal budgets.
Help shape goals and actively work to support the success of colleagues across the Foundation.
Cultivate Foundation culture that is highly collaborative, positive, productive, and that drives impact through continuous improvement and learning.
Be an active and visible sponsor of Democracy Fund’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Actively engage in Omidyar Group’s community of practice.