Exempt Organizations Counsel, Legal

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative was founded in 2015 by Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg to help solve some of society’s toughest challenges — from curing or preventing disease to improving education and addressing the needs of our local communities. We provide the operational support across our areas of work.

The Team

Across our work in Science, Education, and within our communities, we pair technology with grant making, impact investing, and collaboration to help accelerate the pace of progress toward our mission. Our Legal and Grants Team (“Team LeGiT”) provides the support needed to push this work forward.

Team LeGiT helps accelerate CZI’s mission by ensuring that CZI operates lawfully. This team collaborates with teams across CZI to help ensure our organizations and operations are in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

The Opportunity

You will be an integral member of team LeGiT, focused on supporting CZI’s tax-exempt organizations, including Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, Inc. (Biohub), Learning Commons, Inc. (LC), and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation (CZIF). You will collaborate with scientists, educators, grantmakers, operations staff, and our partners across the enterprise to help ensure we remain in compliance with laws and regulations applicable to tax exempt organizations while pursuing our mission. Your guidance will be critical to furthering programmatic strategies and operational goals, and will span all aspects of our work. In addition, you will structure, manage, and execute complex transactions and develop templates, policies, processes, and trainings for a fast-moving, mission-driven organization. If you are a team player who enjoys solving nuanced and varied legal issues, and doesn’t mind rolling up your sleeves and diving into new projects, then we’re looking forward to hearing from you!   

What You'll Do

• Provide legal and compliance advice with respect to our tax-exempt organizations, which will require a strong understanding of the sections of the Internal Revenue Code, and accompanying regulations, applicable to public charities (specifically including medical research organizations), private operating and nonoperating foundations, and other tax-exempt organizations.
• Review, draft, and negotiate a broad range of agreements and related documents, partnering closely with program colleagues on grantmaking, impact investing, and other funding and collaboration activities.
• Draft and implement clear and concise policies, practices, and other resources needed to establish and scale compliance for our tax-exempt entities.
• Establish, implement, and improve our client service-oriented approach to ongoing inquiries about tax exempt-specific legal rules and processes.
• Develop and deliver trainings to key stakeholders at all levels across the organization. 
• Assist on governance and other corporate matters from time to time.
• Engage in other legal and compliance projects as needed, proactively contributing to a scaling team and organization.

What You'll Bring

• JD required and an active membership in at least one U.S. state bar, preferably California.
• 7+ years of legal experience with at least 3 years of experience handling legal issues associated with complex philanthropic organizations.
• Law firm experience is a plus. 
• Demonstrated interest in science, artificial intelligence, and / or education.   
• Ability to analyze legal risk based on variable facts and communicate compliance considerations.
• Demonstrated project management ability and the desire to work on projects across diverse client groups with unique professional experiences. 
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail. 
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and an ability to partner effectively at all levels both internally and externally to CZI .
• History of demonstrating good judgment and integrity.
• A learning and growth mindset coupled with humility and mission- and team-oriented sensibilities.

Compensation

The Redwood City, CA base pay range for a new hire in this role is $193,000 - $265,100. New hires are typically hired into the lower portion of the range, enabling employee growth in the range over time. Actual placement in range is based on job-related skills and experience, as evaluated throughout the interview process. 

Better Together

As we grow, we’re excited to strengthen in-person connections and cultivate a collaborative, team-oriented environment. This role is a hybrid position requiring you to be onsite for at least 60% of the working month, approximately 3 days a week, with specific in-office days determined by the team’s manager. The exact schedule will be at the hiring manager's discretion and communicated during the interview process.

Benefits for the Whole You 

We’re thankful to have an incredible team behind our work. To honor their commitment, we offer a wide range of benefits to support the people who make all we do possible. 

• Provides a generous employer match on employee 401(k) contributions to support planning for the future.
• Paid time off to volunteer at an organization of your choice. 
• Funding for select family-forming benefits. 
• Relocation support for employees who need assistance moving

If you’re interested in a role but your previous experience doesn’t perfectly align with each qualification in the job description, we still encourage you to apply as you may be the perfect fit for this or another role.