Senior Director, Legal

U.S. Energy Foundation has retained Armanino to lead the search for their Senior Director, Legal. Please see below for details on the role—you can apply to this position directly via the U.S. Energy Foundation careers page. We look forward to hearing from you!

ABOUT U.S. ENERGY FOUNDATION

U.S. Energy Foundation’s (EF) mission is to secure a clean and equitable energy future to tackle the climate crisis. We envision a healthy, safe, equitable economy powered by clean energy. We believe a thriving clean energy economy can create sustainable opportunities, spur innovation, and protect our climate—for today and future generations.

EF supports education and analysis to promote non-partisan policy solutions that advance renewable energy and energy efficiency while opening doors to greater innovation and productivity—growing the economy with dramatically less pollution. For more than 30 years, EF has supported grantees to help educate policymakers and the general public about the benefits of a clean energy economy. Our grantees include business, health, environmental, labor, equity, community, faith, and consumer groups, as well as policy experts, think tanks, universities, and more.

At EF, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are top organizational commitments. We are working daily to uproot racism and other forms of oppression and create equitable systems that support people to flourish. We aim to bring humility, transparency, respect, and an appreciation for others’ lived experiences to our interactions with colleagues, grantees, and partners.

EF’s Fundraising Philosophy

As EF’s primary clients/partners are our funders and grantees, EF commits to acting as a strategic and thought leader for our current and prospective funding partners and the field by:

1. Collaborating—and co-creating, where feasible and desired—on strategy development including the hosting and/or managing of funder collaboratives
2. Highlighting the opportunity for climate philanthropy to maximize benefits to disadvantaged communities and those most impacted by climate change
3. Offering excellent, responsive service by providing proactive, compelling and timely updates and information

EF is headquartered in San Francisco, CA, and our more than 100 staff members are based in locations throughout the Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, and Western regions, where they can best serve our programs, partners, operations, and other functions.

POSITION SUMMARY 

The Senior Director, Legal is responsible for leading the legal strategies for the 501(c)(3) EF and the 501(c)(4) Energy Action Fund (EAF). This role has been newly created due to organizational needs. This individual works closely with EF and EAF staff across both organizations to provide the highest level of internal legal counsel and key leadership of enterprise risk management. The Senior Director plays a critical role in ensuring compliance with 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) requirements. The position resides in the Operations department and reports to the Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer who serves as the Secretary/Treasurer of EF and EAF.

EF actively seeks to expand DEI within our organization and through our work. We encourage people of color and candidates with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to apply.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

Advice and representation: Provide strategic legal advice and representation on compliance, governance, employment, and other legal matters consistent with EF and EAF’s missions and goals.

Compliance: Ensure compliance with 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) regulatory requirements, including public education, lobbying activities, and political advocacy.

Enterprise risk management: Lead the enterprise risk advisory team, a cross-functional team dedicated to evaluating the risk landscape, identifying risks, and designing risk responses and actions.

Training and compliance: Lead or partner with relevant staff in developing and delivering policies, training, and compliance strategies on legal compliance and risk management in partnership with key vendors.

Oversee outside counsel focused on nonprofit law, lobbying, and political activity: Oversee the work of legal consultants focused on organizational governance and regulatory compliance around 501(c)(3) rules, lobbying, and political advocacy. 

Advise on legal issues across the organization: Advise EF/EAF functional leads on legal risk matters within their purview—including real estate, employment, benefits, reporting, and corporate communications—to assist in interpreting the legal advice of external legal consultants and support decision-making on organization-wide impacts.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an ABA-accredited law school, with active bar membership. Admitted to practice in California or Washington, D.C., or the ability to use reciprocity to gain admission.
• Significant legal experience in U.S. corporate, nonprofit, government, and contract law.
• Demonstrable legal analytical skills, business acumen, and expertise in compliance and rules applicable to nonprofit, charitable organizations in the U.S. and/or political advocacy organizations.
• Experience working with and advising senior management.
• Solutions-oriented, collaborative leader who is committed to working effectively in a diverse, dynamic, and complex environment with a combination of national and regional staff and partners.
• Excellent communications and interpersonal skills, including demonstrated ability to present legal concepts and analysis effectively to the Management Team, the Board, funding partners, employees, allies, and other non-lawyers.
• A demonstrated commitment to advancing the principles of DEI in a complex legal environment.
• Strong business partner with a commitment to providing excellent service working effectively across all levels of the organization.
• Collaborative, humble, and team-oriented work style.

SUPERVISION

Reports to the Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer.

COMPENSATION

This is a full-time position. The target salary range for this position is $270,000 to $297,000 for a candidate based in the metro areas of San Francisco, New York City, Seattle, San Diego, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Boston, or Sacramento, and $245,000 to $269,500 for candidates in other areas of the U.S. EF provides a comprehensive benefits package, including competitive salary, medical, dental, vision, disability, and retirement benefits and paid time off.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Ability to travel three to four times a year for three to four business days at a time.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to spend extended hours at the computer. This position requires moderate levels of domestic travel.

WORK ENVIRONMENT 

EF is a remote-first work environment. This position may be based in any of EF’s offices or may work remotely from anywhere in the U.S.

The office environments include some shared workspace, some individual offices, and shared kitchen facilities, with moderate noise levels and a collegial atmosphere. On occasion, there are activities or events after work hours.

HOW TO APPLY

Please apply to this position directly via the U.S. Energy Foundation careers page.