Senior Assistant General Counsel, Media & Data Privacy

OVERVIEW

A thriving, mission-driven multimedia organization, NPR produces award-winning news, information, and music programming in partnership with hundreds of independent public radio stations across the nation. The NPR audience values information, creativity, curiosity, and social responsibility – and our employees do too. We are innovators and leaders in diverse fields, from journalism and digital media to IT and development. Every day, our employees and member stations touch the lives of millions worldwide. 

Across our organization, we’re building a workplace where collaboration is essential, diverse voices are heard, and inclusion is the key to our success. We are committed to doing the right thing in our journalism and in every role at NPR. This means that integrity, adherence to our ethical standards, and compliance with legal obligations are fundamental responsibilities for every employee at NPR.

Intro to Position 

NPR’s Office of the General Counsel seeks a highly skilled and collaborative attorney to serve as Senior Assistant General Counsel, Media Law & Data Privacy. This unique senior-level role bridges two critical areas of the organization, with a primary focus on supporting our award-winning newsroom and a significant secondary focus on global data privacy compliance. Reporting to the Deputy General Counsel (Head of Media Law & Distribution Rights), the successful candidate will provide high-level legal guidance and strategic oversight to ensure NPR’s content and data practices remain industry-leading and ethically grounded.

Responsibilities

This role is split between Media Law (approximately 60%) and Data Privacy (approximately 40%):

Media Law & Content Vetting (60%)

• Provide expert legal vetting for a wide range of high-stakes content across radio, audio-visual, and audio podcast formats.
• Advise newsroom and production teams on complex issues, including libel, privacy, copyright, newsgathering, recording, and First Amendment protections.
• Ensure compliance with FCC content-related regulations and navigate the complexities of multi-platform vetting.
• Lead NPR’s transparency work, including managing Freedom of Information (FOI) and access requests.
• Supervise and mentor the Media Law Fellow in their transparency and access assignments.
• Draft and negotiate sophisticated content-related agreements, such as releases, photo licenses, and freelance agreements.
• Develop and deliver media law training sessions for journalists and content creators.

Data Privacy (40%) 

• Collaborate with in-house technology, business teams, and the Data Privacy Officer, as well as outside counsel on data privacy strategy, implementation, and compliance.
• Support the company-wide data privacy compliance program, including product counseling and Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs).
• Manage data subject requests (DSRs) and oversee vendor due diligence from a privacy perspective.
• Assist with incident response planning, privacy-related claims, and litigation issues.
• Track and interpret federal, state, and global privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA/CPRA) to determine implementation requirements alongside the Data Protection Officer.
• Design and execute privacy training programs for employees across the organization.

This role reports to the Deputy General Counsel, Head of the Media Law & Distribution Rights team.

The above duties and responsibilities are not an exhaustive list of required responsibilities, duties and skills. Other duties may be assigned, and this job description can be modified at any time.

Minimum Qualifications

• 10 years of media law and content vetting experience
• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school 
• Active license to practice law in D.C. (or eligibility for admission in D.C. within one year)
• Proven experience vetting journalistic content and providing sound legal advice on content issues
• Proven experience managing data privacy compliance and legal strategy
• A comprehensive understanding of journalism ethics

Preferred Qualifications

• Litigation experience, particularly with libel, copyright, and/or FOI issues
• Prior in-house experience, specifically within a radio, television, or digital media environment 
• Strong background in drafting and negotiating contracts and releases 
• Demonstrated experience with non-commercial or public media

Education Requirements

• J.D. from an accredited law school

Work Location & Requirements

• Hybrid Permitted: This is a hybrid permitted role. The employee will be required to be in the office at the Washington, D.C location at least four (4) days a month. The employee must also reside in the Washington, D.C. / Maryland / Virginia region.

Required Skills/Competencies

• Legal Judgment: Ability to deliver clear, understandable, and decisive legal advice under tight deadlines.
• Resilience: A thoughtful and calm demeanor, especially when navigating high-pressure editorial or legal situations.
• Analytical Thinking: Ability to see a broad range of views and interpretations while remaining grounded in ethics.
• Communication: Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to translate complex legal requirements for non-legal stakeholders.
• Leadership: Demonstrated ability to supervise junior staff (e.g., Fellows) and lead cross-functional projects.
• Adaptability: Proficiency in managing a dual-focus workload and prioritizing tasks across different legal disciplines.

Job Type

• This is a full-time, exempt position.

Compensation

Salary Range: The U.S. based anticipated salary range for this opportunity is $182,500-$215,000 plus benefits. The range displayed reflects the minimum and maximum salaries NPR expects to provide for new hires for the position across all US locations.

NPR Benefits: NPR offers access to comprehensive benefits for employees and dependents. Regular, full-time employees scheduled to work 30 hours or more per week are eligible to enroll in NPR’s benefits options. Benefits include access to health and wellness, paid time off, and financial well-being. Plan options include medical, dental, vision, life/ accidental death and dismemberment, long-term disability, short-term disability, and voluntary retirement savings to all eligible NPR employees. 

Does this sound like you? If so, we want to hear from you.

Here's what to include when you apply

To ensure your application receives the attention it deserves, please include a copy of your current resume and a cover letter. Your cover letter must specifically address the following:

• Media Law Expertise: Detail your experience providing high-stakes legal vetting for journalistic content. Please highlight your approach to navigating libel, copyright, and newsgathering protections in a dynamic editorial environment.

• Data Privacy Strategy: Describe your knowledge of or experience with managing global compliance frameworks (such as GDPR and CCPA/CPRA).

#LI-Hybrid

NPR is an Equal Opportunity Employer. NPR is committed to being an inclusive workplace that welcomes diverse and unique perspectives, all working toward the same goal – to create a more informed public. Qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, religious belief, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, lactation, and reproductive health decisions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, transgender status, gender non-conforming status, intersex status, sexual stereotypes, nationality, citizenship status, personal appearance, marital status, family status, family responsibilities, military status, veteran status, mental and physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, genetic characteristics of yourself or a family member, political views and affiliation, unemployment status, protective order status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, or any other basis prohibited under applicable law.

If you are a person with a disability needing assistance with the application process, please reach out to employeerelations@npr.org.

You may read NPR’s privacy policy to learn about how NPR may handle information you submit with any application.

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