Senior Legal Counsel

ABOUT VILLAGEREACH

VillageReach transforms health care delivery to reach everyone, so that each person has the health care needed to thrive. We develop solutions that improve equity and access to primary health careThis includes making sure products are available when and where they are needed and primary health care services are delivered to the most under-reached. Radical collaboration with governments, the private sector and other partners strengthen our ability to scale and sustain these solutions. Our work increases access to quality health care for more than 70 million people in Africa. VillageReach is incorporated in Washington State and has offices in Seattle (USA), Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, and Mozambique.

Summary

VillageReach is a complex global non-profit organization that is entering an exciting developmental phase to reach 100 million people in Africa by the end of FY2026. As Legal Counsel, you will help guide our work and expand our reach, ensuring that they are well supported and that that risk is soundly managed. In this position, you will work on a wide range of projects and with leaders and professionals across the organization. You will also collaborate with outside counsel based in Africa. This is an ideal opportunity for a creative lawyer with a well-developed breadth of practical legal and business knowledge who is a resourceful problem solver, enjoys developing capacity in others, and is excited to help us increase access to quality health care for millions of people.
Description

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following; other duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or be assigned at any time:

Legal advice:

• Provide legal expertise on a broad range of issues, which guides leaders and professionals in furtherance of the organization’s strategies, objectives, and activities
• Identify and analyze legal issues with an understanding of how to appropriately balance risk and VillageReach’s ability to pursue its objectives

• Advise on, prepare and review contracts including but not limited to governmental and multi-lateral agreements.

• Develop and refine contracting tools; track contracts organization-wide
• Promote legal awareness and lead training activities in various legal and risk management topics

Risk Management:

• Develop, implement, and report on compliance with compliance with sound risk management strategies and processes
• Oversee and manage VillageReach insurance portfolio
• Guide leaders, managers, and staff in managing and mitigating risk successfully across a complex operating environment

Registrations and Global Entities:

• Oversee, ensure compliance with, maintain currency of, and centrally manage VillageReach foreign registrations globally
• Work with local counsel to ensure corporate, tax, employment, and other filings are compliant and current

Outside counsel:

• Cultivate and manage strong working relationships with outside legal counsel in Africa.

Competencies:

The following competencies reflect what is expected of all VillageReach employees; including examples of how one might demonstrate each of these competencies in one’s role.

• Personal Motivation and Drive: Is self-directed in one’s approach to work, but asks for help when needed; holds oneself accountable; undertakes self-development activities; seeks to build and master new skills; looks for and takes advantage of opportunities within the organization

• Collaboration & Effective Communication: Establishes and maintains effective relations with coworkers, partners & stakeholders and external parties; works collaboratively with others to accomplish organizational and team goals and objectives; works actively to resolve conflicts; expresses ideas and thoughts effectively; selects and uses appropriate communication methods and maintains meaningful communication with virtual coworkers and other parties to keep them informed
• Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: Takes personal responsibility for and supports others across the organization in creating and sustaining a diverse work environment where individuals are welcomed, valued, respected and supported; personally committed to attaining cultural competency including self-awareness of one’s own attitudes about culture and cross-cultural interactions; exhibits the willingness and ability to engage openly and respectfully around issues of race, colonialism, identity and culture; upholds equity in access to sharing of information, ideas, and opportunities throughout VillageReach

• Commitment to Excellence: Produces a high output of work, both in terms of quality and quantity; looks for ways to improve and promote quality; monitors work to ensure quality; has a personal commitment to the mission of VillageReach

• Solution Orientation & Innovation: Focuses on results and desired outcomes and how to best achieve them; gets the job done; sees opportunities for creative problem-solving while staying within the parameters of good practice; sees old problems in new ways and has novel approaches to solving those problems; contributes original and/or resourceful ideas to their area of responsibility; is able to consider and articulate risks and consequences of proposed innovations and factor these into decision-making.

Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

This position does not directly supervisor others.

Education & Experience:

JD required, with active registration in good standing to practice law in the US.

At least 8 years’ legal experience, with at least 1 year at a non-profit organization

Prior experience working at international organizations strongly preferred

Outstanding critical thinker, with proven ability to identify, assess, and manage risk across a complex operating environment.

Demonstrated success developing and implementing effective process improvements.

Excellent verbal and written communication, organizational, analytical, and interpersonal skills.

Flexible ability to support a wide-variety of legal needs in a fast-paced environment.

Highly collaborative, with experience developing organizational capacity in a matrixed and global environment.

Other Qualifications:

Compliance with VillageReach’s COVID-19 Vaccination Policy.

Established cultural competency in partnering with racial, cultural and linguistically diverse groups.

Demonstrated understanding of challenges with working in rural, underserved and low-income context; experience living in and/or working in a low-income country a plus.

Proficient in latest technology for business systems and management, including Microsoft Office Suite or related software (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Excel) and comfortable in a fast-paced technical environment.

English required; Portuguese and French desired.

Environment and Physical Demands:

VillageReach has no private offices, employees work in a shared, open environment with task and conference rooms accessible to employees for privacy and meetings. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet. Due to the time zone differences between our USA office and our Country Offices and location of other global staff, US based staff are expected to be available for early morning meetings starting at 6am. In addition, our Regional Africa based staff and Country office staff are expected to be available for late afternoon/evening meetings up to 6pm. Approximately 90% of the workday is spent sitting. Must be able to lift 25 lbs.
COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY & INCLUSION:
VillageReach is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer committed to workforce diversity. We believe that diverse, equitably weighted perspectives foster an organizational capacity to create novel solutions that improve health in the most underserved and hard-to-reach areas. To align our values, innovations and impact, VillageReach is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse global workforce.
APPLICATION INFORMATION:
This is an immediate hire and therefore resumes will be reviewed on a rolling basis until filled. To apply, please submit your resume and a cover letter to our online portal: http://www.villagereach.org/join-us/

Safeguarding:

VillageReach is committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults, and beneficiaries with whom it engages. We expect everyone working with us to share this commitment through our code of conduct.All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which may include criminal records. VillageReach participates in the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and, in line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By applying, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Benefits
Compensation:

VillageReach has an established compensation structure that is based on the relevant market and internally transparent. The range for this position is $114,900 to $142,300. We hire people into the established range based on one’s experience and education and considering internal equity. We do not inquire about salary history.