General Counsel

Summary

Join the Sierra Club as their General Counsel of General Administration! This remote leadership role provides strategic legal guidance across various Sierra Club programs, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local laws. You will oversee compliance operations, manage contracts, advise senior leadership, and supervise staff. The position requires extensive experience in legal and regulatory compliance, particularly within 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations. Strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills are essential. The Sierra Club offers a competitive salary and benefits package.

Requirements

• A J.D. from an accredited U.S. law school and admission in good standing with the State bar of relevant jurisdiction where located and practicing law
• At least 15 years of relevant legal and/or regulatory compliance experience with a 501(c) organization or similar in-house (including non-profit) experience
• Advanced knowledge of IRS regulations and tax laws regarding 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) funds administration and generally accepted accounting principles
• Strong knowledge of FEC regulations and reporting requirements
• Demonstrated expertise in preparing campaign finance reports or similar
• 8+ years’ experience in a managerial role which includes staff management, establishing policy, and policy enforcement
• Proven ability to manage high-stakes compliance matters, including litigation, governance, and decision-making at the organizational level
• Demonstrated skill and effectiveness in preparing training and instructional materials and in delivering training programs
• Effective, clear communicator and creative problem-solver with the ability to connect with people and distill complex subjects. Demonstrated experience providing thoughtful and practical legal advice and business counsel
• Demonstrated innovation, facilitation, communication, and decision-making skills in the context of a highly decentralized organization
• Sound judgment and strong legal writing and oral advocacy skills and abilities
• Significant experience providing thoughtful and practical legal advice and counsel in or to a complex advocacy organization
• Exceptional strategic thinking and demonstrated success in planning and implementing new strategies and being a thought partner across an organization

Responsibilities

• Serve as the principal legal advisor to Sierra Club senior leadership, providing strategic counsel on regulatory compliance, governance, and legal services across Sierra Club’s 501(c)(3) funded, 501(c)(4), Voter Education, and Electoral programs
• Direct and oversee all compliance operations, including developing and enforcing policies, procedures, and controls to ensure compliance with IRS, FEC, and state election regulations
• Provide broad legal support to programs, campaigns, and Sierra Club entities on regulatory compliance and governance issues, including drafting and negotiating contracts, providing strategy support, and offering risk management guidance
• Advise on organizational governance, focusing on policy development, compliance and decision-making on high-risk governance matters
• Lead compliance efforts related to regulatory reporting, including campaign finance, lobbying, and voter education activities
• Ensure compliance with the Cost Sharing agreement with The Sierra Club Foundation and evaluate policies periodically for continued effectiveness
• Oversee the program compliance training function, including developing materials and facilitating training for staff and volunteers
• Supervise compliance staff, including hiring, performance reviews, and professional development
• Manage relationships with outside counsel and provide oversight for external legal matters related to compliance and regulatory issues
• Monitor and adapt to regulatory and policy changes, ensuring that Sierra Club programs and activities remain compliant and aligned with new requirements
• Collaborate with finance and operations teams to ensure effective administration and reporting for restricted funds and compliance-related activities
• Act as a member of the Office of General Counsel leadership team, providing guidance on team priorities, structure, and activities
• Perform additional duties as assigned

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading high-performing and multigenerational teams across multiple group identities
• Experience managing challenging group dynamics in ways that build credibility, trust, collaboration, respect for individual differences, and equitable outcomes across all levels of an organization
• An understanding and commitment to the Sierra Club’s core values of Anti-racism, Balance, Collaboration, Justice and Transformation
• A passion and commitment to the Sierra Club mission

Benefits

• $260,000 - $280,000 a year
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• A retirement savings 401(k) plan