NYC KIDS RISE

General Counsel

Job Description

NYC Kids RISE is a nonprofit organization working with the City of New York and NYC Public Schools to manage the Save for College Program (the Program) - a universal wealth building platform for New York City neighborhoods.  The Program  that expands access to mainstream financial products; builds individual, family, and collective financial assets; provides financial education for families and students; and brings schools and communities together to support all their children’s futures. The Save for College Program’s model is intended to drive neighborhood-level changes in economic opportunity and mobility by promoting asset building, reinforcing college- and career-going expectations, and strengthening social capital, networks, and infrastructure in neighborhoods across New York City.

Through the Program, eligible students enrolled in an NYC public school (including participating charter schools), starting in kindergarten, automatically receive a free NYC Scholarship Account with an initial allocation of $100 by NYC Kids RISE on their behalf, invested in a NY 529 Direct Plan, and opportunities to receive additional rewards over time. Their families can open and connect their own college savings account on their child’s behalf, and communities can contribute to groups of these NYC Scholarship Accounts as both a targeted and universal platform for community-driven asset-building in every neighborhood. This approach draws from a variety of best practices and disciplines across the fields of asset building, child savings accounts, financial empowerment, education, community wealth building, urban poverty, neighborhood effects and social capital research, collective impact, and more. Read more about NYC Kids RISE and the Save for College Program and listen to stories from partners who helped build the platform during its pilot phase from 2017 to 2022.  You can also view recent articles in Fast Company, the Wall Street Journal, and the NYCHA Journal; and read more about NYC Kids RISE theory of change in a report by the Urban Institute. 

With a national, state, and local bipartisan recognition of the power of early wealth building and the Program's infrastructure in place, there is a window of tremendous opportunity to realize a bold vision for NYC kids. Currently, more than 380,000 students, including nearly every K-4th grade student in NYC Public Schools, has an asset for college and career training with ~$85 million designated for their educational futures. Each year moving forward ~75,000 children will be added until nearly every student in NYC public school across the five boroughs has an NYC Scholarship Account.  

Position Summary

The General Counsel (GC) serves as the chief legal resource and strategic legal advisor to the Executive Director, Management, and the Board of Directors. This will be the inaugural GC role within the organization, bringing together a robust set of workstreams and existing staff and external support across legal and compliance functions. Currently, the role will have one direct report (Senior Director, Compliance and Administration). The GC is responsible for overseeing and managing all legal matters and risks for the organization, ensuring compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, and upholding the nonprofit's mission and tax-exempt status. The role also serves as a key advisor on strategy, growth, and operations for the organization as it moves through the continued development and evolution of the Program in NYC and as a model for the country. The GC can be a generalist but should have competency related to non profit governance, information technology, data security and privacy, cyber security, complex contract and relationship and relationship negotiation/management (particularly as affected by relationships with public authorities). The GC will have access to a network of legal support through the Lawyers Alliance of New York and other external legal resources. The ideal candidate will be a proactive, creative, solutions-oriented leader who can balance legal risk with the organization's strategic and operational objectives.

Primary Responsibilities: General Counsel 

Legal Strategy & Organizational Leadership

• Strategic Counsel: Advise the Executive Director, senior leadership, and Board on a wide range of legal and regulatory matters, corporate governance, fiduciary duties and policy matters.
• Nonprofit Compliance: Ensure continuous compliance with all relevant laws governing tax-exempt organizations, including city, state and federal lobbying regulations, privacy  regulations including those related to student data, as well as donor information, fundraising disclosures, and maintenance of 501(c)(3) status.
• Coordination and Project Leadership: Own the coordination and execution of legal and compliance workstreams across the organization, including the engagement and management of external counsel and experts / stakeholders as needed. 
• Operational and Commercial Savvy: Bring together concrete, practical guidance around legal requirements with a lens toward the operational needs, business requirements and tactical realities faced by the organization.
• Team Management and Leadership: This is an inaugural in-house role, and as such the General Counsel will need to be able to build up systems and functional integrations that will establish their work as a clear function within the organization (while retaining deep connections with outside counsel and third party / specialist supports). Candidates should have some experience with developing and cultivating a high-performing team, including supervising direct reports, coordinating efforts across internal and external resources, and thoughtfully managing capacity and efforts to meet organizational priorities and objectives.   

Data Privacy & Security

• Data Privacy Compliance Framework: In partnership with the organization’s technology leadership and external vCISO, as well as external data privacy counsel as appropriate, support the development, implementation, and maintenance of a robust global data privacy and security compliance program, including developing guidance for use of AI tools by and within the organization.
• Regulatory Expertise: Ensure compliance as necessary with key state and federal privacy regulations, including but not limited to:
  • FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)
  • COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act)
  • New York State Education Law related to release of student, teacher, and administrative data 
  • Relevant New York City / Chancellor’s regulations related to student privacy
• Data Governance: In collaboration with the CTO, advise and support the development and ongoing implementation of the organization's data retention, use, and destruction policies
• Incident Response: Lead and manage the legal aspects of incident response, coordinating with IT, communications, and external counsel as necessary.

Contracts & Negotiations

• Contract Management: Draft, review, negotiate, and manage all organization-wide contracts, agreements, and legal documentation.
• Complex Negotiations: Lead negotiations for high-value strategic partnerships, major vendor agreements, grant agreements, and donor agreements.
• Template Library: Create and maintain a relevant library of standardized, legally sound contract and NDA templates (e.g., employment, consulting, vendor, grant-making, licensing, and human resources related agreements as appropriate).

• Governmental Agreements: Manage and provide legal oversight for agreements with government partners, ensuring supportive compliance mechanisms that can be operationalized within a small and busy nonprofit environment
• Dispute Resolution: Manage and oversee any contractual disputes or litigation.

Expertise Focus: Policy, Risk, and Governance

• Organizational Policy Leadership: With support from Compliance leadership and in partnership with related administrative and programmatic leads, oversee the ongoing build and refinement of the organization’s policies, including policies related to financial management, information security, human resources, and programmatic implementation. This includes oversight and coordination of the development and implementation of new policies and the ongoing update process for policy documents over time, as well as the maintenance of all official / final policy documents for the organization. 
• Risk Management: Identify, assess, and manage risks across the organization, including the buildout, evaluation and updating of a clear risk inventory for the organization, development of risk management tools and systems, and management of the organization’s key liability insurance policies.
• Governance: Advise  Executive Director, senior leadership and the Board regarding legal compliance, draft key governance documents, in coordination with other team members and executive leadership where appropriate.

Qualifications

Credentials & Experience

• Education: Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Bar Membership: Active member in good standing of the New York State Bar Association
• Experience: Minimum of 12 years of progressively responsible legal experience, with a significant portion of that time spent as in-house counsel, preferably within an NY-based nonprofit or mission-driven organization. Supportive supplemental certifications (not required) could include: (Advanced) Certified Nonprofit Professional ((A)CNP); Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy; or Compliance and Ethics Professional. 
• Preferred Specialized Knowledge and Experience:
  • Demonstrated experience with major data privacy laws (e.g., FERPA, related student privacy laws). 
  • Experience in drafting and negotiating complex contracts with governmental agencies, key vendors, and nonprofit funding partners. 
  • Understanding of organizational risk evaluation and management, including the procurement, renewal, evaluation and management of organizational liability insurance policies 
  • Leadership of organizational policy initiatives, including the creation, iteration and synthesis of policies within a dynamic and growing organizational environment
  • Experience designing, implementing and explaining contractual requirements of different kinds of nonprofit funding agreements and mechanisms, including commercial co-ventures, grant agreements, round-up campaigns, etc. 
  • Experience with the legal and compliance requirements of implementing and managing a nonprofit endowment is a plus
  • Familiarity with NY / NYC regulations and State and City filings for charities.
  • Experience developing clear, tailored guidance and/or trainings for staff around legal concepts and related risks, including donor solicitation and communications, vendor and subgrantee management, commercial co-venture partnerships, etc.

Core Competencies

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex legal issues into clear, practical advice for non-legal audiences.
• Proven ability to work in fast paced environments and to meet deadlines 
• Proven ability to work collaboratively across all departments (e.g., Program, Technology, Finance, HR, Compliance, Fundraising).
• High ethical standards and impeccable professional integrity.

Mission Alignment

• Passion for expanding economic opportunity and long-term financial security for NYC families and communities
• Deep Interest In/Commitment to advancing equity and addressing the racial wealth gap through asset-building strategies

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The salary range for this position is $210,000 - $253,000. NYC Kids RISE provides a comprehensive benefits package including 30 days of paid time off (15 vacation days for new employees increasing with tenure; 5 personal days; and two weeks of office closure per year, one in early July and one at the end of December), plus sick time and holidays; medical, dental, vision, life, short- & long-term disability insurance; healthcare FSA with employer contribution; dependent care FSA; and a 401(k) with 4% employer match after one year of service. 

LOCATION AND WORK SCHEDULE

NYC Kids RISE currently maintains a hybrid work environment where staff work both from home and in the office, as determined by the staff member's preferences as well as the needs of the organization and the specific responsibilities of individual roles and teams. We anticipate that this role will work 1-3 days in-office, depending on organizational initiatives and needs. The offices are in Long Island City (Queens, NY). 

APPLICATION INFORMATION

To apply, please submit a resume and brief cover letter via NYC Kids RISE Careers page.

NYC Kids Rise is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate in employment on the basis of gender, religion, race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, marital status, caregiver status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, military status, unemployed status, or any other characteristic protected by law.