Director – Exempt Organizations

This is a Director-level position at CZI, reporting to CZI’s General Counsel and, therefore, part of the General Counsel’s leadership team. You will manage the Exempt Orgs function, working directly with scientists, educators, and changemakers as they work to solve some of society’s toughest challenges. You will contribute to CZI and Team LeGiT as a key organizational and team leader.

Duties and Responsibilities:

– Lead LeGiT’s Exempt Organizations team, which requires a deep understanding of the Internal Revenue Code and related tax regulations as they apply to 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations.
– Structure, negotiate, and execute projects involving the launch of new and innovative initiatives or institutions and/or partnering with major institutions.
– Provide strategic advice relating to current and new initiatives, institutions, and partnerships, including structuring and governance advice.
– Ensure compliance with laws and regulations by driving CZI’s exempt orgs compliance programs, training, and guidance.
– Oversee corporate counsel work.
– Provide advice across internal cross-functional teams to understand and support the organization’s strategic direction and goals and to accelerate collaborative work.
– Proactively identify and mitigate potential areas of legal risk, communicating with internal stakeholders as needed to resolve possible issues.
– Keep abreast of developments in the laws that impact tax-exempt organizations and lead the planning and response to relevant changes.
– Interface regularly with external partners, including driving, negotiating, and drafting complex collaboration agreements and other major transactions.
– Manage a team of subject matter experts in exempt orgs law, corporate law, and compliance.
– Work within Team LeGiT and across CZI to drive efficient and scalable solutions.

Skills and Competencies:

– 10+ years of legal experience, with deep experience tackling complex legal issues associated with structuring, launching, operationalizing, and managing major tax-exempt organizations and executing on major grants (including working through budgeting and payment schedule matters).
– Experience at a law firm working within a substantial exempt orgs practice is a plus.
– Experience negotiating complex arrangements with universities and other major philanthropies is a plus.
– Demonstrated understanding of sophisticated concepts relating to corporate governance and entity structuring.
– Demonstrated experience leading teams and cross-functional initiatives.
– Background in managing compliance programs and strategies, including the drafting and filing of 990s, overseeing compliance programs, and ensuring proper separation between charitable and non-charitable entities.
– Strong drafting skills, including corporate governance documents, grant agreements, shared services agreements, and collaboration agreements.
– Strong communication skills and ability to clearly explain complex legal concepts, particularly to a non-legal audience.
– Desire for and track record of building systems and processes that are user friendly, efficient, predictable, repeatable, and auditable.
– A learning and growth mindset coupled with humility and mission-oriented sensibilities.
– JD required and an active membership in at least one U.S. state bar, preferably California.