The Associate General Counsel (AGC) will independently manage the legal team providing services to the South, New York, and Northeast Divisions of the North America Region. The AGC serves as a member of the Legal Leadership Team to assist the General Counsel in managing the Global Legal Function. This position reports to the General Counsel.

The AGC has overall management responsibility for a specialized, expert legal team and is responsible for ensuring delivery of high quality, customer-focused legal services to business units in a manner that (i) proactively manages important risks while enabling nimble action, and (ii) assists The Nature Conservancy in achieving its organizational goals. The AGC ensures that the assigned legal team (i) appropriately manages important risks while enabling nimble action, and (ii) assists the Conservancy in achieving its organizational goals.

As a member of the Legal Leadership Team the AGC will:

• Manages a legal team of attorneys and other legal professionals who provide direct legal services to Business Units in the North America Region (South, NY, and Northeast Divisions), certain global and North America Region programs and other Business Units as assigned. The specific business units/regional assignments for which this role has responsibility may change as business needs require.
• Ensure that Legal staff are fully engaged, motivated and have the requisite training, tools, and demonstrated skills to meet the needs of the organization.
• Identifies, develops, and implements standards and best-practices to effectively marshal The Nature Conservancy’s legal talent to achieve organization-wide results on a global basis.
• Implements consistent, organization-wide practices that minimize legal risks having organizational impact.
• Establishes and maintains optimal standards of performance for the department while controlling costs.
• Provides guidance to attorneys throughout the Conservancy on complex legal matters and Global Legal Function.
• Serves as lead project attorney providing direct Legal support to two BUs and one multi-Division program. Select and leads team for major real estate projects.
• Serves as the Legal representative on TNC-wide committees, including Division LPRCs, and participates in Division Directors’ management teams.
• In close coordination with the two other AGCs for the North America Region, assigns workload across Division lines to balance capacity and to ensure that experienced staff is assigned to the high priority projects.
  
  

The AGC is a skilled communicator who can clearly articulate complex legal concepts and options to high-level managers and the Board of Directors. They are highly collaborative and can facilitate strategic dialogues with clients and senior-level stakeholders, probing to identify key issues and requirements, negotiating and developing solutions, and synthesizing a plan of action tailored to audience. The AGC is a key advisor to the General Counsel regarding risks related to assigned areas of responsibility and areas of expertise.

Minimum Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate or equivalent and license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• 10 years of relevant legal experience.
• Experience negotiating complex, high profile or sensitive transactions and agreements, including real estate transactions.
• Experience managing and/or supervising attorneys and other legal staff or significant experience managing outside counsel OR coordinating the work of other professionals.
• Experience developing, implementing and managing diverse projects and implementing strategic program goals.
• In-house experience and/or law firm experience advising sophisticated clients and senior management.
  
  

Desired Qualifications

• Experience in conservation and/or environmental law.
• Experience motivating and coaching others and building effective collaborative relationships. Strong critical thinking and flexible thinking skills.
• Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural experience appreciated.

Who We Are

The Nature Conservancy’s mission is to protect the lands and waters upon which all life depends. As a science-based organization, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that we can create a world in which people and nature thrive. We’re rooted in our mission and guided by our values, which include respect for all people, communities, and cultures. Whether it’s career development, flexible schedules, or a rewarding mission, there’s many reasons to love life inside TNC. Want a better insight to TNC? Check out our TNC Talent playlist on YouTube to hear stories from staff or visit Glassdoor.

One goal is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that all our colleagues around the globe feel a sense of belonging and that their unique contributions to our mission are valued. In addition to the requirements in our job postings, we recognize that people come with talent and experiences outside of a job and consider each applicant’s unique experience. Please apply – we’d love to hear from you. To quote a popular saying at TNC, “you’ll join for the mission, and stay for the people.”

What We Bring

Since 1951, TNC has been doing work you can believe in. Through grassroots action, we have grown from a small non-profit into one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than 1 million members, over 400 scientists, and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff and partners, we impact conservation around the world!

TNC offers a competitive, comprehensive benefits package including health care benefits, flexible spending accounts, a 401(k) plan with an 8% employer match, parental leave, accrued paid time off, life insurance, disability coverage, employee assistance program, other life and work well-being benefits. Learn more about our Benefits and Perks here.

We’re proud to offer a flexible work environment that supports of the health and well-being of the people we employ.

Our recruiting process includes a rolling interview process to ensure we engage applicants in a timely manner. This means we may review applications in the order in which they are received. Once a strong candidate pool is identified, the role will be unposted. The timeline may vary depending on the expressed interest in the role, so we highly encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible.

The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our commitment to equal employment opportunity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of all backgrounds, beliefs, and culture. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization is a priority, and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.

The successful applicant must meet the requirements of The Nature Conservancy's background screening process.

Do you have military experience? Visit our U.S. Military Skills Translator to match your military experience with our current job openings!

TNC is committed to offering accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please send a note to applyhelp@tnc.org with Request for Accommodation in the subject line.