Director of Legal and Compliance
10+ years
New York City Metropolitan Area
Full-time
Remote
1 month ago
About the role
We believe that freedom is under coordinated attack - politically, culturally, and financially. And yet, it
remains one of the most underfunded causes in global philanthropy. Without freedom, no other effort
(e.g., climate, justice, education, equity) can truly succeed. That conviction is what led to the creation of The Reynolds Foundation (TRF): a private, family-funded foundation that is championing freedom and democracy around the world.
TRF invests in the leaders, systems, and institutions that promote, defend, and expand freedom and
human dignity. We operate globally, often in complex environments, backing courageous people and
organizations working to strengthen democratic resilience where it matters most.
As TRF continues to scale its direct grant-making operations, we are seeking a Director of Legal and
Compliance to build and steward the legal and compliance infrastructure that underpins our work -
protecting the mission, ensuring regulatory integrity, and enabling TRF to move quickly and responsibly in support of freedom.
Job Details
TRF is transitioning from grant-making through a donor-advised fund to making grants directly as a private foundation. This shift requires robust compliance protocols, strong due diligence processes, and someone with deep expertise in the legal, compliance, and regulatory landscape governing private foundations in the United States.
The Director of Legal and Compliance will serve as the foundation’s in-house legal and compliance
resource, responsible for building and maintaining compliance systems, supporting grant-making
operations, and ensuring TRF meets all obligations under IRS rules and applicable state regulations.
You will work closely with senior leadership and outside counsel to ensure TRF operates with the discipline and integrity its mission demands.
This role offers flexibility for candidates seeking a 75%-100% schedule.
Who This Role Is For
We are explicitly looking for an experienced attorney who is:
You might come from a private foundation, a community foundation, or a law firm with a dedicated
nonprofit and foundation practice. We want someone who already knows the rules, can hit the ground
running, and will not require extensive training on the fundamentals of foundation law.
About the Team
TRF’s operations and leadership teams function as the backbone of the organization, translating strategy into execution, ensuring disciplined processes, and maintaining real-time visibility into performance and risk. The Director of Legal and Compliance will be a core partner to this work: building legal and compliance systems that match the seriousness and scale of TRF’s mission. You will work closely with senior leadership, serving as the foundation’s first in-house hire.
Responsibilities
1) Legal Strategy & Governance
2) Compliance and Regulatory Oversight
3) Global Grantmaking, Due Diligence, & Partnership Enablement
4) Legal Strategy and Governance
5) Operating in Sensitive Environments
6) Build the Legal and Compliance Function
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
Preferred Qualifications
What Success Looks Like (First 6–12 Months)
Why Join TRF
This is a rare chance to shape the legal infrastructure of a fast-growing foundation investing in freedom and democracy worldwide. Your work will directly influence how TRF deploys capital, supports courageous people, and navigates complex global environments with discipline and integrity.
If you’re the kind of lawyer who believes freedom is worth defending, not in theory but in practice, and you want your legal career to matter, we want to hear from you. Please send your resume to [email protected] with the subject line: Director of Legal and Compliance Application – [Your Name]
remains one of the most underfunded causes in global philanthropy. Without freedom, no other effort
(e.g., climate, justice, education, equity) can truly succeed. That conviction is what led to the creation of The Reynolds Foundation (TRF): a private, family-funded foundation that is championing freedom and democracy around the world.
TRF invests in the leaders, systems, and institutions that promote, defend, and expand freedom and
human dignity. We operate globally, often in complex environments, backing courageous people and
organizations working to strengthen democratic resilience where it matters most.
As TRF continues to scale its direct grant-making operations, we are seeking a Director of Legal and
Compliance to build and steward the legal and compliance infrastructure that underpins our work -
protecting the mission, ensuring regulatory integrity, and enabling TRF to move quickly and responsibly in support of freedom.
Job Details
TRF is transitioning from grant-making through a donor-advised fund to making grants directly as a private foundation. This shift requires robust compliance protocols, strong due diligence processes, and someone with deep expertise in the legal, compliance, and regulatory landscape governing private foundations in the United States.
The Director of Legal and Compliance will serve as the foundation’s in-house legal and compliance
resource, responsible for building and maintaining compliance systems, supporting grant-making
operations, and ensuring TRF meets all obligations under IRS rules and applicable state regulations.
You will work closely with senior leadership and outside counsel to ensure TRF operates with the discipline and integrity its mission demands.
This role offers flexibility for candidates seeking a 75%-100% schedule.
- Location: fully remote, with sporadic international travel
- Salary: competitive, commensurate with in-house legal leadership
Who This Role Is For
We are explicitly looking for an experienced attorney who is:
- 5 to 15 years post-law school, with direct experience working at a foundation or at a law firm that specializes in foundation and nonprofit law
- Admitted to practice in Delaware, New York, and/or New Jersey
- Capable of working independently and managing day-to-day legal and compliance matters with minimal supervision, escalating issues to outside counsel when required
- Deeply mission-aligned, with a personal commitment to freedom and democracy - not as branding, but as a strong conviction
- Comfortable operating across jurisdictions and cultures, with an understanding of the realities of cross-border grant-making
You might come from a private foundation, a community foundation, or a law firm with a dedicated
nonprofit and foundation practice. We want someone who already knows the rules, can hit the ground
running, and will not require extensive training on the fundamentals of foundation law.
About the Team
TRF’s operations and leadership teams function as the backbone of the organization, translating strategy into execution, ensuring disciplined processes, and maintaining real-time visibility into performance and risk. The Director of Legal and Compliance will be a core partner to this work: building legal and compliance systems that match the seriousness and scale of TRF’s mission. You will work closely with senior leadership, serving as the foundation’s first in-house hire.
Responsibilities
1) Legal Strategy & Governance
- Serve as TRF’s in-house legal resource for day-to-day matters, coordinating with outside counsel on complex or high-stakes issues
- Support corporate governance, entity management, and board-related materials as needed
- Develop and maintain key policies around ethics, approvals, and internal controls
2) Compliance and Regulatory Oversight
- Build and maintain compliance protocols for TRF as a private foundation, including self-dealing rules, expenditure responsibility, and required IRS filings
- Develop and implement policies governing foundation operations, including aircraft use, conflicts of interest, and related-party transactions
- Ensure TRF is in full compliance with federal tax rules, state regulations, and all applicable privacy and regulatory requirements
- Monitor and address compliance risks proactively, reducing TRF’s exposure to penalties and audit findings
3) Global Grantmaking, Due Diligence, & Partnership Enablement
- Participate in grant committee meetings when applicable, providing legal and compliance review
- Support due diligence processes for prospective grantees, including vetting, documentation, and expenditure responsibility requirements
- Structure, draft, and review grant agreements, MOUs, vendor contracts, and partnership terms
- Build contract templates and a grant lifecycle process that is efficient, consistent, and auditable
4) Legal Strategy and Governance
- Serve as TRF’s in-house legal resource for day-to-day matters, coordinating with outside counsel on complex or high-stakes issues
- Support corporate governance, entity management, and board-related materials as needed
- Develop and maintain key policies around ethics, approvals, delegations, and internal controls
5) Operating in Sensitive Environments
- Advice on jurisdictional and operational risk related to TRF’s work in complex and sometimes repressive environments
- Establish protocols for confidentiality, documentation, and secure legal communications
- Support leadership in navigating difficult decisions, balancing mission urgency with regulatory and legal requirements
6) Build the Legal and Compliance Function
- This is TRF’s first in-house legal and compliance hire; you will build this function from the ground up
- Create practical internal playbooks covering grants, contracting, due diligence, documentation standards, and approvals
- Manage the relationship with outside counsel and help build a bench of trusted advisors across key jurisdictions and specialties
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
- J.D. (or equivalent) and admission to practice US law (New York, Delaware, and/or New Jersey preferred)
- 5 to 15 years of legal experience, with meaningful time spent on private foundation or nonprofit law (either in-house at a foundation or at a firm specializing in this area)
- Strong knowledge of IRS rules governing private foundations, including self-dealing, expenditure responsibility, and excise taxes
- Ability to work independently and manage compliance and legal matters with minimal oversight
- Strong drafting and negotiation ability, with excellent judgment under ambiguity
- High integrity, discretion, and the ability to handle sensitive information with care
- Clear, concise communicator who can translate complex legal issues into actionable decisions
- A genuine personal commitment to freedom and democracy
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with cross-border grant-making, international regulatory environments, or international human rights and democracy work
- Experience building or scaling compliance programs and risk frameworks (sanctions screening, due diligence, anti-corruption)
- Experience advising or partnering with human rights organizations, civil society groups, or democracy-focused institutions
- Multilingual; fluency in a language relevant to TRF’s areas of work (e.g., Spanish, French, Arabic) is a plus
What Success Looks Like (First 6–12 Months)
- TRF has documented, repeatable compliance protocols covering self-dealing, expenditure responsibility, aircraft use, and related-party transactions
- A risk-based, lightweight, usable, and effective due diligence and compliance framework is implemented
- Grant-making operations have clear legal review workflows that support speed without sacrificing rigor
- Leadership has reliable access to practical legal and compliance guidance on day-to-day matters
- TRF has an outside counsel bench across key jurisdictions and specialties
- Legal and compliance is seen as a mission enabler, helping the organization move forward with fewer surprises
Why Join TRF
This is a rare chance to shape the legal infrastructure of a fast-growing foundation investing in freedom and democracy worldwide. Your work will directly influence how TRF deploys capital, supports courageous people, and navigates complex global environments with discipline and integrity.
If you’re the kind of lawyer who believes freedom is worth defending, not in theory but in practice, and you want your legal career to matter, we want to hear from you. Please send your resume to [email protected] with the subject line: Director of Legal and Compliance Application – [Your Name]
Skills
Non-profit OrganizationsLegal