General Counsel

Trellis Group; Alaska; Remote; USD 150,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full health insurance coverage

401k matching

Unlimited PTO

Paid parental leave

Job summary

A nonprofit organization is seeking an in-house lawyer to provide legal support across various contracts and governance issues. The ideal candidate should possess a J.D. and 5+ years of legal experience, along with a strong interest in sustainability. Responsibilities include drafting complex agreements, advising on legal strategy, and supporting nonprofit compliance. The position offers flexible hours and a competitive salary based on qualifications, along with comprehensive benefits including health coverage and unlimited PTO.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of relevant legal experience in-house or in law firms.
• Active U.S. bar membership is required.
• Experience with multi-party contracts.

Responsibilities

• Draft and negotiate various agreements including vendor contracts.
• Support nonprofit governance and compliance matters.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on legal strategy.

Skills

Contract drafting and negotiation

Sound judgment

Sustainability interest

Independent work

Education

J.D. from accredited law school

Job description

Context

The Center for Green Market Activation™ (GMA) is a US-based, globally focused nonprofit catalyzing adoption of low- and zero-carbon fuels, materials, and services. We focus our efforts on the hardest to decarbonize sectors of the economy, including aviation, maritime, heavy-duty trucking, cement and concrete, and chemicals, in addition to our work on standards and guidance. Through book and claim systems, novel procurement approaches, and demand-aggregating alliances, GMA helps companies move from commitments to investments. By consolidating a range of value chain mitigation initiatives under a single non-profit umbrella, we help companies ramp up their Scope 3 mitigation quickly, starting in one sector and easily moving into another.

Work/Life Balance

GMA takes work/life balance very seriously. Outside of stakeholder meetings, we will be as flexible as possible on work hours to meet your particular home life needs. Staff will be expected to work an average of 8 hours/day.

Location

Remote, contiguous United States (no AK or HI due to time zone). Applicant must currently live in and have the right to work in the United States.

Key Responsibilities and Qualifications

GMA is seeking its first in-house lawyer to serve as a strategic, solutions-oriented legal partner across the organization. This role will provide legal support across the organization, with the bulk of the work relating to contracts, including innovative, complicated, multi-party procurement contracts that will require getting into the deep details of the programmatic work GMA does. Other legal support will relate to nonprofit governance, risk management, and compliance. The General Counsel will work closely with the CEO, Managing Director of Programs, Chief of Staff, program leads, and Finance & Operations team. This is a highly cross-functional role suited to a lawyer who is excited by supporting decarbonization through innovative procurement solutions, complex multi-party collaborations among for-profit and non-profit corporations, and building legal infrastructure from scratch in a fast-growing nonprofit. We will maintain external legal counsel to support this role as needed.

Key Responsibilities:

Contract, Procurement, and Program Support:

1. Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of agreements, including:
2. Membership agreements (for GMA member companies)
3. MOUs and partnership agreements managing responsibilities, liabilities, ownership and revenue related to sector-specific initiatives (with non-profit partners)
4. Philanthropic funding/grant agreements
5. Vendor and consultant contracts
6. Data sharing and confidentiality agreements
7. Non-disclosure agreements
8. Support the legal structure of GMA-led collective procurement initiatives.
9. Support diligence processes for respondents to GMA procurements and buyers’ alliances, , in close coordination with program and operations teams.
10. Develop and maintain contract templates, legal playbooks/SOPs, and risk frameworks to enable efficient program execution.
11. Advise program teams on legal considerations related to market activation, including antitrust, competition, procurement, diligence, and information-sharing issues, working with an external legal advisor as needed.

Governance, Compliance, and Risk:

1. Support nonprofit governance and compliance matters, working with an external legal advisor as needed.
2. Support COO in maintaining internal compliance frameworks and identifying and proactively managing organizational risk, as needed.

External Engagement and Thought Partnership:

1. Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on legal strategy and risk tolerance.
2. Interface with external counsel as needed, managing scope and cost.
3. Contribute to GMA’s credibility with members, funders, and partners by enabling clear, well-structured, and legally sound engagements.

Skills and Qualifications:

Required:

1. J.D. from an accredited law school and active U.S. bar membership.
2. 5+ years of relevant legal experience, including in-house legal roles, law firms, and/or nonprofit or public interest organizations.
3. Experience drafting and negotiating contracts.
4. Sound judgment and ability to balance legal risk with mission-driven objectives.
5. Ability to work independently in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
6. Interest in sustainability, climate action, or nonprofit administration.

Preferred:

1. Experience conducting or supporting diligence on counterparties, vendors, or procurement respondents, including assessing contractual, financial, and operational risk.
2. Experience with complex, multi-party commercial arrangements or procurements.
3. Experience with antitrust and/or competition law.
4. Experience working with climate, energy, infrastructure, or sustainability-related organizations.
5. Experience working with or in the non-profit sector.
6. Prior experience supporting or building legal functions in growing organizations.

Salary and Benefits

1. Salary $150,000 - $250,000 dependent on qualifications and geographical location
2. Eligibility for 20%+ year-end bonus
3. Full health, vision and dental insurance coverage for employee and 50% coverage for all dependents
4. 6% matching 401k
5. Unlimited PTO
6. Paid day off for all US Federal holidays, the day after Thanksgiving and the week between Christmas and New Years
7. Unlimited sick days (doctors notice required in extreme situations)
8. 3 months paid parental leave

The Center for Green Market Activation is committed to equal employment opportunities for all qualified applicants, without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.