General Counsel

Nonprofits Insurance Alliance (NIA); United States; On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Nonprofits Insurance Alliance (NIA) in Santa Cruz, CA seeks a General Counsel to lead the in-house legal team for all NIA member companies and report to the CEO as a member of the senior leadership team. The role provides strategic legal guidance, oversees contracts and regulatory compliance, and partners with risk, underwriting, and product development to advance the organization's mission.

Candidates should hold a JD and California bar, with extensive insurance or nonprofit sector experience

Qualifications

• Provide legal and risk assessment of business partnering opportunities.
• Ensure activities comply with local, state, and federal laws governing business and insurance.
• Provide legal counsel to the board and management on all matters including real estate, contracts, grants, tax, workers' comp, liability and IP.
• Develop legal strategies and solutions with knowledge of P&C insurance and alternative market structures.
• Develop governance and oversee corporate policies, board relations, and major corporate events.
• Manage budgets and supervise staff.

Responsibilities

• Advise CEO and board to align legal strategy with business goals.
• Identify and mitigate regulatory and litigation risks.
• Draft, review, and negotiate major contracts and agreements.
• Oversee outside counsel and manage litigation.
• Ensure compliance with corporate governance standards.
• Lead the in-house legal team and manage budgets.
• Collaborate on regulatory affairs and legislative initiatives.

Skills

Insurance experience

Bar membership (California)

Legal leadership

Contract negotiation

Regulatory knowledge

Risk management

Strategic advising

Budget management

Policy development

Communications skills

Mentoring

Presentations

Education

Bachelor's degree & JD

MBA desirable

CPA / CPCU / ARM / CFA

Tools

Microsoft Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Outlook

Job description

Nonprofits Insurance Alliance (NIA) is the nation’s leading property and casualty (P&C) insurer exclusively serving nonprofit organizations. Founded in 1989 in Santa Cruz, CA, all of the companies in NIA are 501(c)(3) nonprofits-- social enterprises providing long-term sustainability of the nonprofit sector. NIA has one of the best customer retention rates in the industry and has a well-established track record as an innovator in the areas of corporate social responsibility (CSR), specialized coverages, members services, and employee engagement.

Reporting directly to the CEO, this position is a member of the senior leadership team. The General Counsel is the chief legal advisor and head of the legal department for all of the companies in NIA.

Summary

Reporting directly to the CEO, this position is a member of the senior leadership team. The General Counsel is the chief legal advisor and head of the legal department for all of the companies in NIA.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Strategic Advising: Act as a key partner to the CEO, senior leadership team, and board of directors, helping align legal choices with overall business goals.
• Risk Management: Find, evaluate, and lower legal and regulatory risks to protect the company's assets and reputation.
• Compliance and Ethics: Ensure the organizations follow all local, state, and federal business laws, industry rules, and ethical codes.
• Contract Management: Write, review, and negotiate major commercial contracts, agreements, and partnerships.
• Litigation and Crisis Management: Handle legal disputes, direct internal investigations, and oversee outside law firms when the company faces a lawsuit or crisis.
• Corporate Governance: Guide leadership on corporate policies, board relations, and major corporate events including partnerships with other insurers for coverages not offered by NIA.
• Department Leadership: Manage the in-house legal team, assign tasks, and control legal spending.
• Strategic Risk: Exposure arising from adverse business decisions, improper implementation of decision or lack of response to industry changes.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Provide legal and risk assessment of business partnering opportunities.
• Ensure that all organization activities and operations are carried out in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations and laws governing business and insurance operations.
• Provide legal counsel and guidance to the board of directors, senior leadership team and management on all legal matters relevant to a large nonprofit institution, including real estate transactions, contracts and grants, tax matters, worker's compensation, liability and insurance matters, intellectual property, and other laws and regulations.
• Combine creative thinking with depth knowledge of the P&C insurance industry as well as the alternative market structures such as pools, captives, risk retention groups, etc. business generally and the NIA insurance business specifically.
• Anticipate and identify legal issues and counsel officers of the institution and management to develop legal strategies and solutions, often in situations of great political, public relations, or financial risk or significance, and with limited time for assessing alternatives.
• Review, research, interpret, and produce both written and oral opinions on a wide variety of legal issues.
• Draft, review, and approve policies and procedures, regulations, bylaws, and other legal documents.
• Review contracts, leases, and other legal documents; research legal issues and recommends revisions as necessary.
• Represent or oversee the representation of the institution and management in judicial and administrative proceedings, and in negotiations with state agencies.
• Design, establish, and maintain an organizational structure and staffing to effectively accomplish the organization's goals and objectives; oversees recruitment, training, supervision, and evaluation of unit staff.
• Develop and manage annual budgets for the unit and performs periodic cost and productivity analyses.
• Select and retain outside counsel, as required, to obtain legal opinions or to handle claims and litigation against NIA member companies.
• Supervise legal work of other attorneys, paralegals, and outside counsel; consults on difficult or sensitive issues.
• Provide training to employees, brokers, and members on various legal issues through seminars and meetings.
• Support innovation in the product line through participation in the Product Development Committee.
• Maintain professional growth and development through seminars, workshops, and professional affiliations to keep abreast of latest developments in nonprofit and insurance law and in other related areas.
• In collaboration with the Risk Department, review limits and coverage for corporate insurance policies purchased by NIA.
• Support the Underwriting team by reviewing the indemnification language of contracts to assist underwriters in assessing insurance appetite.
• Research and provide direction on the copyright and trademarking of all intellectual property including but not limited to logos, policy forms, and other publications.
• Manage the Corporate Contracts Management policy, and ensure all documents, communication, and follow-up are maintained in electronic files.
• Manage, oversee, and report to CEO and boards of directions all lawsuits against the NIA group of companies
• Collaborate with the Risk Department on Department of Insurance complaints.
• Provide guidance on federal and state legislative and regulatory affairs strategies and tactics.
• Participates with and supports CEO in legislative initiatives.
• Develop in depth knowledge of regulatory affairs and committees for industry associations and apply that knowledge in support of the business generally and the legislative affairs efforts specifically.

Required Skills

• 10+ years of insurance and/or financial operations experience, some experience with alternative insurance preferred
• Current bar membership in California
• Ability to assimilate and understand a mass of information from a variety of sources in the organization
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Superior oral and written communications skills.
• Effective management of relationships with external agencies in multiple markets.
• Hands-on and proactive management style.
• Able to execute models and forecasts.
• Able to build alignment for initiatives and programs.
• Willing mentor to peers and others in areas of expertise.
• Appropriate tenure in legal, risk management, insurance operations, actuarial or other appropriate disciplines.
• Exceptional ability to influence and motivate others through other than direct reporting relationships.
• Ability to develop and deliver presentations.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully manage a corporate or centralized institutional legal office.
• Skill in budget preparation and fiscal management.
• Knowledge of the insurance business and the nonprofit sector sufficient to provide competent legal advice and counsel to senior management and board of directors on a wide range of legal and policy issues.
• Knowledge of the range of applicable laws and regulations which impact on all facets of nonprofit policy and operations.
• Ability to analyze and interpret issues and to prepare legal opinions.
• Ability to communicate and interact with officials at all levels of government.
• Ability to supervise and train employees, to include organizing, prioritizing, and scheduling work assignments.
• Fluency in Microsoft WORD, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.

Education

• B.S./B.A. and JD required. M.B.A. in business or finance is highly preferred.
• Related industry course work and designations are a plus, including but not limited to: CPA, CPCU, ARM or CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst Certification)

Compensation: The annual base salary range provided for this position is a nationwide market range and represents a broad range of salaries for this role across the country. The actual salary for this position will be determined by a number of factors including the location, skills, education, training, credentials and experience of the candidate; and other conditions of employment. As part of our comprehensive compensation and benefits program, employees are also eligible for additional incentive compensation upon achievement of individual and company goals.