General Counsel

Radio Free Asia; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 195,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous benefits package

Job summary

Radio Free Asia in Washington, D.C. seeks a General Counsel to serve as the chief legal advisor. This role involves providing strategic legal guidance, managing risk, and ensuring compliance with legal and governance matters.

The successful candidate will need a Juris Doctor and experience in advisory roles. They will work closely with the executive team and oversee relationships with outside counsel, contributing to the organization’s mission of providing accurate information in restrictive environments.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in legal advisory roles, preferably in nonprofit or media sectors.
• Strong understanding of governance, employment, and labor laws.
• Ability to navigate complex legal, regulatory, and geopolitical environments.

Responsibilities

• Serve as chief legal advisor and strategic partner to the executive team.
• Oversee governance matters and serve as Corporate Secretary.
• Manage relationships with outside counsel and legal resources.

Skills

Legal expertise

Strategic thinking

Risk management

Governance knowledge

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Tools

Contract management software

Job description

Application instructions: please submit your application exclusively through our search partner DSG's website. Applications submitted through any other channels, including the official RFA website, will not be considered.

Company Overview

Radio Free Asia (RFA) is an independent, nonprofit news organization with a singular and powerful mission: to provide accurate, uncensored news and information to people living in countries where a free press is restricted, controlled, or does not exist.

For nearly three decades, RFA has served as a trusted source of independent journalism across Asia, delivering reporting in multiple languages to audiences in China, North Korea, Tibet, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and other regions where access to reliable information can be limited or actively suppressed. Through radio broadcasts, digital platforms, and multimedia journalism, RFA provides millions of people with access to facts, perspectives, and stories that might otherwise remain untold.

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., RFA operates with full editorial independence as a private, nonprofit organization funded through a federal grant from the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM). Its journalists and contributors work in some of the world's most challenging media environments, often navigating significant political, legal, and personal risks in pursuit of truthful reporting.

Today, RFA stands at a pivotal moment. As the global media landscape continues to evolve and geopolitical tensions reshape the environment in which independent journalism operates, the organization is navigating significant change while remaining steadfast in its commitment to press freedom, accountability, and public service. The issues facing RFA are complex, highly visible, and often unprecedented, requiring thoughtful leadership, adaptability, and strategic decision‑making across every part of the organization.

As funding structures, geopolitical realities, and the media landscape continue to evolve, RFA is rebuilding and positioning itself for the future. This creates a unique opportunity for the General Counsel to help shape the next chapter of the organization and ensure that strong legal, governance, and operational foundations support long‑term success.

For leaders who are motivated by mission and energized by complexity, RFA offers a rare opportunity to contribute to work with meaningful global impact. The organization's commitment to journalistic excellence, freedom of expression, and access to information has never been more important—or more relevant—than it is today.

Role Summary

Reporting to the President, the General Counsel (GC) serves as the chief legal advisor and a strategic thought partner to the President, Board of Directors, and senior leadership team of Radio Free Asia (RFA). More than the organization's lead attorney, the General Counsel is an enterprise leader who helps shape decisions, manage risk, and ensure that the organization can fulfill its mission in an increasingly complex legal, regulatory, and geopolitical environment.

Radio Free Asia occupies a unique and critically important space. Operating under a congressional mandate and with full editorial independence, RFA delivers accurate and uncensored news and information to audiences living in countries where free press does not exist. Supporting that mission requires legal leadership that is sophisticated, agile, and deeply grounded in both sound judgment and organizational strategy.

The General Counsel provides counsel across a broad range of issues including governance, employment and labor matters, contracts, litigation, intellectual property, federal grant compliance, insurance, and media‑related legal issues. At the same time, the role extends well beyond traditional legal practice. The General Counsel serves as a trusted advisor to organizational leadership, helping navigate complex questions involving press freedom, censorship, reputational risk, international operations, and the rapidly evolving external environment in which RFA operates.

This leader will work closely with the President and executive team to ensure legal considerations are integrated into strategic and operational decisions. They will partner with the Board of Directors on governance matters and serve as Corporate Secretary, ensuring the organization maintains strong governance practices, sound policies, and an unwavering commitment to integrity and accountability.

RFA is operating in a period of significant change and external uncertainty. Accordingly, the General Counsel must bring the judgment, resilience, and adaptability necessary to lead through ambiguity and complexity. Success in the role will require a leader who is equally comfortable serving as counselor, strategist, problem‑solver, and collaborator, balancing legal considerations with mission priorities and operational realities.

The successful candidate will bring a pragmatic, solutions‑oriented approach and will be comfortable moving seamlessly between strategic counsel and day‑to‑day problem solving. They will possess the agility and resilience required to operate effectively in an environment characterized by change, ambiguity, and evolving priorities.

The General Counsel oversees relationships with outside counsel and specialized legal resources and is responsible for ensuring that legal matters are addressed proactively, efficiently, and in a manner that protects both the organization and its long‑term mission. They will foster trust and credibility across the enterprise through responsiveness, transparency, and a practical approach to problem solving.

As a member of the senior leadership team, the General Counsel will contribute broadly to organizational strategy and culture, bringing a collaborative mindset, exceptional judgment, and a deep appreciation for the importance of independent journalism and freedom of expression.

Compensation and Benefits

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. The salary range for this role is $195,000 - $220,000 with a generous benefits package. The exact salary to be offered to the General Counsel will be determined based on consideration of the successful candidate’s skills and experience and will be aligned with Radio Free Asia's compensation policies.

RFA is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse workforce and encourages all qualified individuals to apply. Employment is contingent upon the candidate’s ability to provide proof of authorization to work in the United States as an employee of RFA. RFA reserves the right to reconsider or withdraw any offer of employment if the candidate’s authorization to work in the United States, or any extension thereof, would require RFA to file or support a petition or related documentation.