Director, Legal, Compliance & Risk  

New York, New York 

About Pure Earth: 

Pure Earth is a growing international nonprofit addressing one of the most urgent yet solvable global health crises: toxic pollution and its profound impacts on human health. We specialize in preventing exposure to lead and other toxins in low- and middle-income countries, embedding solutions into government systems that outlast any single project or grant.  

With substantial multi-year funding through the Audacious Project, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Coefficient Giving, and other partners, secured through 2033, Pure Earth is leading one of the largest concentrated efforts ever undertaken to end childhood lead poisoning. We are scaling proven interventions across dozens of countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, working in partnership with governments, multilateral organizations, leading philanthropies, and frontline organizations to identify exposure sources, mitigate contamination, and improve policies and regulation.  

Pure Earth holds top ratings from Charity Navigator and Candid, and our work has been featured on the TED mainstage and across major news and global health outlets. At Pure Earth, you'll join an agile, mission-driven team that translates science and innovation into measurable impact, with the resources, partnerships, and ambition to deliver change at scale. 

Position Overview: 

Pure Earth seeks an experienced Director/, Legal, Compliance & Risk, ideally an attorney, to manage legal, compliance, and risk management functions for the organization. This role reports to the Vice President, Operations, and will work closely with the C-Suite and Department and Country leadership, as well as the Board and the Audit & Risk Committee to ensure the organization maintains full legal compliance across all of its entities, effectively manages organizational risks, and protects its intellectual property and organizational interests. This individual will coordinate and collaborate with team members across the organization, focusing on providing strategic legal guidance, and ensuring compliance and operational excellence. The role balances strategic advisory with operational execution, supporting both framework development and day-to-day legal and compliance needs.  

Applicants should have experience setting up and improving organization-wide initiatives, introducing and rolling out changes and improvements in a variety of operational functions. 

Reporting and Team Structure: 

Reports to: Vice President, Operations 

Direct reports: None 

Key internal partners:  C-Suite and the Board, the Audit & Risk Committee, Programs teams, Country Directors, Operations team 

Work Location: 

New York, NY 

Employment Type: 

Full-time, Exempt 

Scope of Work: 

Key responsibilities include but are not limited to: 

Compliance & Legal Governance  

  • Responsible for full life cycle of legal entity management, from set up of legal operations in new countries through scheduled wind down or closing inactive entities.  

  • Ensure Pure Earth maintains full compliance with all legal obligations, bylaws, and regulatory requirements across all of its entities (HQ and overseas)  

  • Conduct comprehensive compliance assessments to identify gaps and areas of concern  

  • Review and update organizational policies and procedures to maintain compliance with evolving regulations  

  • Manage legal entities and corporate documentation for all Pure Earth entities  

Risk Assessment & Management  

  • Conduct risk assessments to identify potential legal, compliance, and operational risks  

  • Lead legal aspects of incident investigations and manage required regulatory notifications  

  • Partner with leadership to identify and prioritize organizational risks    

  • Support development of a practical, fit-for-purpose risk management approach  

  • Serve as legal lead during crisis events, coordinating with insurers, brokers, outside counsel, and support mitigation planning  

  • Manage the organization’s global and country relevant insurance portfolios, including D&O, general liability, cyber, workers compensation, and program specific coverage  

  • Lead annual policy renewals, broker relationships and claims management 

Contract & Intellectual Property Management  

  • Responsible for end-to end contract lifecycle including drafting, review, execution, renewal and close out for HQ and Overseas offices and ensure consistency across organization.  

  • Oversee corporate engagement policy and ensure appropriate legal documentation of partnerships and agreements  

  • Manage all trademark registrations and monitor trademark protection (8-year renewal cycle and ongoing management set to renew in 2033)  

  • Maintain and manage the organization contract repository in collaboration with Finance and Grants Management.   

  • Drive continuous improvement of contract management systems, templates and workflows  

Training & Advisory Support  

  • Develop and conduct training programs on legal and compliance matters for staff and leadership  

  • Provide legal guidance on employment-related matters in partnership with the HR function   

  • Advise executives and staff on legal implications of business decisions and strategic initiatives  

  • Collaborate with HR, Finance, and Program teams to implement compliance initiatives   

Audit & Quality Assurance  

  • Conduct legal audits to assess compliance with policies, procedures, and legal requirements, including privacy, data management,   

  • Issue recommendations based on audit findings, oversee their implementation and track remediation efforts  

  • Ensure proper procedures are followed across legal and risk management functions  

Success in the First 12 Months: 

  • Pure Earth’s global insurance portfolio is 100% compliant with local regulations and sufficiently addresses priority/major risks and liabilities 

  • At least 2 priority risk mitigation projects are fully implemented. 

  • At least 3 priority policies are drafted/updated and fully implemented 

  • Compliance and risk audit conducted for at least 5 country offices. 

Required Qualifications and Experiences: 

Education 

  • Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree or equivalent legal qualification required or equivalent combination of education and professional experience.  

  • Admission to practice law in at least one jurisdiction preferred. 

Experience  

  • 8-12+ years (global/multi-entity required) years of legal and/or risk management experience in a corporate, non-profit, or in-house counsel setting  

  • Relevant international experience   

  • Strong knowledge of compliance, regulatory, and risk management principles  

  • Excellent written and verbal communication and change management skills  

  • Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities effectively  

  • Proficiency with legal research tools, contract management, and standard MS365 office applications (including SharePoint, MS Teams, MS Planner) 

Desired 

  • Experience in the international non-profit or NGO sector  

  • Familiarity with environmental or sustainability-related regulations  

  • Experience managing international legal and compliance matters  

  • Knowledge of intellectual property management procedures  

  • Experience developing training programs and conducting workplace trainings 

Key Competencies 

  • Analytical & Strategic Thinking: Ability to identify complex legal issues and develop strategic solutions 

  • Attention to Detail: Precision in legal documents, contracts, and compliance matters 

  • Communication: Clear articulation of legal concepts to non-legal audiences 

  • Organization & Project Management: Ability to manage multiple audits, reviews, and initiatives simultaneously 

  • Risk Awareness: Proactive identification and mitigation of potential organizational risks 

  • Collaboration: Ability to work effectively with executive leadership and across departments 

  • Professional Integrity: Commitment to ethical conduct and confidentiality 

Work Environment: 

This position reports to the Vice President, Operations, but will also work closely with the C-Suite and the Board and the Audit & Risk Committee. The successful candidate will work in collaboration with executive leadership and have exposure to all aspects of Pure Earth's business.   

New York City preferred, open to remote candidates. Employees located in the NYC area follow a hybrid schedule, working in the NYC office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with the option of working remotely on other weekdays. Occasional weekends, late nights or early mornings to accommodate global time zones with overseas teams may be required. Occasional travel may be expected.    

Salary: 

This role is classified as an L5 position. The salary for this position ranges from $97,000 - $170,000. Additional compensation may be considered for highly qualified candidates. This position is eligible for benefits, including medical, dental, and vision benefits, paid holidays, paid sick time, paid parental leave, 401(k) plan participation, life and disability insurance.   

Equal Employment Opportunity 

It is the policy of Pure Earth to provide equal opportunity for all qualified persons and not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, gender or gender identity, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status. 

This job description may be revised and updated as required to meet organizational objectives.