POSITION SUMMARY
ABOUT FOUNTAIN HOUSE
Fountain House is a national mental health nonprofit fighting to improve health, increase opportunity, and end social and economic isolation for people living with serious mental illness. Using an innovative model that focuses on the creation of community by and for people with such conditions, Fountain House is committed to not only recovery but thriving for
all. Fountain House takes a public health approach to serious mental illness, addressing both the health and social needs of our members (as Fountain House participants are called) through
a nationally recognized approach that has been replicated over 200 times across the US. Social practice, Fountain House’s therapeutic model, uses intentional community and the social environment to help advance recovery and engagement most commonly in physical locations referred to as clubhouses. Members reclaim their agency and dignity with access to clinical support, housing, and care management. In addition, Fountain House’s policy and advocacy work is shaping a national mental health policy agenda, from the response to mental health
emergencies, to addressing systemic barriers that people with serious mental illness face every day. The majority of our members are people of color and are disproportionately affected by racism and other systemic/structural barriers in addition to stigma against those living with serious mental illness. Even in the face of these challenges, they do better on multiple measures compared to others with serious mental illness, such as rates of hospitalization, homelessness and incarceration. While 40% of Fountain House members have a history of homelessness, more than 99% are stably housed within a year. And from an economic standpoint, a longitudinal study undertaken with
NYU shows that Fountain House members have 21% lower Medicaid costs. This success demonstrates the power and relevance of our model at addressing the growing and intersecting crises of homelessness, police involvement and incarceration, and rising mental health needs. Having inspired the clubhouse movement, Fountain House works closely with other clubhouses around the country and other entities committed to the clubhouse movement, such as Clubhouse International, while at the same time creating a base of members as potential
advocates. Such advocacy helps accomplish narrative change and promotes funding structures that advance serious mental health recovery. To drive system change, Fountain House also invests in innovation, research, metrics, policy analysis and more. The organization currently operates with a $44M budget and anticipates significant growth over the next five years. For more information, please visit: www.fountainhouse.org
THE OPPORTUNITY
Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Corporate Counsel
will serve as the organization’s senior legal advisor, supporting Fountain
House’s ongoing strategic growth through the development and support of
high-quality clubhouses, partnerships to deliver person-centered community-based services, and policy and advocacy while assessing and managing organizational risk. The Corporate Counsel will provide strategic legal advice and oversee all legal matters and services across the organization. The Corporate Counsel will advise executive and senior leadership on governance, contracts, risk
management, real estate transactions, litigations, benefits, labor, and employment law issues. The Corporate Counsel will also manage external counsel.
Salary:
$175,000 - $185,000
Shift: Monday - Friday 9AM- 5PM with some flexibility as needed.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Nonprofit
Law & Compliance
· Work closely with the executive committee, senior leadership, and Board of
Directors to ensure organizational compliance with applicable federal, state,
and local laws and regulations.
· Develop and implement systems and processes for organizational compliance related to
its nonprofit status, public and private funding streams, and contract and
grant obligations.
· Advise officers of the Board on matters of organizational governance and compliance
with governing law.
· Guide and advise leadership and staff on compliance related to lobbying and
legislative advocacy.
Contract, Review & Negotiation
· Oversee and advise on contract negotiations with government, philanthropic, and
nonprofit partners; once secured, ensure organizational compliance with contracts.
· Oversee review and negotiation for a variety of contracts including but not limited
to grants and funding contracts, consultant agreements, memoranda of
understanding, leases, and data sharing agreements.
Leadership & Strategy
· Participate in strategic planning and response; anticipate issues, estimate risks
strategically and identify proactive solutions.
· Manage partnerships with pro bono and external counsel to support the organization.
People and Culture
· Serve as the primary legal advisor to People and Culture, advising on employee
disciplinary process and implementation of determinations and outcomes of
disciplinary or investigative process, and manage outside employment counsel
where necessary.
· Manage the organization’s Equal Employment Opportunity/Anti-Discrimination
functions, including conducting EEO investigations, drafting reports, determining policy and legal violations and coordinating resulting activities with the Sr. Director of People and Culture.
· Provide training and education to People and Culture team on various legal matters to
promote awareness and mitigate risk.
Policy Review
· Serve as primary legal advisor to departments across the organization as policies
and practices are developed to ensure legal compliance, manage risk, and adherence.
Litigation
· Manage all litigation and serve as a primary point of contact for external counsels
(including the selection and retention of external counsel) and other parties involved in litigation.
REQUIRED AND PREFERRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, AND CREDENTIALS
· Palpable passion for Fountain House’s mission to improve health, increase opportunity, and end social and economic isolation for people most impacted by mental illness.
· Juris Doctor degree from an ABA Accredited U.S. Law School and admitted to practice law in New York State.
· Minimum of eight (8) years of legal practice, including 3-5 years of experience in nonprofit contract administration, risk management, and/or compliance management leadership role,
and experience advising on labor and employment law matters in an in-house or outside counsel environment.
· A deep understanding of nonprofit law, nonprofit compliance, and tax regulations.
· Exceptional strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with the intellectual depth and maturity to work with the CEO, EVP, COO, Chief of Staff and other executive leaders, staff and members across the Fountain House community.
· Excellent judgement and discretion, particularly regarding confidential and sensitive matters.
· Strong research, analytical, and critical thinking skills.
· Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
· Outstanding organizational and project management skills with an overall execution orientation and high attention to detail.
· Experience developing thoughtful change management plans for operationalizing significant organizational changes, communicating with all stakeholders and leading with enthusiasm and optimism.
· Experience managing across teams and external partners, serving as an advisor to management staff in a range of functional areas.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
The physical requirements of the position include the
following:
· Extensive computer use, reading,
writing, analysis, attention to detail, and concentration.
· Regular, punctual in-person
attendance at Fountain House’s main headquarters and other business locations.
· Occasional business travel.
· Occasional long hours, including evening or
weekend work.
· In the case of work conducted remotely, the position requires reasonable access to phone, email, and video conference and a dedicated place to work that is reasonably free from
interruption and where attorney-client confidences are secure against disclosure.
Fountain House is an equal opportunity employer and is prepared to engage in an interactive dialogue with employees or applicants regarding reasonable workplace accommodations to accommodate medical, religious, pregnancy, and other restrictions.
About Fountain House…
For more than 70 years, Fountain House has successfully addressed the devastating
impact of mental illness on individuals, families, and communities through its
pioneering clubhouse model, which provides a structured, therapeutic social
community and the tools to break the bonds of social isolation faced by people
living with mental illness, while also addressing their basic health and social
needs such as access to healthcare, housing, employment, education, nutrition,
and safety. Fountain House accomplishes this by working in partnership with its
members – people living with mental illness – and putting them at the center of
their own recovery.
Fountain House is the most widely replicated evidence-based model for people living with
mental illness in the world with over 300 model programs serving over 100,000
people throughout the US and in more than 30 countries.
We are working for a world where no one is powerless, where health for
all is not just an aspiration but a reality, and where creating change is a
part of everyday life. We are just getting started and hope you will join us.
Fountain House, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer
We especially encourage applicants of
different backgrounds, cultures, genders, experiences, abilities, and
perspectives to apply. We actively work
to increase the diversity of experience and perspectives on our team, and we
want to hear from you. Remember, no one
comes with the entire complement of skills, and no one is the perfect
candidate, so do not let a lack of experience/ skill in one specific area deter
you from applying.
Fountain House is committed to being a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, physical disability, or length of time spent unemployed.
At this time Fountain House, Inc. is not able to sponsor visas.
Note: This job description should not be construed to imply that these requirements are the exclusive standards of the position. Incumbents will follow any other instructions, and perform any other related duties, as may be required. The employer has the right to revise this job description at any time. This job description is not to be construed as a contract for employment.
POSITION SUMMARY
ABOUT FOUNTAIN HOUSE
Fountain House is a national mental health nonprofit fighting to improve health, increase opportunity, and end social and economic isolation for people living with serious mental illness. Using an…
Fountain House offers full-time employees wonderful benefit options, generous Paid Time Off (PTO) paid holidays, and a meaningful mission.
Fountain House offers full-time employees wonderful benefit options, generous Paid Time Off (PTO) paid holidays, and a meaningful mission.
Please apply through our online application portal and please include a cover letter and salary requirements.
Please apply through our online application portal and please include a cover letter and salary requirements.