The Foundation
We are the largest nonprofit fighting poverty, disease, and inequity around the world. Founded on a simple premise: people everywhere, regardless of identity or circumstances, should have the chance to live healthy, productive lives. We believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve. We provide an exceptional benefits package to employees and their families which include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with no premiums, generous paid time off, paid family leave, foundation-paid retirement contribution, regional holidays, and opportunities to engage in several employee communities. As a workplace, we’re committed to creating an environment for you to thrive both personally and professionally.
The Team\"Guidance, Solutions, Integrity\" describes the Legal division’s approach to providing responsive legal guidance supporting pursuit of the foundation’s mission and implementation of the foundation's programmatic and operational strategies. The Legal team delivers comprehensive legal services by providing efficient and reliable legal guidance, managing legal risk, and supporting the development of solutions to achieve the mission of the foundation and its affiliated entities.
The Legal team partners with our colleagues across the foundation and its affiliated entities to enable mission-driven work by maintaining an efficient, well-run global organization where employees can thrive and make their best contributions. Doing this well requires effective collaboration, strong alignment, and thoughtful planning across both operational and programmatic teams – as well as shared accountability for mitigating risk and optimizing the foundation’s operational resources.
Applications will be accepted until 5:00pm PST on July 2, 2025.
The individual in this role will lead the legal strategy and support for the foundation’s global data privacy, data governance, and artificial intelligence initiatives. This position includes managing and developing legal professionals while serving as a primary legal advisor to programmatic and operational teams. This position offers an exciting opportunity to develop innovative legal strategies that unlock the full potential of data and AI as core drivers of charitable impact—helping to enable their responsible use and application to advance the foundation’s mission to improve the lives of people.
Lead the evolution and execution of the foundation’s legal strategy for privacy, data governance, and AI across all operations and program areas.
Serve as primary legal advisor for contracts, grants, and investments involving AI, data use and sharing, and personal, health and other sensitive information.
Provide strategic legal guidance on internal data handling and governance, including global regulatory compliance, data classification, notice/consent, registration, and cross border transfers.
Lead legal support for key enterprise tools and systems, data governance policies, and foundation-wide guidance and playbooks related to data and AI, addressing issues like licensing, data provenance, and risk management.
Provide legal guidance as needed on data incident and breach response involving personal data, including coordination with internal teams and outside counsel to assess risk, manage regulatory obligations and support remediation efforts.
Collaborate deeply with technical, operational, and programmatic teams to evolve and adapt governance processes and represent the legal team in cross-functional AI steering groups and policy committees.
Develop legal frameworks and policies that support consistent, efficient, scalable, and mission-aligned data and AI practices and investments.
Monitor evolving privacy and AI regulations, case law, and enforcement and assess their impact on foundation activities.
Collaborate with other members of the legal team and foundation personnel as appropriate.
Manage outside counsel as needed.
Support training and education on legal, data, and AI compliance issues.
Some travel may be required.
Juris Doctor degree and current bar membership in good standing are required.
At least 10 years of legal experience, including senior leadership roles in data privacy, digital governance, and/or AI law.
Expertise in U.S. and international privacy and AI frameworks (e.g., GDPR, EU AI Act and HIPAA) and cross-border data issues.
Demonstrated ability to shape and evolve legal frameworks that balance legal compliance and risk management with the need for speed, innovation, and impact.
Deep understanding of data ethics, responsible innovation, and nonprofit or philanthropic missions.
Understanding of AI model development, algorithmic risk, or machine learning, particularly as they relate to legal, ethical, or compliance frameworks.
Experience with enterprise data management platforms like OneTrust, including implementation support and advising on legal and compliance aspects of data mapping, consent management, and data subject rights.
Experience collaborating with technical teams on evaluating AI tools for regulatory, privacy, or impact considerations is strongly preferred.
Familiarity with intellectual property, licensing, and data-sharing agreements.
Demonstrated success managing or coaching legal and technical professionals.
Experienced in supporting clients in complex, regulated environments.
Proficient in cultivating relationships, earning respect, gaining trust, and managing ambiguity.
Highly skilled in advising on legal risk, influencing senior leaders, and collaborating across functions.
Capability to adapt engagement to collaborate with personnel at all levels, ranging from senior executives to technical specialists.
Strong business sense and client focus.
Ability to work with flexibility, efficiency, enthusiasm, and diplomacy both individually and collaboratively as part of a team effort and effortlessly transition between leading and supporting roles as required.
Quickly grasp and embrace new and rapidly evolving subject areas, demonstrating intellectual curiosity and excitement to engage proactively and confidently with unfamiliar topics.
Strong interpersonal skills, maturity, sound judgment, and ability to communicate in a clear and compelling manner with internal and external audiences.
Self-motivated and with a strong sense of ownership and urgency; able to independently drive work forward and deliver high-quality results in a fast-paced environment where individuals manage their own portfolios and priorities.
Passion for the mission of the foundation.
Highest standards of ethics and integrity.
Sense of balance, humor, and perspective.
Must be able to legally work in the country where this position is located without visa sponsorship.
The salary range for this role is $293,200.00 - $454,400.00 USD. We recognize high-wage market differences in Seattle and Washington D.C., where our offices are located. The range for this role in these locations is $319,500.00 - $495,300.00 USD. As a mission-driven organization, we strive to balance competitive pay with our mission. New hires salaries are typically between the range minimum and the salary range midpoint. Actual placement in the range will depend on a candidate’s job-related skills, experience, and expertise, as evaluated during the interview process.
Hiring Requirements
As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.
Candidate Accommodations
If you require assistance due to a disability in the application or recruitment process, please submit a request here.
Inclusion Statement
We are dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We strive for a global and cultural workplace that supports ever greater diversity, equity, and inclusion — of voices, ideas, and approaches — and we support this diversity through all our employment practices.
All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve our mission will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to race, color, age, religion, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and prior protected activity.