Vice President, General Counsel

Job Description

ANet is seeking a Vice President, General Counsel to serve as the organization's senior legal leader and primary legal operator.  This is a hands-on, highly trusted role for a seasoned attorney who can both advice executive leadership and personally manage a broad range of legal work in a lean, fully remote organization. 

The General Counsel is accountable for legal judgement, execution, and risk management across the organization, partnering closely with the CEO, CFO, Board, and senior leadership to support ANet’s mission, growth and long-term sustainability. 

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Primary Legal Advisor & Risk Owner 

• Serve as the chief legal advisor to the CEO, CFO , and senior leadership team
• Identify, assess, and manage legal risk across the organization, including matters with significant reputational, financial, or operational impact 
• Provide clear practical legal guidance to support timely decision making 
• Calibrate when ANet should be risk averse versus when risk is appropriate to advance organizational goals 

Hands On Legal Execution (Including Compliance & Policy) 

• Personally handle a wide range of day-to-day legal matters, including: 
• Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts and agreements 
• Advising on employment and personal matters in partnership with the Talent/ HR team 
• Supporting compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws across a multi-state workforce 
• Develop, support, review, and implement organizational policies, procedures, templates, and trainings 
• Conduct internal legal reviews or audits to identify and mitigate risk
• Build and maintain legal tools and infrastructure that support consistency and efficiency 

Governance & Board Support 

• Partner with senior leadership on governance matters, including Board of Directors engagement 
• Support interactions with auditors, regulators, and external stakeholders, including nonprofit and 501(c) compliance 
• Prepare, review, and advise on Board materials and governance-related decisions 

Outside Counsel Management 

• Engage and manage outside counsel and legal vendors for specialized, high-risk, or capacity-constraining matters 
• Coordinate litigation, regulatory inquires, and other matters requiring external expertise 
• Exercise judgement in balancing cost, urgency, and risk when determining when to escalate matters externally 

Business Development & Strategic Partnership 

• Partner with the Chief Growth Officer and senior leaders on business development transactions 
• Lead or directly support negotiation of complex or high-impact agreements 
• Advise on strategic partnerships, alliances, and innovative collaborations 

WHAT THIS ROLE REQUIRES 

This role is best suited for a legal leader who:

• Is comfortable operating as both a strategic advisor and hands-on executor
• Has experience carrying broad legal responsibility in a lean organization
• Exercises strong, independent judgment in high-stakes and ambiguous situations
• Can represent the organization and senior leadership confidently in external proceedings and negotiations
• Thrives in a fast-moving environment with competing priorities
• Is deeply aligned with ANet’s mission and values

EDUCATION AND BACKGROUND: 

• Juris Doctor (JD) required from an ABA accredited law school  
• Active admission to a State Bar 
• Minimum of 10 years of legal experience as a licensed attorney 
• Prior General Counsel or equivalent senior in-house experience strongly preferred 
• Experience advising a national, multi-state organization (nonprofit, education, public policy, or government preferred)
• Significant experience with: 
• Nonprofit and 501(c) tax exempt compliance 
• Employment and labor law 
• Contract drafting and negotiation 
• Litigation and regulatory matters
• Insurance, risk management, and real estate-related agreements 
• Strong executive communication skills with the ability to translate legal complexity into actional guidance 

COMPENSATION

The salary range for this position is between $145,350 - $242,250. New hires will start between the range minimum and midpoint ($145,350 - $193,800) based on qualifications assessed during the hiring process, past experience, and internal equity. In order to uphold our commitment to transparent, equitable, competitive, and sustainable compensation, ANet does not negotiate pay.

BENEFITS 

We offer comprehensive benefits to best support our people. Benefits include: medical, dental and vision insurance where ANet pays a portion of the cost of these benefits for employees and their families/domestic partner; generous paid time-off including 10 paid holidays and paid days off between the Christmas and New Year’s holidays; paid parental leave; educational expenses reimbursements;  flexible spending accounts; professional development; a 401(k) plan with a 4% match; short and long-term disability coverage; and basic life and personal accident insurance. 

Conflict of Interest / Outside Work Disclosure

Because this role includes direct instructional coaching and partnership work, candidates must disclose any current consulting, contracting, or employment with organizations that provide instructional coaching, curriculum implementation support, or similar services to schools or districts. ANet reviews outside work to ensure there is no conflict of interest with core services or partner relationships. Individuals currently contracting with organizations that are in direct competition with ANet may not be eligible for this role.

ANet is committed to maximizing the diversity of our organization. We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage individuals of all ethnic and racial backgrounds and gender identities to apply to our positions

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.