Paralegal

Job Title

Paralegal

Location

USA - Florida - Orlando - Wycliffe USA Headquarters

 

Job Description Summary

The Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) serves the Bible translation movement by providing legal advice and services to Wycliffe leadership and departments in a variety of areas, including corporate structure and operations, finance, and taxation, employment, religious liberty issues, privacy and data protection, insurance and benefits, regulation of charitable entities and intellectual property, among others.
As a thought partner with department leaders, the OLC helps Wycliffe accomplish its strategic priorities, as framed by our mission, vision and core values. We ensure compliance with existing laws and regulations and stay abreast of changes to the law that could affect Wycliffe’s ministry, staff and operations. The OLC proactively identifies issues to assess the potential risks associated with business decisions and organizational initiatives and provides guidance or alternative approaches, when needed. Additionally, the OLC provides legal advice to help Wycliffe wisely steward its financial and people resources and our relationships with like-minded Bible translation partners.

Job Description

Job Description

At Wycliffe USA, your work is more than just a job—it’s a calling to advance God’s kingdom through your talents and expertise. As a legal professional, you will play a vital role in ensuring the Office of Legal Counsel operates efficiently and provides timely, well-informed guidance to leadership and department staff.

Your responsibilities will include conducting legal research, analyzing and summarizing information, drafting documents and correspondence, filing legal materials, and leveraging legal technology to enhance workflow and service delivery. Your contributions will directly support the Bible Translation movement by applying your training and experience to serve the legal needs of multiple departments within Wycliffe.

Working closely with the supervising attorney, you will navigate a broad range of legal matters, requiring strong prioritization skills and the ability to think quickly without compromising accuracy. As a key member of the legal team, you will:

• Think critically and communicate effectively.

• Provide accurate and timely legal guidance.

• Ensure compliance with legal requirements across multiple areas.

• Support Wycliffe in achieving its strategic priorities.

• Utilize legal technology to enhance efficiency.

Your expertise and dedication will make a meaningful impact in advancing Wycliffe’s mission.

Responsibilities

You’ll make an impact as you:

• Faithfully and regularly pray for the ongoing work of Bible translation and for people from around the world to experience transformation.

• Act as an organizational representative presenting the global ministry of Wycliffe and encouraging interested individuals, organizations and churches to participate in the work of Bible translation. 

• Collaborate closely with the Supervising Attorney on day-to-day matters of the office.

• Serve as a liaison between the Supervising Attorney and staff, managing incoming matters and independently resolving routine inquiries with minimal guidance.

• Conduct legal research, synthesize findings, and draft reports for leadership review.

• Prepare initial drafts of various legal documents, including license agreements, nondisclosure agreements, MOUs, and shared staff agreements, for review and finalization.

• Oversee charitable registration processes and manage intellectual property renewals.

• Manage special projects and coordinate details, including those involving consultants or outside counsel.

• Gather and compile documents in response to external requests.

• Provide support to executive leaders on projects and initiatives as assigned.

• Perform other duties as assigned by the Supervising Attorney.

Minimum Skill Sets 

The requirements listed below represent the knowledge, skill, and/or ability necessary to perform each duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the following essential functions:

• Spiritual Bona Fide Occupational Qualification (BFOQ): Demonstrates desire and ability to support corporate Biblical and religious goals and participate in regular work-related spiritual activities without reservation as evidenced by your active participation and willingness to pray with and for others; be a consistent witness for Jesus Christ, maintaining a courteous, Christ-like attitude in all verbal and written, internal and external professional communications.

• Organizational Skills: Exceptional organizational skills and ability to implement strategies for the effective and efficient functioning of the Office of Legal Counsel. 

• Legal Technology: Prior experience using legal technology resources, such as CLM software for contract drafting, review and management.

• Cross-Department Communication: Effective communication skills to support and assist staff across departments with initiatives.

• Client Focus: Provides service excellence to internal and external clients, seeks to add value beyond clients' immediate requests and explores and addresses the unidentified and underlying long-term client needs.

• Business and Legal Acumen: Ability to understand the organization's general business operations, strategic priorities and legal issues specific to nonprofit religious organizations.

• Prioritization: Ability to prioritize work with an appropriate sense of urgency, handling multiple matters daily. Prioritizes, plans, uses time efficiently and adjusts work activities to accomplish goals and objectives on schedule.

• Initiative: Deals with situations and issues proactively and persistently seizes opportunities to enhance organizational performance. Acts appropriately and makes decisions without unnecessary help while being mindful of not practicing law.

• Confidentiality and Privilege: Keen awareness and understanding of confidentiality and attorney-client privilege. Exercises good judgment in determining the importance, confidentiality, and appropriate communication of information, including what should be shared, how, with whom, and when. Handles confidential and privileged information with the utmost care to maintain trust and protect Wycliffe by ensuring that all communications and information are kept confidential in accordance with applicable laws, ethical guidelines, and instructions.

• Attention to Detail and Communication Excellence: Strong attention to detail that demonstrates a concern for thoroughness and accuracy combined with exceptional oral and written communication skills.

• Technical Skills: Proficiency in Google Drive, Microsoft 365 applications, legal research software like LEXIS, and emerging LegalTech applications.

Education & Experience

• Paralegal degree or certificate required; BA degree preferred

• Minimum 3-5 years prior paralegal experience required

Spiritual and Personal Commitments:

As a religious organization and employer, Wycliffe is permitted to and does make employment decisions on the basis of religion, biblical standards and our religious beliefs. You’ll be asked to:

• Demonstrate a personal commitment to Jesus Christ, as evidenced by your personal testimony.

• Identify with and participate in a church and proactively seek to grow your faith in Christ.

• Establish and maintain a team of prayer partners who will support you in your season of ministry at Wycliffe (minimum 3-5 partners).

• Actively participate in corporate prayer and devotional times.

• Maintain an exemplary standard of biblical ethics, behavior and conduct within Wycliffe and in your public and private life outside of Wycliffe. 

• Agree to abide by Wycliffe’s ethics, behavior and conduct standards at all times.

• Demonstrate Christ-like maturity in all interactions as displayed by good judgment based on biblical values and principles.

• Actively incorporate your faith in Christ, as well as Wycliffe’s beliefs and core values in all aspects of your daily work. 

• Guided by your faith in Christ, demonstrate these core competencies in daily work and interactions:

  • Faithful in following Christ - (John 8:31-32): Follow Christ faithfully, allowing Scripture to guide decisions and growing in relationship with God and his people.

  • Intentional in collaboration - (Romans 12, 1 Cor. 3:5-9): Collaborate intentionally to accomplish work goals, demonstrating a commitment to cross-departmental and inter-organizational teamwork.

  • Agile in learning - (Pro. 1:5, 2 Tim. 2:15): Demonstrate a dedication to personal and professional growth by actively using development resources and fostering a culture that values continuous learning, individually and collectively.

  • Growing in stewardship - (1 Cor. 4:2, 1 Peter. 4:10): Participate in God’s work, stewarding God’s resources responsibly and demonstrating trust that he will accomplish his goals.

  • Serving with humility - (Eph. 4:2, Col. 3:12): Care for people, growing in relational maturity, exhibiting steadfastness, embracing diverse perspectives and fostering positive cross-cultural relationships.

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package including:

• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance options for employees and their eligible dependents. 

• Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA).

• 403b retirement savings account with matching.

• Paid time off with up to a max of 10 vacation days in the first year of employment (based on hours worked).

• Paid sick time off up to 8 hours per month (based on hours worked).

• 10+ paid holidays.

• Short-term disability pay.

We also offer regular spiritual development, worship, prayer, community gatherings and connection opportunities for all staff in all locations. Detailed information per position is available upon request.

Compensation

 The pay range for this position is $59,893.76-$69,626.50. Actual pay rate may be higher based on various factors such as qualifications, skills and experience, required training, licensure and/or certifications, budget, and allocation, if applicable. Additionally, the range for this position is based upon and considers Wycliffe’s non-profit ministry environment.