Internal Counsel

Committed to bringing healthcare into communities and communities into healthcare since 1978, NEW Health is rural northeast Washington’s leading non profit primary care provider. We treat all patients with the respect they deserve while providing high-quality, integrated medical, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy services. 

NEW Health has been named one of the best places to work in the Inland Northwest! This award from the Spokane Journal of Business is based on an analysis of our company benefits and policies, along with a confidential employee survey evaluating workplace experience in the areas of engagement and satisfaction, including Work Life Balance, Role Satisfaction, Communication and Workplace Culture, Training, and Technology and Development.

Our workforce development program, NEW Health University, is nationally recognized for developing local career pathway training to retain rural youth.

Benefits with You and Your Family in Mind 

• Four weeks of paid time off plus nine paid holidays 

• Medical and Vision insurance for you and your family is 100% paid for by NEW Health.  

• Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account options 

• Free Life Flight membership for your family 

• 401(k) plan with matching contribution 

• Continuing Professional Education, license, and tuition reimbursement opportunities  

The above list is not inclusive of all full time employee benefits and is dependent upon eligibility criteria. 

Purpose of Job:

The Internal Counsel serves as the primary legal advisor to the Chief Executive Officer, Executive Leadership Team, and Board of Directors. This role provides strategic legal guidance and leadership over corporate governance, enterprise risk management, regulatory compliance, and legal affairs to ensure NEW Health operates in full compliance with federal, state, and local laws while advancing its mission to improve the health of the communities it serves.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

•    Advise the CEO, executive leadership, and Board of Directors on legal, regulatory, and risk-related matters.
•    Interpret and communicate complex legal and regulatory requirements impacting healthcare operations.
•    Provide proactive legal guidance to mitigate organizational risk and support strategic initiatives.
•    Lead and oversee the organization’s Corporate Compliance Program and enterprise risk management framework.
•    Ensure organizational readiness for HRSA Operational Site Visits (OSV), FTCA reviews, and other regulatory audits.
•    Collaborate with departments to ensure corrective action plans are created and monitor implementation in response to compliance findings or identified risks.

•    Provide regular compliance and risk status reports to executive leadership and annual reports to the Board of Directors.
•    Oversee corporate governance functions, including bylaws, Board policies, and governance processes.
•    Support Board of Directors, operations, and committees with legal guidance and compliance oversight.
•    Ensure adherence to nonprofit and healthcare governance best practices.
•    Ensure compliance with HIPAA, security, and information privacy requirements across the organization.
•    Advise executive leadership and workforce department on employment law, labor relations, and personnel matters.
•    Draft, review, and maintain exempt employee agreements and employment-related contracts.
•    Provide legal oversight and guidance to HR regarding policies, evaluations, wage structures, and personnel practices to ensure compliance.
•    Draft, review, negotiate, and manage contracts and agreements, including managed care contracts, leases, and vendor agreements.
•    Manage document storage and record retention in accordance with legal, regulatory, and organizational requirements.
•    Support real estate, construction, and facility expansion initiatives from a legal and risk perspective.
•    Manage relationships with outside counsel, insurers, and liability carriers, including oversight of litigation matters.
•    Oversee and ensure legal and compliance aspects of grants, fiscal, and governance audits
•    Provide compliance, legal risk mitigation, and Fraud, Waste, and Abuse training to leadership and staff.
•    Establish and maintain organizational policies, standards, and best practices to reduce legal and compliance risk.
•    Perform other duties as assigned.
•    Travel may be required. 

Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school preferred. Active license to practice law (Washington State preferred; equivalent licensure considered).  Minimum of three (3) years of legal experience; healthcare, nonprofit, or Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC look alike) experience strongly preferred. Demonstrated experience advising executive leadership and/or Boards of Directors. Strong knowledge of healthcare regulatory requirements, including HRSA, FTCA, HIPAA, Medicare/Medicaid, OSHA, and related laws. Excellent communication, judgment, and executive level advisory skills.

Physical Demands:  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, and sit. The employee is occasionally required to move around the facility; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.