General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer

Position:    Chief Compliance Officer & General Counsel

Department:    Administration (SMG)

Reports to:    Chief Executive Officer

Category:    100% Full-Time

FLSA Status:    Exempt

ORGANIZATIONAL SUMMARY: The Los Angeles LGBT Center is the world’s largest LGBT organization of any kind. In 10 locations across Los Angeles, the Center’s nearly 800 employees and hundreds of volunteers offer programs, services, and global advocacy that span four broad categories: Health, Social Services and Housing, Culture and Education, Leadership and Advocacy. The Center is an unstoppable force in the fight against bigotry and the struggle to build a better world.

JOB SUMMARY: The General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer (GC/CCO) serves as the organization’s lead legal advisor, providing expert counsel to the CEO, Board of Directors, Senior Executive Team, and key business partners. In this role, the GC/CCO oversees all legal, compliance, and governance functions, ensuring the organization maintains the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and ethical conduct while enabling responsible growth and impact.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Strategic Legal Advisory & Executive Partnership

•    Serve as a trusted legal advisor to the CEO, Board of Directors, and Senior Executive Team on organizational strategy, major initiatives, risk assessment, and long-term planning

•    Provide strategic legal counsel on complex initiatives, including real estate partnerships, program expansion, mergers/affiliations, advocacy campaigns, and major transactions

•    Translate legal risks and opportunities into business language that enables informed decision-making

•    Actively champion cross-departmental collaboration by partnering with SMG leaders to convene interdepartmental teams, while providing hands-on leadership for critical Center initiatives—particularly those in early stages or facing challenges—to ensure alignment with strategic objectives and successful transition to sustainable operations

•    As a member of the executive team, collaboratively develop, champion, and implement the Center's strategic plan, taking shared ownership for its successful execution and outcomes

•    Cultivate and maintain productive working relationships with members of the Board of Directors, senior management, and peers to ensure alignment and collective support for the Center's mission

•    Contribute to the overall health and effectiveness of the organization by taking on other duties as assigned, demonstrating a commitment to the Center's collective success

Compliance & Risk Management Program Leadership

•    Lead organization-wide compliance programs across healthcare (HIPAA, HRSA, FTCA), employment law, data privacy, fundraising regulations, lobbying/advocacy rules, and grant requirements

•    Develop and maintain compliance policies, training programs, and internal controls to mitigate legal and reputational risk

•    Serve as a centralized repository for organizational audits and corrective action plans; ensure full compliance with regulatory and grant requirements

•    Chair Risk Management Committee and lead enterprise risk management strategy

•    Lead internal investigations and manage responses to audits, regulatory inquiries, and compliance concerns

•    Work with the Director of Compliance for Health Services to ensure HIPAA compliance, investigate violations, and manage communications with regulatory agencies

•    Partner with the Director of Pharmacy and the CFO to maintain 340B pharmacy program compliance, including audit support and outside expertise engagement

•   Collaborate with the Head of IT on cybersecurity incidents, breach notification, and privacy program oversight

Litigation Management

•    Oversee all litigation and dispute resolution, hiring and managing outside litigation counsel

•    Develop a litigation strategy with senior leadership and oversee settlement negotiations

•    Implement strategies to minimize litigation exposure and protect organizational interest

Insurance Management

•    Manage a comprehensive insurance portfolio (D&O, EPL, general liability, property, cyber), including claims management, carrier relationships, and coverage optimization

•   Manage and investigate non-insurance claims, including Federal Tort Claims Act matters

Employment & Labor Law

•    Partner with in-house Employment Counsel to provide guidance on workplace policies, compliance with labor laws, and collective bargaining matters

•    Collaborate with Employment Counsel and Chief People Officer on sensitive personnel matters, investigations, and employee relations

•   Ensure compliance of 403(b) retirement program in partnership with Employment Counsel, CFO, and outside ERISA counsel

Contracts & Transactions

•    Provide oversight of transactional matters, including real estate, financing, and complex business transactions (executed with outside counsel support)

•    Draft, review, and negotiate high-value or complex agreements

•    Manage intellectual property portfolio for the Center and affiliates

Corporate Governance & Board Support

•    Oversee corporate governance for the Center and affiliated entities, providing guidance on bylaws, board policies, committee structures, and fiduciary responsibilities

•    Support Board operations, including preparation of materials, resolutions, meeting minutes, conflict of interest policies, and governance best practices

•    Ensure adherence to federal, state, and local nonprofit regulations including IRS 501(c)(3) compliance and charitable solicitation requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

•    Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school; active California State Bar membership in good standing

•    Knowledge of or experience working with the LGBTQ community and familiarity with issues of particular relevance to LGBTQ people

•    A passion for the Center’s work and its mission to make the world a better place for LGBTQ people

•    12+ years of progressively responsible legal experience with a minimum of 5 years in a senior leadership role (GC, Deputy GC, or equivalent)

•    Deep knowledge of nonprofit and tax-exempt law, including IRS 501(c)(3) compliance, charitable solicitation rules, and governance requirements for nonprofit boards

•    Substantial expertise and knowledge of healthcare law and regulations, including HIPAA, HRSA compliance, FTCA, and fraud and abuse laws

•    Experience serving as a strategic advisor to C-suite executives and the Board of Directors, with the ability to translate complex legal issues into actionable business guidance

•    Demonstrated ability to manage high-stakes situations, including investigations, regulatory inquiries, litigation, and reputational crises with sound judgment and composure

•    Experience with cost-effective management of outside legal resources and creation and sustaining pro bono outside counsel

•    Demonstrated ability to provide strategic legal counsel in a complex, fast-moving environment.

•    Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; ability to draft clear, persuasive legal documents and present to diverse audiences

•    Demonstrated ability to work effectively with people of diverse races, ethnicities, nationalities, sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expression, socio-economic backgrounds, religions, ages, English-speaking abilities, immigration statuses, and physical abilities in a multicultural environment

•    Demonstrated ability to work effectively with people of diverse races, ethnicities, nationalities, sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expression, socio-economic backgrounds, religions, ages, English-speaking abilities, immigration statuses, and physical abilities in a multicultural environment

•    Bilingual Spanish/English preferred

•    Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional designation highly desired

The Los Angeles LGBT Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to fostering diversity within its staff. Applications are encouraged from all persons regardless of their race, color, ancestry, religious creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, medical/physical/mental condition, pregnancy/childbirth and related medical condition, age, marital status, or veteran status.

The Center requires that all staff working in Health Services clinical site locations receive the most up-to-date Influenza vaccinations and strongly recommends that staff also receive the latest COVID-19 vaccine. Staff not working at any of the Center’s clinical sites are encouraged to receive the latest COVID-19 and Influenza vaccines but are not required to do so. For more information, please contact jobs@lalgbtcenter.org.