Senior Counsel, Legal & Business Affairs

About Global Citizen

Global Citizen is a movement of engaged citizens using their collective voice to end extreme poverty. On our platform, Global Citizens learn about the systemic causes of poverty, take action, and earn rewards as part of a global community committed to lasting change.

Since 2009, Global Citizens have taken over 42.9 million actions. These actions, in combination with our high-level advocacy efforts, have led to over $49 billion being distributed to partners worldwide, impacting 1.3 billion lives in the fight to end extreme poverty.

Role Overview

Global Citizen is seeking a Senior Counsel, Legal & Business Affairs, to play a leading role within its Legal & Business Affairs team.

This position will oversee and manage key legal and business affairs matters across multiple areas of the organization, including live and recorded entertainment, intellectual property, partnerships, and compliance. The Senior Counsel will serve as a trusted advisor to leadership, manage legal staff and external counsel, and drive complex projects from concept through execution.

The ideal candidate will bring seasoned legal judgment, strong business acumen, and proven leadership in managing both people and projects in a fast-paced, mission-driven organization.

Key Responsibilities

Legal Strategy & Counsel – 35%

• Serve as a strategic legal advisor to senior management on complex business initiatives, contracts, and risk management matters.
• Lead negotiations and oversee drafting of key contracts across business units, including major talent, sponsorship, event production, and media deals.
• Advise on intellectual property, nonprofit compliance, lobbying regulations, and global partnership structures.
• Drive organizational risk strategy, proactively identifying, assessing, and mitigating legal and reputational risks while enabling innovative, mission-aligned business initiatives.
• Oversee and direct external counsel relationships globally, including selection, budget management, and performance oversight, ensuring high-quality, cost-effective legal support aligned with organizational priorities.

Independent Project & Business Affairs Management – 30%

• Own and drive execution of high-impact, cross-functional initiatives from inception through completion, including flagship global events (e.g., Global Citizen Festival), ensuring alignment with strategic objectives, timelines, and organizational priorities.
• Lead legal workstreams for major events, campaigns, and corporate initiatives.
• Partner with leadership on long-term strategic planning for Global Citizen’s business and legal operations.
• Develop and enhance internal systems (e.g., contract lifecycle management, compliance tracking) to improve efficiency and accountability.

Leadership & Staff Management – 25%

• Supervise and mentor members of the Legal & Business Affairs team, fostering professional growth, collaboration, and operational excellence.
• Establish and implement team priorities, workflows, and performance metrics.
• Design and oversee enterprise-wide legal and compliance training initiatives, ensuring consistent understanding of risk, policy, and best practices across the organization.
• Support cross-functional collaboration, ensuring legal alignment across departments including Partnerships, Marketing, Events, and Creative, and other teams to embed legal strategy into core business decision-making.

Governance, Compliance & Policy Oversight – 10%

• Oversee the organization’s global corporate governance structure and ensure compliance with U.S. and international nonprofit laws.
• Lead compliance reviews and implement risk management frameworks across all business activities.
• Provide strategic input on organizational policies, ensuring alignment with legal, ethical, and regulatory standards.
• Support governance and compliance matters.

Requirements for Success

Education & Experience

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school and active membership in good standing or registered in-house counsel with the New York Bar.
• at least 5–8 years of legal experience, including significant in-house counsel or law firm experience with emphasis on live and recorded entertainment, commercial deals, and managing a team (nonprofit and general corporate law a plus).
• Demonstrated experience managing legal teams, outside counsel, and major organizational initiatives with international experience / cross-cultural coordination.
• Expertise in nonprofit law, corporate governance, sponsorship structuring, lobbying compliance, and intellectual property.
• Familiarity with entertainment and talent contracting, particularly in music, media, and events, is highly preferred.
• Proficiency with contract lifecycle management (CLM) tools and project management platforms (e.g., SpotDraft, Asana, Airtable, GSuite).

Attributes

• Proven leadership and management skills with the ability to inspire and develop teams.
• Strong business judgment with an ability to balance legal risk with organizational priorities.
• Highly organized, proactive, and capable of managing multiple complex projects independently.
• Collaborative and solutions-oriented, with excellent communication and negotiation skills.
• Deep passion for Global Citizen’s mission and commitment to ending extreme poverty.
• Using AI tools to work smarter and drive impact is an essential part of every role at Global Citizen.

Global Citizen is a fast-moving, mission-driven organization where bold ideas, smart risks, and decisive action are part of how we create impact. We are looking for people who are energized by ambitious goals, comfortable navigating change, and ready to work collaboratively across teams, time zones, and sectors. The pace is high and the work is meaningful, making this a strong fit for people who bring initiative, adaptability, courage, and a deep commitment to driving real-world change.

Benefits

Why Global Citizen?

In this coming decade of action and accountability, Global Citizen will be the leading international voice, educator, and influencer that rallies humanity to take full responsibility and accountability for eradicating extreme poverty. You have a chance to contribute and make this world a better place for all.

More Details

• Must be authorized for employment in the United States
• Global Citizen operates on a hybrid work model - 3 days (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) in our NYC office and 2 days (Monday & Friday) telecommuting.
• Full-time, ongoing employees are eligible for a competitive benefits package: Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance; commuter benefits; 403(b) retirement savings & employer match; generous paid time off (vacation, sick, and holidays); paid parental leave; employee discounts; FSA; Professional Development Assistance (EAP).
• Salary Range: $145,000 - 160,000 (commensurate with experience).