WHO WE ARE
The mission of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is to conserve the lands and waters upon which all life depends. As a science-based organization, we develop innovative, on-the-ground solutions to the world’s toughest environmental challenges so that people and nature can thrive. Our work is guided by our values, which include a commitment to diversity and respect for people, communities, and cultures. From a rewarding mission to career development and flexible schedules, there are many reasons to love life #insideTNC. Want to know more? Check out our TNC Talent playlist on YouTube to hear stories from staff or visit Glassdoor.
One of TNC’s primary goals is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that employees around the globe have a sense of belonging and feel that their unique contributions are valued. We know we’ll only achieve our mission by hiring and engaging a diverse staff that reflects the communities in which we work. Recognizing that people bring talent and skills that have been developed outside the scope of a job, we take a holistic approach to recruitment that considers life experience in addition to the professional requirements listed in our postings. Please apply – we’d love to hear from you. To quote a popular saying at TNC, “you’ll join for the mission, and you’ll stay for the people.”
WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE TOGETHER
The Associate General Counsel (AGC) is a new role based on growth and will be based in Nairobi, Kenya working in a hybrid capacity. This AGC will independently manage the Africa Legal Team to ensure the delivery of high-quality, customer-focused legal services to assigned Conservancy business units. We currently work in 22 countries across Africa while maintaining offices and staff in 6 countries (Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, South Africa, Angola, and Gabon). Achieving our 2030 goals requires more legal
expertise and focus across a rapidly growing Africa program, supporting both people and nature across multiple geographies and priority areas, such as the Okavango River Basin, Lake Tanganyika, and the Congo Basin. We are seeking an AGC who both leads and leans in substantively to execute the work. This position reports to the General Counsel.
As a member of the Legal Leadership Team, the AGC will assist the General Counsel in managing the Global Legal Function, steering the overall enterprise risk of the global organization. Additionally, the AGC will ensure that Legal staff are fully engaged, motivated, and have the requisite training, tools, and demonstrated skills to meet the needs of the organization; identify, develop, and implement standards and best practices to effectively marshal The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) legal talent to achieve organization-wide results on a global basis; implement consistent, organization-wide practices that minimize legal risks having organizational impact; establish and maintain optimal standards of performance for the department while controlling costs; actively promote and help to implement TNC’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion work; provide strategic and tactical input on a wide range of issues relating to legal and enterprise risk management.
This role will have visibility within TNC up through the Board of Directors. The AGC will clearly articulate complex legal concepts and options as well as work in coordination with subject-matter experts across TNC to identify and address regulatory developments with a focus on areas of emergent regulation (e.g. carbon markets, human rights, corporate transparency, privacy, and security). They will facilitate strategic dialogue with clients and senior-level stakeholders, probing to identify key issues and requirements, negotiate, and develop solutions as well as synthesize plans for action tailored to the audience. They will work closely with risk and safety colleagues as well as ethics and compliance colleagues to help manage risk in Africa. They will serve as a key advisor to the General Counsel on risks related to their assigned areas of responsibility and areas of expertise.
WE’RE LOOKING FOR YOU
At TNC we strive to embody a philosophy of Work That You Can Believe in where you can feel like you are making a difference every day. We’re looking for someone proactive with strong experience in leading an expert legal team who can also act as a projects and transactional lawyer with experience navigating human rights issues in Africa. As AGC for Africa, you’ll ensure that the assigned legal team appropriately manages important risks while enabling proactive, nimble action and assisting the organization in achieving its goals.
WHAT YOU’LL BRING
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Juris Doctorate or equivalent and license to practice law in at least one jurisdiction.
- 10+ years’ relevant legal experience as a general corporate attorney with a broad and complex projects and transactional background.
- Experience with human rights and social safeguards specific to Africa.
- Legal experience within multiple African countries.
- Experience with governance and overseeing the legal elements across multiple global entities.
- Generally well-versed in working across cultures in a global organizational environment.
- Experience negotiating complex, high-profile, or sensitive transactions and agreements.
- Experience developing, implementing, and managing diverse projects and implementing strategic program goals.
- People management experience.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience with complex transactional work, real estate or land trusts, project finance, securities law, sovereign debt restructuring, and/or impact investments.
- Risk management experience across different African countries.
- Global law firm experience is appreciated yet not required.
- In-house experience is appreciated yet not required.
- Multi-lingual skills appreciated yet not required.
- Nonprofit experience appreciated yet not required.
WHAT WE BRING
Since 1951, TNC has been doing work you can believe in. Through grassroots action, we have grown from a small non-profit into one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than 1 million members, over 400 scientists, and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff and partners, we impact conservation around the world!
TNC offers competitive and comprehensive benefits packages tailored to the individual countries where we work. These may include health care benefits, retirement benefits, parental leave, paid time off, life insurance, and disability coverage as well as an employee assistance program and other life and well-being benefits. Learn more about our benefits on our Culture Tab on nature.org/careers.
We’re proud to offer a flexible work environment that supports the health and well-being of the people we employ.
Please apply to Job ID 56085 at www.nature.org/careers. Submit your required cover letter and resume separately using the upload buttons. Click “submit” to apply for the position or “save for later” to create a draft application for future submission. Once submitted, applications cannot be revised or edited. Failure to complete required fields may result in your application being disqualified from consideration. If you experience technical issues, please refer to our applicant user guide or contact [email protected].
The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our commitment to diversity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and cultures. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character is a priority and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientations, gender identities, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law. TNC is committed to offering accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process. If you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability, please send a note to [email protected] with Request for Accommodation in the subject line.
