General Counsel

Unite America seeks a General Counsel to serve as the organization’s legal strategist and compliance leader across a multi-entity structure that includes 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), and PAC activities. This role safeguards the organization’s legal integrity while enabling bold, mission-aligned action in pursuit of nonpartisan election reform. The General Counsel position requires expertise in IRS non-profit and political activity regulations, FEC regulations, and fluency in state-level campaign finance, lobbying, and charitable solicitation laws. This leader must be able to assess complex regulatory environments across multiple jurisdictions, anticipate risk, and translate legal nuance into clear, practical guidance for the organizations’ political, programmatic, and operational leaders. The General Counsel reports to the Head of Strategy & Operations and partners closely with Finance, Program, Fundraising, Communications, People & Culture, and Executive leadership. The General Counsel also oversees and manages outside counsel relationships and will be responsible for building internal legal capacity, including hiring and supervising an Assistant General Counsel. While Denver-based candidates are strongly preferred, exceptional remote candidates will be considered. Relocation support is available. Unite America believes that there is strength in diversity and strongly encourages candidates from diverse backgrounds and from across the political and ideological spectrum to apply. RESPONSIBILITIES Enterprise Legal & Regulatory Leadership Serve as legal advisor on federal and state campaign finance, lobbying, ballot access, and election law compliance Advise on state election and voting laws, including petition signature gathering, voter registration, voting methods, voter registration, and ballot access requirements Lead oversight of IRS compliance across 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), and PAC entities Oversee lobbying registrations and reports, charitable solicitation filings, PAC reporting, and related compliance functions Review and approve public communications to ensure compliance with campaign finance and tax regulations Identify and proactively mitigate legal, regulatory, and reputational risks Manage and evaluate political compliance vendors and outside counsel Legal Review & Organizational Management Draft, review, and negotiate contracts, grant agreements, and vendor agreements Provide legal review of employment agreements and HR-related matters in partnership with outside employment counsel Support internal corporate governance by identifying matters requiring board approval, preparing legal briefings, and drafting resolutions Develop, implement, and monitor organizational policies and procedures Manage organizational compliance program, including conducting staff trainings and onboarding related to legal and regulatory matters Serve as primary point of contact for legal inquiries and triage matters appropriately Prioritize legal workstreams aligned with organizational strategy and risk posture Strategic Partnership & Organizational Enablement ​​Serve as a strategic partner across the organization, promoting a culture of compliance Embed legal and compliance considerations into planning, budgeting, and execution processes Translate complex regulatory frameworks into clear, actionable guidance for non-lawyer leaders Support long-term organizational planning by identifying emerging regulatory risks and opportunities People Leadership Hire and supervise Assistant General Counsel Supervise the Sr. Compliance & Operations Manager Build internal legal systems, workflows, and compliance infrastructure appropriate for a growing, multi-entity organization WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR The successful candidate is an attorney with experience in political law, nonprofit tax law, or election law, ideally with experience from within multi-entity or hybrid c3/c4 structures. This person will bring: Strong working knowledge of IRS, FEC, and state campaign finance regulations Experience navigating lobbying and charitable solicitation registration and reporting regimes Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to distill complex legal issues into clear recommendations for non-lawyers Sound judgment in the face of ambiguity and fast-moving political conditions A pragmatic, solutions-oriented mindset An entrepreneurial spirit and comfort building systems in evolving environments Collaborative leadership style and ability to operate cross-functionally This role requires both technical excellence and strategic maturity, someone who can protect the organization while enabling it to move decisively in pursuit of its mission. QUALIFICATIONS 5–10 years of legal practice experience, with meaningful experience in political law, election law, campaign finance, nonprofit tax law, government, or another highly regulated field J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school Active bar membership in good standing in at least one U.S. jurisdiction Working knowledge of federal and state campaign finance, lobbying, nonprofit, and related regulatory frameworks (direct political law experience is strongly preferred) Strong multi-jurisdictional legal research skills, including statutory, regulatory, and agency guidance analysis Ability to analyze complex legal requirements and provide clear, practical advice to non-lawyer colleagues Experience supporting compliance reporting, disclosure, or regulatory filings in a structured environment Rigorous attention to detail with high ethical and operational standards Strong organizational and project management skills; able to track and balance multiple legal matters simultaneously Proactive mindset — anticipates issues, flags risks early, and practices preventive law Comfortable operating in a fast-moving, cross-functional environment Clear, timely, and thoughtful written and verbal communicator Demonstrated learning agility and willingness to build expertise in new subject matter areas Team-oriented and solutions-focused Strong desire to fix a broken political system and a passion for our mission OUR ORGANIZATION Unite America is a non-partisan, philanthropic venture fund (composed of several legal entities) that invests in candidates, campaigns, and organizations in order to advance nonpartisan election reforms that will foster a more representative and functional government capable of solving America’s most pressing challenges. Founded in 2014, Unite America and its 30+ person team has grown to be a leader in the democracy reform movement. The organization has existed in its current form, and with its current primary focus, since 2019; in that time, we have successfully mobilized tens of millions of dollars from scores of philanthropists to candidates and reform campaigns across the country. Recent victories where we played a leading or a major supporting role to win: a major anti-gerrymandering campaign in Virginia; a first-of-its-kind, top-four open all-candidate primary system in Alaska that helped elect one of the most ideologically diverse slates of statewide officeholders in recent history; and a ballot initiative in Nevada to implement Alaska-style reforms in that state. We are poised to dramatically scale our impact in the years to come. At Unite America, we are working to build a more representative and functional government that puts voters first and reflects the diversity of our country, and an inclusive democracy in which leaders embrace problem-solving over fueling divisiveness. Likewise, we have a vision of building an organization that reflects diverse identities, experiences, and perspectives, a culture of working across differences toward common goals, and a workplace where everyone feels included, respected, and heard. To that end, Unite America is proud to have made diversifying our team, ensuring more equitable opportunity, and fostering a culture of belonging a priority. Our organizational values reinforce this commitment as we work to model the leadership we seek, solve problems together, and take care of one another, to name a few. Competitive Compensation (est. $175 - 210k) 401(k) Plan (with up to a 3% employer contribution match) Health Care Plan (medical, dental, and vision) Unlimited Paid Time Off (vacation, sick days, public holidays, and team-wide wellness days) Family Leave (maternity, paternity, and adoption) Paid sabbatical after 4 years on staff Training & Professional Development Wellness Stipend Opportunity to join an inclusive, vibrant, and diverse team