General Counsel

• Serve as IFF’s chief legal officer and principal advisor to executive leadership on legal, governance, enterprise risk, regulatory, reputational, and strategic matters
• Own the development and execution of IFF’s legal, governance, and enterprise compliance strategy
• Participate in enterprise strategic planning and major organizational initiatives
• Advise the CEO, President & COO, Executive Leadership Team, and Board of Directors on material strategic, regulatory, governance, legal, and reputational risks
• Provide legal guidance on strategic and operational decisions, laws, regulations, contractual obligations, partnerships, contracted services agreements, and enterprise initiatives
• Direct organizational understanding and adherence to CDFI Fund rules, federal lending laws, grant agreements, and tax-exempt/non-profit requirements
• Lead governance structures, board processes, enterprise accountability structures, policy frameworks, and risk escalation protocols
• Serve as principal governance advisor to the Board and Board committees
• Establish legal review standards, delegation protocols, contracting frameworks, and risk thresholds
• Advise operational leaders on vendor, technology, employment, and regulatory risks
• Oversee sensitive internal investigations, regulatory responses, significant litigation, and crisis management
• Monitor industry trends, legislative changes, and regulatory developments affecting CDFIs and community development finance
• Develop and revise organizational policies and procedures
• Lead and mentor the Risk, Compliance & Legal team
• Coordinate outside counsel and maintain relationships with legal counsel, regulatory agencies, industry partners, consultants, and vendors
• Promote equity, diversity, and inclusion

Requirements

• Juris doctorate (JD) degree from an accredited law school
• Active membership in good standing with the state bar
• Minimum of fifteen years of experience in legal counsel, compliance, governance, enterprise risk, or operational law with a focus on commercial real estate finance, community development lending, or a related field
• Experience with negotiations, LLC formation and structuring, bond, incentive, and real estate development financing, and development partnership structures
• Strong understanding of organizational governance, contracts, regulatory environments, and enterprise operations
• Demonstrated success advising CEOs, executive leadership teams, and governing boards on enterprise strategy, organizational risk, governance, and major institutional decisions
• Demonstrated experience serving as General Counsel, Deputy General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer, or comparable executive-level role
• Demonstrated ability to influence senior executives and governing boards
• Experience leading organizations through significant change, crises, restructurings, litigation, or regulatory matters
• Experience balancing legal judgment with organizational strategy and mission objectives
• Demonstrated ability to navigate ambiguity and evolving organizational environments
• Strong judgment balancing legal protection with operational practicality
• Experience coordinating cross-functional initiatives involving legal and compliance considerations
• Ability to communicate complex legal concepts clearly to non-legal stakeholders
• Strong relationship management and organizational influence skills
• Collaborative, team player who possesses interpersonal skills to work across all levels of the organization
• Possesses humility and a willingness to learn about all areas of the organization
• Occasional travel to IFF offices
• Occasional early start or extended hours and evening or weekend work

Core Competencies

Expertise in legal counsel, governance, and enterprise risk management, with a strong focus on community development finance and regulatory compliance. Proven ability to advise executive leadership and governing boards on strategic decisions while balancing legal and operational considerations.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Juris Doctorate (JD)
• Legal Counsel Experience
• Governance and Compliance Strategy
• Enterprise Risk Management
• Community Development Finance

ATS Optimization Keywords

Hard Skills

• Regulatory Compliance
• Contract Negotiation
• Organizational Governance
• Litigation Management
• Risk Assessment
• Policy Development
• Cross-Functional Coordination
• Real Estate Development Financing
• Crisis Management
• Legal Review Standards

Soft Skills

• Interpersonal Skills
• Relationship Management
• Organizational Influence
• Collaborative Team Player
• Communication Skills

Certifications & Qualifications

• Active State Bar Membership

Industry Keywords

• CDFI Fund Rules
• Federal Lending Laws
• Tax-Exempt Requirements
• Community Development Lending
• Enterprise Operations
• Board Governance
• Organizational Change Management
• Legal Judgment
• Strategic Planning
• Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion