Summary

This is a unique opportunity to serve as trusted legal advisor to a dynamic and principled foundation CEO and high caliber fiduciary board while lifting opportunities for Colorado’s beloved land-grant university and its students. At the Colorado State University Foundation, we steward an endowment approaching $1 billion and play a critical role in ensuring donor trust and philanthropic impact on Colorado State University (CSU) and its students by prudently accepting, investing and managing gifts benefiting CSU, a Carnegie Class 1 research institution, located in beautiful Fort Collins, Colorado. Just an hour north of Denver, Fort Collins is consistently ranked as one of the best places to live in the country and is known for its CSU Ram pride, scenic outdoor recreation, excellent schools, charming Old Town, live music scene, proximity to Rocky Mountain National Park and reputation as the Napa Valley of craft beer.

In the rapidly evolving higher education and non-profit legal landscapes, this role requires intellectual curiosity and the aptitude and initiative to stay fluent in emerging and varied legal issues while leveraging strong interpersonal relationship skills to build rapport and help guide foundation leadership, university partners and donors toward outcomes that optimize charitable impact on CSU, advance the missions of the Foundation and CSU, and align with the vision and priorities of CSU leadership.

In this position on our executive leadership team, general counsel will oversee the Foundation’s legal and human resources efforts while providing counsel on organizational responsibilities such as gift acceptance and administration. Working with CSU’s Advancement leadership and Office of General Counsel, as well as with deans, directors and other university stakeholders, our general counsel represents the Foundation as a trusted and conscientious steward of the philanthropic support benefiting CSU now and for generations to come.

The ideal candidate will be an experienced foundation, higher education, non-profit, or government attorney with excellent leadership qualities, ethical decision-making and lawyering acumen and the ability to flex and innovate in this role, enhancing organizational performance and the CSU donor experience overall.

At the Foundation, we believe in delivering excellence while fostering a positive and fulfilling work environment. Our intentionally lean, and therefore nimble, team is committed to achieving our goals while enjoying the journey alongside great colleagues. If you have the requisite experience and skills, value the significant roles donor generosity and higher education play in the lives of students and in the world and are excited to contribute to our executive leadership team, we want to hear from you.

This hybrid position is based in Fort Collins. The CSU Foundation offers a competitive benefits package and a vibrant, mission serving environment with “people” as its core value.

Essential Functions:

• Represent Foundation’s interests with strict adherence to donor confidentiality and intent, and provide legal counsel on matters including but not limited to nonprofit and corporate governance, Internal Revenue Code and IRS guidance, contract law, trust and estate administration, human resources, regulatory and compliance law, constitutional law and public policy concerns
• Identify legal and reputational risks and opportunities and proactively advise the Foundation on corresponding strategies, including input on foundation statements and other communications when circumstances warrant
• Facilitate and ensure the legal acceptance and administration of various types of gifts benefiting CSU, ranging from grants to trust and estate gifts to proceeds from the liquidation of real property and mineral interest gifts
• Liaise with University Advancement leadership, directors of development and other campus stakeholders to address questions elevated by Foundation colleagues and help facilitate successful resolution of sensitive donor situations and complex gifts
• Help support the board of directors and the board’s working committees in fulfilling their fiduciary duties and responsibilities
• Supervise, guide and support the professional growth and development of a human resources manager and a paralegal in performing duties that help strengthen the legal and reputational protections of the Foundation and contribute to a positive and fulfilling work environment
• Oversee comprehensive gift agreement and fund audits and resolve any modification and compliance issues
• Negotiate, draft, review, amend and approve contracts, gift agreements, governing documents and policies
• Manage all legal matters, including any negotiation, mediation or litigation, working effectively with outside counsel, university counsel and other parties when necessary
• Stay current on legal and policy developments and create/conduct training for foundation leadership, board and staff and campus partners on legal issues and best practices
• Develop a strong peer network of counsel
• Other duties as assigned

  Minimum Qualifications:

• Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school
• Active license to practice law in Colorado and in good standing OR eligible for admission on motion within a time frame that meets the Foundation’s position needs
• Minimum of five years’ relevant experience practicing law
• High emotional intelligence and exceptional people skills
• Demonstrated ability to make hard but well-researched and reasoned calls and do so with tact and a commitment to safeguarding donor and campus relationships
• Strict adherence to donor confidentiality and other professional discretion
• Strong legal research, writing and problem-solving skills
• Dependable, accountable and self-motivated to secure optimal results
• Ability to pass a criminal background check, with opportunity to disclose evidence of successful rehabilitation for the Foundation’s hiring consideration

  Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience serving as foundation, higher education, non-profit or government counsel
• Practice experience in tax, corporate, contract, non-profit, trust and estate, or human resources law
• Working knowledge of UPMIFA, foundation governance, tax-exempt status, or compliance requirements