Legal Counsel

This position is remote within the U.S. with a salary of $200,000–$260,000 FTE, or pro-rated for fractional (part-time) work. We expect the right candidate to dedicate at least 40% time to this work, transitioning to a full-time role by mid-2026 at latest. 

About Renaissance Philanthropy

Renaissance Philanthropy is a nonprofit organization that fuels a 21st-century renaissance by increasing the ambition of philanthropists, scientists and innovators. In the first year, Renaissance Philanthropy catalyzed more than $214M in philanthropic funding for science, technology, and innovation, launching 10+ initiatives across AI, education, climate, health, and scientific infrastructure. The organization designs time-bound, thesis-driven funds led by field experts and inspires talent to take action through playbooks and communities. From accelerating mathematical discovery to expanding talent mobility, Renaissance Philanthropy is building the connective tissue between exceptional ideas and resources to create breakthroughs that transform entire fields. Renaissance Philanthropy Fund is tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and classified as a public charity.

Job Description

As the Legal Counsel at Renaissance Philanthropy, you will lead the organization’s legal strategy and execution across contracting, intellectual property, governance, tax compliance, risk management, and spinout design. You will hire and manage external legal counsel as needed. You will be a critical partner to the leadership team, ensuring the organization can move ambitiously while staying protected, compliant, and structurally sound. You will shape our contracting frameworks, support the design of founder-friendly spinouts, and ensure our programs operate with clarity and rigor.

Role and Responsibilities

Renaissance Philanthropy Fund's tax exempt status Section 501(c)(3) impacts and informs all aspects of our work; knowledge of the applicable tax rules is crucial. You will be responsible for the following areas: 

Cross-Functional Legal Support

  • Serve as the primary legal advisor to the Operations, Programs, and Executive teams, and liaise with external legal experts as needed to provide high caliber guidance. 

  • Provide practical, timely legal guidance on emerging questions related to hiring, vendor management, grantmaking, research collaborations, and international work.

  • Build scalable legal processes that enable a small team to operate with high ambition.

  • Advise on international expansions, including liaising with international teams to determine appropriate legal structures and filings. 

  • Manage and oversee engagements with specialist law firms and pro-bono support. 

Contracting

  • Draft, review, and negotiate a high volume of contracts, including MOUs, consulting agreements, grant agreements, employment agreements, and partnership agreements.

  • Build and maintain contract templates and a lightweight contract management system.

  • With the Operations team, develop and manage clear guidance for staff on contracting processes, risk levels, and approval flows.

Governance, Compliance & Risk

  • Ensure compliance across US nonprofit requirements, employment law considerations, data protection (GDPR/CCPA), and cross-border activity.

  • Maintain governance documentation, policies, and filings.

  • Identify and mitigate legal and operational risks across programs and functions.

IP, Spinouts & Program Structures

  • Advise on IP strategy across all programs, including ownership frameworks, license structures, and founder-friendly spinout pathways.

  • Advise on entity formation, governance design, and agreements for new program spinouts.

  • Support structuring of complex philanthropic and investment mechanisms (e.g., fiscally sponsored funds, pooled funds, advisory boards).

Key Qualifications

  • JD or equivalent legal qualification; active license in good standing.

  • 5+ years of legal experience, ideally across nonprofit, startup, or mission-driven environments.

  • Strong experience with 501(c)3 tax rules required. Additional experience with employment, contracts, IP, entity structuring, and/or cross-border compliance would be an asset.

  • Ability to distill complexity into simple, actionable recommendations.

  • Comfortable working independently, handling ambiguity, and context-switching quickly.

Outcomes

If you are successful in this role, in three years’ time you will have built a legal infrastructure that enables Renaissance Philanthropy to operate with speed and clarity. Our contracts will be standardized and efficient, our spinout model will be trusted and founder-friendly, our IP frameworks will be durable, and our governance and compliance practices will be streamlined. You will have become a key strategic advisor who strengthens the organization’s resilience and unlocks its ability to pursue bold, high-impact initiatives.

Values

You will thrive within our team if you:

  • Have strong mission and vision alignment: You believe in the power of science, innovation, and technology to create a brighter future for all.

  • Exhibit high agency: You can move mountains and break perceived constraints.

  • Inspire others and are highly collaborative: You can motivate others to join your mission and goals. You understand the value of going further by working with others.

  • Value exceptional talent and the power of networks: You can spot or nurture exceptional talent and believe in the value of building networks and the power law of talent.

  • Are comfortable working in fast-moving and ambitious teams: You are not afraid of ambiguity and enjoy working at pace.

Diversity

We encourage anyone who is interested in this role to apply, regardless of whether you feel you meet 100% of the qualifications. The top candidates will bring their own unique perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds from a variety of industries along with many but not necessarily all the skills listed above.

Recruiting, hiring, mentoring, and retaining a diverse workforce is critical to our success. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. 

Renaissance Philanthropy is an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Next Steps

Apply here.