Legal Program Manager, North America & Caribbean

The Thomson Reuters Foundation is the corporate foundation of Thomson Reuters, the global news and information services company. As an independent charity, registered in the UK and the USA, we work to advance media freedom, foster more inclusive economies, and promote human rights. Through news, media development, free legal assistance and convening initiatives, we combine our unique media and legal services to drive systemic change.

We use the combined power of journalism and the law to build global awareness of critical issues faced by humanity, inspire collective leadership and help shape a prosperous world where no one is left behind.

TrustLaw is the global pro bono service of the Thomson Reuters Foundation. As the world's leading pro bono legal service, TrustLaw helps high-impact NGOs, social enterprises and media organizations, to grow, streamline their operations and navigate complex laws and regulations by connecting them with free legal assistance from the best law firms and corporate legal teams around the world. We also deliver groundbreaking legal research on key social and policy issues that our members use to support their advocacy and law reform efforts, and we deliver innovative capacity-building workshops on legal issues across the globe.

The Foundation is recruiting a highly skilled and dynamic Legal Program Manager to lead and strengthen our award-winning TrustLaw program across North America and the Caribbean (NAC). The position is based in New York and leads TrustLaw's work throughout North America and the Caribbean. The post holder line manages and works closely with our NAC Legal Officer and our NAC Program Officer.

About the Role
In this opportunity as a Legal Program Manager, North America and Caribbean, your primary responsibilities will include:

• Provide strategic direction and leadership of the TrustLaw service in NAC. Design and implement strategies to expand and strengthen the TrustLaw service, identifying key strategic opportunities and relationships and supporting the team to deepen TrustLaw's work across the focus areas of access to law, responsible business and independent media. Coordinate the development of the annual strategy, plan and targets for NAC in close collaboration with the regional team.
• Line manage a Program Officer and a Legal Officer, supporting their growth, development and performance.
• Oversee a large TrustLaw regional portfolio of law firms, corporations, referral partners, NGOs, social enterprises, media organizations and other key stakeholders, with a responsibility for stewarding strong relationships, tracking partner progress, and building an active, engaged membership in the region.
• Design and manage multiple cross-border research and other projects that address the most critical social and policy needs facing our members and contributing towards achieving impact through a high-quality end product.
• Lead the delivery of core service tasks in the region (e.g., scoping legal projects so that the requests clearly explain the legal needs, vetting members, connecting projects with lawyers, managing pro bono requests, feedback, reactivation), ensuring excellent quality of service.
• Maintain in-depth knowledge of TrustLaw processes and systems, serving as the first point of call for any questions from officers and managers in the region and ensuring guidance and best practices are followed. Support the global growth of the TrustLaw team by providing training to all TrustLaw staff on core skills (such as effective recruitment and relationship management techniques or legal matter management).
• Manage the service in the region, including by setting up and testing Salesforce reports for the region, undertaking operational projects for the region and ensuring systems and information are up to date and accurate. Ensure that resources in the region are used wisely and in line with TRF/TrustLaw strategic objectives.
• Track and report on progress against the region's annual targets, deliverables and activities, including by working with the NAC team to coordinate updates to the board, quarterly reports, etc.
• Design and execute a robust regional communications strategy that includes member events and promotion of TrustLaw publications, managing website content and TrustLaw member communications. Ensure regional communications outputs and plans align with global standards and plans.
• Maintain a high profile in the region by representing TrustLaw and the Thomson Reuters Foundation by speaking publicly on our work at panels, conferences, workshops or other speaking engagements.
• Provide leadership or support, as appropriate, in the design, implementation and resourcing of strategic Thomson Reuters Foundation projects in the region or globally.
• Assist with other duties as required.

About You
You're a fit for the role of Legal Program Manager, North America and Caribbean, if you have:

• An exceptional legal professional, with preference for a qualified lawyer or an advanced law degree, with 5+ years of relevant experience working in the legal field in a law firm, media house or non-profit organization, strong legal skills, and a demonstrated passion for social change.
• A strong understanding of the legal and non-profit sectors in North America and the Caribbean, and an understanding of the challenges and opportunities that pro bono opportunities bring to law firms and legal teams.
• Experience managing a team.
• Experience managing projects or programming in the charity, non-profit, or pro bono sectors.
• Strong experience working with a diverse range of stakeholders, from senior corporate executives and partners of top law firms to social entrepreneurs, NGOs, media organizations and any other beneficiaries of our services.
• Experience designing tailored pitches and presentations to a variety of senior commercial stakeholders and articulating social impact in a commercial context.
• Expertise or thought leadership in one or more of Thomson Reuters Foundation's focus areas.
• A leader who understands and can do the day-to-day work, while also being able to direct regional strategy and manage multiple high-level projects consecutively. Proven organizational abilities and experience of managing competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• An exceptional communicator with strong writing skills and public speaking experience.
• Strong understanding and ability to use a range of software tools, including Microsoft Office, CMS, Eventbrite, etc. Experience using and managing information in databases required. Experience in Salesforce would be favorable
• Fluent in English, other languages favorable (Spanish would be favorable).
• Willingness to travel internationally.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, so candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

To apply for this position, send your CV and cover letter in English describing how you meet the specifications for this role, what you bring to it, and your availability to start. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

This is a full-time role based in New York. The salary is relative to the local charitable sector in the country of application and will be commensurate with experience.

Applicants must have the right to work in the US.

#LI-JK3