Director, Legal Compliance

POSITION SUMMARY:

HIAS is seeking a Director, Legal Compliance to help lead our efforts globally to operate ethically and in compliance with applicable law, rules, regulations and organizational policies. This is a new position necessitated by HIAS’ rapid global growth and reach. The Director, Legal Compliance will oversee investigations into allegations of fraud, sexual exploitation and abuse, and whistleblowing; they will also ensure that HIAS is compliant with its governance and legal obligations globally, train staff on ethics and relevant policies, advise management and staff on pertinent laws, regulations and policies, and draft new policies and procedures as needed. This position sits in the Office of General Counsel and reports to the General Counsel.

Note, this position is based at our headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland or our office in New York, New York, and we will consider a remote option for applicants who live outside of commuting distance to either of our offices and are based in other states in which we are registered (Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin).

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Maintains a current working knowledge of various laws, regulations and standards that affect the enterprise-wide compliance program, including ethics, fraud, abuse, human trafficking and whistleblowing laws, and relevant HIAS policies.
• Identifies, on a continuous basis, potential areas of compliance vulnerability, developing and implementing an action plan applying best practices.
• Creates and maintains systems for tracking complaints and incidents.
• Collaborates closely with other colleagues, including the Director, Risk Management and the Senior Director, Internal Audit & Control.
• Investigates alleged violations of policies, procedures, ethics and the Code of Conduct.
• Ensures proper reporting of violations or potential violations to the General Counsel and, as applicable, to the Executive Risk Management Committee, donors, the HIAS Board and authorized enforcement agencies as appropriate and/or required.
• Develops training modules on compliance and regularly conducts training on relevant policies and procedures.
• Provides direction and information to the staff, Board, partners and vendors in regard to compliance regulations, laws, guidelines, policies and procedures.
• Monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of existing ethics and compliance policies, systems and personnel to ensure continuous improvement.
• Continuously develops or updates policies and procedures to align with best practices in sector.
• Develops dashboard to effectively communicate to executive leadership, the Board and donors about status of legal and ethics compliance.
• Tracks governance obligations of country offices and advises General Counsel to foster timely compliance.
• Interprets and advises on laws and regulations that impact HIAS.
• Assists in the development of new policies and programs, staffing and training process, research and preparation of presentations and reports.
• Interacts with affiliates, vendors and clients.
• Performs other duties, as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS:

• Graduate degree (e.g., JD or Masters) or relevant compliance certification.
• 6-8 years of experience working in legal compliance or a related field.
• English fluency required; Spanish and/or French fluency preferred.
• Expertise in ethics and legal compliance.
• Experience within a legal, audit and/or risk function department.
• Experience working in the international context.
• Strong project management skills.
• Ability to work well under pressure and manage sensitive and confidential information.
• Ability to travel up to 20% of time.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with strong attention to detail.
• Great interpersonal skills and ability to work well both independently and as part of a team.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, as well as writing and presentation software.

HIRING PROCESS:

We are committed to a fair and respectful hiring process, and we do our absolute best to respond to every applicant. We prioritize communication and transparency with all candidates, even those who are not moving forward. Here’s a snapshot of our hiring process:

Step 1: Submit your application!

Step 2: Phone screen with a HIAS recruiter.

Step 3: Video interview with the hiring manager.

Step 4: Video interview with a panel of HIAS employees.

Step 5: Online reference check with SkillSurvey.

Step 6: Offer and background check with Shield Screening.

Step 7: Start your professional journey with HIAS!

Note: Some of our hiring processes may vary, and not all candidates will advance to each step.

ABOUT US:

Over one hundred years ago, the Jewish community founded HIAS (originally the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) in New York City, the immigrant gateway to America. Supporting Jews fleeing persecution and poverty in Eastern Europe, our founders were guided by the traditions, texts and history of the Jewish people—a history of oppression, displacement and diaspora. HIAS has since helped generations of Jews facing violence because of who they were, and HIAS remains committed to helping Jewish refugees anywhere in the world. Today, our clients at HIAS come from diverse faiths, ethnicities and backgrounds, as do our staff. We bring our experience, history and values to our work across five continents, ensuring that refugees today receive the vital services and opportunities they need to thrive.

HIAS is a learning community, committed to diversity and inclusion. We do our work with integrity, accountability, transparency and a commitment to the highest ethical standards. We seek employees from diverse backgrounds and life experiences to join our teams located in the United States and across the globe. People who identify as BIPOC, people with disabilities, people from the LGBTQ+ community and people with lived experiences of forced displacement or immigration are all encouraged to apply. We are committed to building a diverse workforce that reflects our vision, mission and values.

VISION:

HIAS stands for a world in which refugees find welcome, safety and opportunity.

MISSION:

Drawing on our Jewish values and history, HIAS provides vital services to refugees and asylum seekers around the world and advocates for their fundamental rights so they can rebuild their lives.

VALUES:

Welcome • Acogimiento • Hospitalité • Hachnasat Orchim

We Welcome the Stranger

Justice • Justicia • Justice • Tzedek

We Pursue Justice

Empathy • Empatía • Empathie • Chesed

We Approach our Clients with Empathy

Partnership • Compañerismo • Coopération • Chevruta

We Believe in Changing the World through Partnership

Courage • Coraje • Courage • Ometz

We Act with Courage to Build a Better World

Resilience • Resiliencia • Résilience • Ruach

We Adapt and Thrive, Continuously Demonstrating our Resilience

DIVERSITY:

HIAS is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. As an equal opportunity employer, all qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, ethnic background, ancestry, citizenship status, religious creed, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, familial status, pregnancy, childbirth, military status, protected veteran status, political orientation or other legally protected status.