About Accion

Accion is a global nonprofit committed to creating a financially inclusive world, with a trailblazing legacy in microfinance and fintech impact investing. We catalyze financial service providers to deliver high-quality, affordable solutions at scale for the 1.8 billion people who are left out of, or poorly served by, the financial sector. For more than 60 years, Accion has helped tens of millions of people through our work with more than 200 partners in 63 countries. More at http://www.accion.org

About the Legal Department

Accion’s legal team manages all aspects of Accion’s Legal, Compliance and Risk Programs. Working closely with each department, the legal team plays a critical role in ensuring that Accion’s mission advances, its goals are met, and projects are successful by combining experienced counsel with strong business sensibilities.

Position Summary 

Accion is seeking an experienced and driven Associate General Counsel, Impact Investments (“Investments Counsel”) to join the Accion Legal Department and support all legal matters related to Accion’s mission-related, impact-focused investments in the financial inclusion space. The Investments Counsel will also assist with private fund formation and investment management.  Reporting to the General Counsel, the Investments Counsel will be able to provide advice on all aspects of investments and fundraising, including day-to-day cross border transactional support, fund formation, and fund structuring. The successful candidate will have working experience in equity and quasi-equity investment transactions with an emphasis in emerging markets, forming private equity funds and related investment vehicles, managing outside counsel relationships, and assisting with investments by institutional investors in private funds and co-investments.  Since Accion’s investments activity is primarily located within Accion Impact Management, a federally registered Investment Advisor, Investments Counsel will also be responsible for assisting with the organization’s compliance program. 

Position Responsibilities

• Negotiate, draft, structure, and review agreements related to Accion’s venture capital and private equity balance sheet and pooled investment vehicle initiatives
• Support management and oversight of active investments and advise on exiting or restructuring
• Review and negotiate limited partnership agreements, private placement memoranda, subscription agreements, side letters, purchase and sale agreements, transfers, and other related documentation
• Review and coordinate responses to due diligence inquiries and legal questions regarding investments and ongoing fund operations
• Draft and review entity formation agreements and corporate governance documentation
• Participate in committees, working groups and similar investment-related meetings
• Draft and review documentation relating to carried interest arrangements
• Improve existing knowledge management processes for the Accion Legal team
• Contribute to training events and other development processes
• Work with the Chief Compliance Officer on the Investment Adviser Compliance Program processes and procedures, including coordinating marketing reviews, disclosures, and exam preparation
• Have an understanding that a successful in-house counsel provides critical advice and guidance to internal business leaders. This requires continually learning about the ever-evolving interplay between the business goals and the various laws that apply.

Position Qualifications  

• Juris Doctor JD from accredited law school and Bar admission in good standing in at least one state or the District of Columbia.
• 5 plus years of legal experience with at least 3 years working on fund formation OR fund related transactional work and compliance at a law firm or in-house.
• Experience drafting fund-related documentation including partnerships and operating agreements, PPMs, and subscription documents.
• Familiarity with relevant regulatory issues such as Investment Advisers Act compliance.
• Knowledge of non-profit laws and regulations is a plus.
• Ability to quickly acquire familiarity with laws relating to impact investment activities of a charitable organization and its subsidiaries.
• Experience working with development finance institutions and other impact investors a plus.
• Experience working effectively and fostering an inclusive work environment as part of a diverse, multi-cultural and global organization.
• Ability to balance and prioritize multiple competing priorities and responsibilities, be highly organized and exercise extreme attention to detail.
• Strong communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills with the ability to collaborate with a cross-functional team of internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to learn quickly and demonstrated ability to work independently and as a part of a high-performance team.
• Excellent professional ethics, integrity, and judgment.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and to use discretion in the performance of daily activities.
• Excellent computer skills and experience with document management systems, project extranets, databases, collaboration portals, G Suite, SharePoint, Smartsheet, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Project, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Interested in our mission and global work.