General Counsel

Leverage your legal expertise to guide GFIs global mission with integrity pragmatism and collaboration

The Good Food Institute (GFI) is a nonprofit think tank working to make the global food system better for the planet people and animals. Alongside scientists businesses and policymakers GFIs teams focus on making plant-based fermentation-enabled and cultivated meat delicious affordable and accessible. Powered by philanthropy GFI is an international network of organizations advancing alternative proteins as an essential solution needed to meet the worlds climate global health food security and biodiversity goals.

How you will make a difference

In this position you will have the opportunity to ensure GFI operates within the law and in alignment with its Code of Conduct while coaching employees through legal risks and helping design compliant mission-impactful activities. The General Counsel will be responsible for:

• Overseeing legal guidance at GFI and supervising the Associate General Counsel. Managing both strategic advisory responsibilities and day-to-day tasks for the Legal department of two including but not limited to contract reviews file management and budget oversight.
• Advising the CEO President and Founder and Board on GFIs legal risk across U.S. and international contexts and helping leadership mitigate risks as a component of maximizing public impact.
• Ensuring nonprofit compliance including corporate governance charitable solicitation compliance commercial co-ventures international grantmaking lobbying and private benefit considerations while applying a practical risk-based lens aligned with GFIs mission.
• Providing direct legal support to the Collaborative Assistance Team (CAT) Development and Executive departments including advising People Operations (within CAT) on federal multistate local and international employment law questions or issues and reviewing policies and employee training presentations.
• Managing the issuance of and compliance with affiliate agreements. Advising on legal considerations related to the work of GFIs international affiliates particularly on fundraising brand and affiliate agreements encouraging consultation with local legal counsel as appropriate.
• Providing legal advice on GFIs various programmatic activities in support of the Associate General Counsel as well as corporate and business matters (e.g. employment lobbying data protection and intellectual property).
• Serving as secretary to GFIs and the Good Food Legislative Funds Board of Directors and advising the Boards on governance conflicts and other matters as required.
• Being an engaged and active member of the GFI Leadership Team and providing thought leadership across the GFI network with a focus on cultivating trust transparency and inclusion in legal guidance.
• Developing and maintaining close professional working relationships with outside counsel including pro bono attorneys.
• Performing other duties as assigned.

Who were looking for

An ideal candidate for the General Counsel position will have experience that reflects the following:

• A minimum of ten years of experience as a practicing attorney with prior senior-level in-house counsel experience required.
• An active license in good standing to practice law in any state or the District of Columbia. A Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school is preferred.
• Prior experience providing legal advice to leadership and a Board of Directors on complex legal compliance and governance issues as a component of maximizing public impact.
• Demonstrated expertise in nonprofit law and compliance corporate governance contracts employment law and risk management.
• Prior supervisory experience mentoring training and developing at least one direct report.
• Legal experience working internationally and/or with international affiliates preferred.
• Highest ethical standards.
• Strong problem-solving listening and communication skills: a leader who takes a coaching-oriented approach to building trust while offering candid well-reasoned advice.
• Readiness to contribute within a small team to administrative and technical tasks as needed.
• A commitment to fostering a work environment that is respectful supportive fair and welcoming to all.
• Comfort working remotely in a collaborative caring and high-performing culture that values inclusion and innovation.
• Strong support for GFIs philosophy and mission; demonstrated interest in plant-based & other alternative proteins public health environmentalism climate change animal protection or hunger relief.
• A commitment to GFIs values: believe change is possible do the most good we can share knowledge freely act on evidence and invite everyone to the table.

GFI wants the best people and is committed to a fair hiring process. We use a third-party anonymizing tool to redact personal information from submitted applications including name location contact details and several other factors to increase fairness in our process. We also prioritize an inclusive work environment absent of discrimination and harassment during the application process and after you join the team. Please see our full Equal Opportunity Statement: you are passionate about GFIs mission think you have what it takes to be successful in this position and meet many of the job requirements even if you dont check all the boxes please apply. Wed appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

The fine print

• Terms of employment: Full-time exempt
• Reports to: Nigel Sizer CEO
• Direct reports: Sarah Hanneken Associate General Counsel
• Location: Remote; United States
• Travel: Up to three weeks per year for organization retreats (reasonable accommodations for and exemptions from organization retreats considered on a case-by-case basis).
• Benefits: Working from home; paid employee base medical coverage; dental vision and other medical insurance options; a 401(k) plan with employer match; 14 paid holidays; personal sick and vacation time; paid family/parental and medical leave; lifestyle spending account; opportunity for advancement; and respectful and collaborative culture. More information here: is a U.S.-based position: In compliance with federal law all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work for any employer in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. At this time GFIs policy is not to sponsor or take over sponsorship of employment visas.
• Salary: $191411.74-$200982.34 (depending on experience and qualifications)

Important dates

Application deadline: November 3 2025

Anticipated start date: December 15 2025