Mellon Foundation 

Paralegal

The Mellon Foundation (“Foundation”) is a not-for-profit, grantmaking organization that believes that the arts and humanities are where we express our complex humanity, and we believe that everyone deserves the beauty, transcendence, and freedom to be found there. Through our grants, we seek to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive. The Foundation makes grants in four core program areas – Higher Learning, Arts and Culture, Public Knowledge, and Humanities in Place – and through its signature Presidential Initiatives. The Foundation seeks a paralegal to support the work of the Office of the Chief Legal Officer and Secretary (“OCLO”). 

Team Overview:

The Office of the Chief Legal Officer and Secretary (“OCLO”) supports the organization’s mission by providing strategic legal guidance and ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The team partners closely with leadership, program teams, operations, and external stakeholders to manage legal risks, support organizational governance, and facilitate the execution of key initiatives.

The OCLO team advises on a broad range of matters including but not limited to contracts, grants, corporate governance, regulatory compliance, employment matters and risk management. The OCLO team also supports the organization’s Board of Trustees and helps maintain policies and procedures that enable the organization to operate effectively and responsibly.

Position Summary:

The Foundation is looking for a proactive, conscientious, and collaborative paralegal with well-honed communication skills (written and verbal), organizational skills, and excellent judgment to support legal, contract management, and grants management work of the Foundation on a full-time basis. The ideal candidate will have experience with and knowledge of contract management processes and workflows, legal recordkeeping, and other project management-related tasks. The work is detail-oriented and time-sensitive, and the paralegal will need to be adaptable, timely, and able to multi-task and work with diverse teams across the Foundation. 

Position Description:

The paralegal will report to the Senior Associate General Counsel and work under their general supervision, in addition to responding to requests from all Foundation attorneys on a broad range of legal topics. While experience in some aspects of the job description is ideal, we value adaptability and an eagerness to learn and grow.  A demonstrated commitment to the mission of the organization is optimal. Among varied responsibilities, the paralegal will:

• Assist the legal team with contract generation, review, and execution.
• Maintain, update, and track documents in document and contract management systems, including managing legal files and generating reports.  
• Support Board governance work, including drafting and proofreading various legal documents, such as Board resolutions and minutes, agendas, memoranda, and correspondence, and assisting with meeting materials.
• Conduct research projects, including legal, industry, historical research, and monitoring ongoing legal cases and developments.
• Participate in system-related projects and implementations, such as contract management system updates.
• Assist with developing and updating Foundation policies, procedures, and guidelines and preparing training materials and presentations.

• Provide administrative support for attorneys, including assisting with coordination of workflow in the department and scheduling meetings. 
• Complete special projects and other assignments as requested.

Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 2 years of previous paralegal or similar experience.
• Excellent communication skills (oral and written) and interpersonal skills. 
• Technological savvy, including proficiency in using MS Office Suite and online research tools (i.e., PACER and Westlaw), and a demonstrated ability to quickly learn new tools and systems.
• Outstanding work ethic, organizational skills, and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and often complex tasks effectively and efficiently and meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced work environment.
• Demonstrated professionalism, integrity, and discretion.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively with colleagues.
• Sound judgment and solutions-oriented approach to the work, anticipating the needs of the legal team and thinking through tasks to completion.
• Appreciation for a friendly and collegial work environment.
• Familiarity with private foundations, tax-exempt organizations, and/or the grantmaking process a plus.

The Mellon Foundation is committed to building an inclusive workplace where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect. Employment opportunities are based on individual qualifications, merit, and organizational need, without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions), gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We welcome applications from qualified individuals of all backgrounds. 

The Mellon Foundation is committed to access and inclusion for our applicants. If you have accessibility requests to support your participation in the hiring process, please let us know at your earliest convenience. 

Mellon offers a generous total reward package that includes base salary and a comprehensive benefits program, as well as an excellent working environment. Mellon is committed to providing compensation that is competitive and equitable within the philanthropic sector. The estimated annual salary range for this role is $100,000- $117,000. The amount of pay offered will be determined by several factors, including but not limited to qualifications, unique skills, credentials, or experience that is expected to impact the candidate’s contribution to the role. We will also consider market data as well as the Foundation’s internal pay equity framework.

Please note that Mellon maintains a hybrid work schedule, with three days per week in person at the Foundation’s Manhattan offices.

Candidates should apply by submitting a cover letter describing fit for the position and a resume.  Please note that incomplete applications will not be considered.

The Foundation will consider each complete application carefully but only contact those individuals it believes are most qualified for the position.