Job Description
SUMMARY
The Institute for Portfolio Alternatives (IPA) is seeking a Director-level Regulatory Counsel to help lead the association’s legal, regulatory, and public policy work. This role is ideal for an attorney with meaningful securities law experience and strong familiarity with the federal and state regulatory landscape affecting alternative investments and the broader financial services industry. This individual will manage significant components of the association’s regulatory and policy portfolio, including analysis of rulemakings and legislative developments, development of association positions, drafting of comment letters and policy materials, and support of member committees and task forces. This position offers an excellent opportunity for a substantive securities lawyer to work at the center of legal, regulatory, and strategic issues affecting the alternative investments industry. The role will engage with matters involving the SEC, DOL, Treasury/IRS, FINRA, NASAA, and state regulators, while collaborating with a broad range of industry participants, including asset managers, broker-dealers, registered investment advisers, and other key stakeholders.
The association is based in Washington, D.C. but our staff works remotely. This role requires up to 15% travel.
PRIMARY FUNCTIONS AND ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsibilities
· Manage and support the association’s federal and state regulatory, legislative, and public policy initiatives affecting alternative investments and the broader financial services industry.
· Monitor, analyze, and interpret legal, regulatory, legislative, and policy developments relevant to the IPA and its membership, and help identify appropriate strategic responses.
· Draft, review, and help execute written advocacy and policy materials, including comment letters, regulatory analyses, position summaries, briefing memoranda, talking points, and other related documents.
· Support the development of association policy positions in collaboration with IPA leadership, members, committees, and outside stakeholders.
· Provide legal and policy analysis on matters involving the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and other applicable laws, rules, and regulations.
· Support the association’s engagement with key external stakeholders, including the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Treasury/IRS, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), state securities regulators, the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA), policymakers, legislative offices, and other relevant parties.
· Help manage and support IPA committees, task forces, and working groups on regulatory, legislative, and policy matters.
· Work collaboratively with outside counsel, consultants, coalition partners, and other industry participants in support of the association’s advocacy priorities.
· Represent the IPA in meetings, industry forums, and stakeholder discussions, as appropriate.
· Support broader association initiatives, including conferences, meetings, member engagement efforts, and stakeholder events, particularly where legal, regulatory, or policy content is involved.
· Perform other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education:
· JD from an accredited law school
· State Bar membership
Experience Required:
· 5+ years of relevant experience required
· Experience working with the SEC, DOL, FINRA, and/or NASAA/states preferred
· Experience working in an association environment a plus
· Experience working for an asset manager, financial services or professional/legal services firm, or with a broker-dealer or registered investment adviser firm a plus
General Requirements:
· Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
· Ability to think strategically
· Ability to balance multiple tasks with competing priorities
· Strong interpersonal, oral and written communication skills
REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS
Reports to: Senior Director, Government Affairs & Policy
COMPENSATION
Total compensation (base salary + bonus): $175,000 to $225,000, commensurate with experience, with potential for growth as responsibilities expand. Title will be determined based on qualifications and experience.
ABOUT THE IPA
For more than 40 years, the Institute for Portfolio Alternatives (IPA) has served as the leading voice for global asset managers, distributors and service providers in the private markets and alternative investment industry. We deliver best-in-class education for practitioners and champion policies that expand investor access to wealth-building private market strategies, including real estate, credit, infrastructure, private equity and venture capital, among other asset classes. These investments offer lower correlation to public markets, strengthen retirement outcomes and enhance portfolio diversification while operating within robust investor-protection standards. Over the past 25 years, private market and alternative investments have driven more than $1 trillion in capital formation, playing a critical role in fueling national and local economic growth. Further information about the IPA is available at www.ipa.com.