Associate General Counsel

NCQA • Washington, DC

2d • $250,000 - $275,000

About The Position

NCQA is hiring an Associate General Counsel, Programs and Privacy. NCQA is at an important point in its evolution as the nation’s leading independent authority on healthcare quality. As NCQA modernizes its accreditation, measurement, data, research, digital quality, and enterprise operations, the legal function must be more than a traditional support function. It must be a strategic partner that helps the organization move with confidence, protect trust, manage risk, and translate complex legal, regulatory, privacy, and governance requirements into practical business solutions. The Associate General Counsel, Programs and Privacy will play a central role in that work. This leader will provide senior-level legal counsel across NCQA’s programs, products, contracts, research activities, data practices, privacy obligations, corporate operations, and stakeholder-facing processes. The role requires sound legal judgment, business orientation, privacy and healthcare regulatory depth, and the ability to advise senior leaders in a fast-moving, mission-driven environment. This is not simply a legal advisory role. It is a strategic risk, business enablement, transformation, privacy, and enterprise counsel role at the center of NCQA’s next chapter.

The Associate General Counsel, Programs and Privacy serves as a senior attorney in the Office of General Counsel and as NCQA's designated Privacy Official. The position provides strategic, practical, and risk-informed legal counsel on privacy, healthcare regulatory, evaluation program, research, data governance, compliance, and operational matters. Working in partnership with the General Counsel, Enterprise Risk Management and Compliance Officer and other legal team members, this role helps NCQA achieve its mission while protecting the organization's legal, regulatory, operational, and reputational interests. The position translates complex legal and regulatory requirements into practical business guidance and serves as a trusted strategic advisor to leaders across the organization. This role is a peer to other Associate General Counsel positions and serves as the primary legal lead for privacy and data protection, healthcare and AI regulation, research, evaluation programs and litigation matters.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school.
• Active bar admission in good standing.
• Approximately 7–10 years of relevant legal experience.
• Experience advising on healthcare law, privacy, regulatory compliance, data governance, research, or related matters.
• Experience drafting and negotiating legal agreements.
• Ability to provide practical legal advice to business leaders and cross-functional teams.

Nice To Haves

• Experience serving as privacy counsel or privacy official.
• HIPAA and healthcare privacy and data governance expertise.
• Healthcare regulatory experience, including AI regulation
• Human subject research and IRB experience.
• Healthcare quality, accreditation, certification, or evaluation program experience.
• Familiarity with Commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid programs.
• Experience supporting governance, compliance, and enterprise-risk activities.

Responsibilities

• Serve as NCQA's Privacy Official and principal legal advisor on privacy, data protection, data governance, technology, and emerging issues, including: HIPAA compliance, Privacy policies and procedures, Privacy impact assessments, Breach and incident response, Business Associate Agreements, Data Use Agreements, Sensitive data classification, Privacy training and awareness, Monitoring federal and state privacy developments, Technology-related legal considerations, information-sharing arrangements, and regulatory developments affecting technology-enabled programs. Partner with Information Security and business leaders to support responsible innovation, and appropriate data governance controls while protecting NCQA's legal and reputational interests.
• Advise NCQA leaders and staff on healthcare regulatory, evaluation program, product, customer-facing, and operational matters, including: Healthcare regulatory requirements, including AI, Accreditation and recognition activities, Program operations, Customer-facing processes, Product development initiatives, Survey and review activities, Quality measurement activities, Regulatory developments affecting NCQA programs. Translate legal requirements into practical guidance that supports strategic and operational objectives.
• Advise NCQA business units regarding: Standards implementation, Recognition, accreditation, and certification processes, Reconsideration and appeals procedures, Procedural fairness considerations, Customer communications, Legal risks affecting operational determinations. Help maintain the integrity, defensibility, and transparency of stakeholder-facing programs.
• Provide legal counsel and support related to: Human Subject Research Protection Program activities, Federal wide Assurance requirements, Institutional Review Board processes, Research determinations, Research policies and training, Data-sharing and publication activities, Ethical and legal considerations involving data use. Promote legally compliant and responsible research practices across NCQA.
• Partner with the General Counsel, Enterprise Risk Management Officer and Compliance Officer and organizational leaders to: Identify legal and regulatory risks, Support compliance activities, Participate in risk assessments, Assist with investigations and dispute resolution, Analyze emerging legal and regulatory developments, Support litigation and other significant legal matters within the role's designated practice areas. Provide legal recommendations that help the organization manage enterprise risks effectively.

Benefits

• This position pays in the range of $250K - $275K per year, depending on experience.
• This position is eligible for an annual incentive bonus, payable in accordance with policy.
• Click here for employee benefit information.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed