Associate General Counsel - Campus Network (Regulatory) at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN

Job description

Vanderbilt University is seeking an Associate General Counsel to join the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) and provide legal advice to Vanderbilt University regarding its regulation as an institution of higher education. Vanderbilt is seeking candidates with expertise in navigating oversight by the U.S. and state departments of education, other federal and state agencies, accrediting agencies, and other government entities. In large part, the role will be focused on promoting compliance with those agencies' requirements as applied to the university's strategic projects across a variety of jurisdictions, including in California, New York, Florida, and Tennessee. The Associate General Counsel will work closely with the University’s Campus Network, Enrollment Affairs, and Government Relations Offices, in addition to OGC. In addition, the Associate General Counsel will report to the Deputy General Counsel and will be a primary liaison to outside counsel on regulatory issues and government investigations and will help steward their work. The Associate General Counsel will also support the regulatory compliance-focused activities of the Office of Academic Program Review, Assessment, and Accreditation; Enrollment Affairs (including admissions, financial aid, and registrar); the Clery Compliance function; and university offices that support compliance with federal civil rights laws, including the Title IX office, Equal Opportunity and Access office, and Student Access. The Associate General Counsel will have a responsibility to: Support the university's strategic and operational goals, in particular with respect to federal and state regulation of nonprofit institutions of higher education. Work independently and as part of a team to effectively manage multiple highly sensitive and urgent legal matters with competing and overlapping deadlines, and timely communicate matter status and updates. Protect the university's short- and long-term interests by promoting the university’s compliance with university policies and federal, state, and local laws or regulations. Utilize creative problem-solving techniques and excellent oral and written communication skills to contribute to the highly collaborative working environment within the OGC and across the university. About the Work Unit: The OGC provides legal advice to university departments with an awareness of the nuances of client business priorities and with understanding of university business practices. The OGC is committed to agile service delivery aligned with the university's mission, priorities, and needs. All litigation proceedings are managed by the OGC on behalf of the university.The OGC focuses on operational excellence in all we do, which includes: Project management and status updates Technology implementation, use, and analytics Budget containment and outside counsel management Identification of the highest and best use of attorney time Key Functions and Expected Performance: Provides clear and practical legal advice to university and departmental leadership; Demonstrates strong analytical and counseling skills, judgment, and empathy; Demonstrates excellent written and verbal communication skills on a level of parity with sophisticated outside counsel; Provides support in drafting applications, periodic reports, and other submissions requested by education regulatory agencies; Manages litigation and government investigation matters, including coordinating with outside counsel and responding to subpoenas and other discovery requests; Is knowledgeable of and maintains awareness of new legal and regulatory developments at the federal and state level to provide counsel on the shifting legal and regulatory landscape; Advises on and develop university processes and policies, and serves as legal advisor to work groups, committees, and other related bodies as assigned; Understands and manages risk and compliance issues, collaborating as appropriate with University Compliance Servic