Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary to the Board of Trustees

ABOUT SIMMONS

Located in Boston’s historic Fenway area, Simmons University has a strong tradition of empowering women and challenging traditional gender roles. Simmons was founded for equality 125 years ago as one of the first higher education institutions dedicated to helping women become leaders. Today, our university continues to grow and evolve and now offers Boston’s only women’s undergraduate program and graduate programs open to all. 

You’re joining our community at an especially exciting time as we continue to innovate for the future. Simmons recently launched a six-school academic structure that leverages our expert faculty and longstanding expertise in professions that make our communities stronger. In addition, we continue to highlight our high-value education proposition that is delivering greater ROI to students and putting them on the fast track to career growth and success. You’ll find that people who work here truly believe in our mission of preparing students to become social justice-oriented leaders who excel in their professions and their communities. This commitment and pride make for a dynamic workplace.

As a university that values diversity, equity, and inclusion, Simmons encourages applications from all under-represented groups. Simmons is committed to creating, developing, promoting, and enhancing inclusive hiring practices–at all levels, for all positions–ensuring diverse talent pools and the delivery of a consistent positive candidate experience. Simmons is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to continuing to develop a more diverse faculty, staff, student body, and curriculum.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary to the Board of Trustees serves as a trusted confidential advisor to the President, senior University administrators and members of the Board of Trustees. Responsible for advising and representing the University on a broad range of business, academic, regulatory and statutory issues, while supporting University leaders and Trustees in their strategic goals and initiatives.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

General Counsel

• ​Provide counsel on a wide array of legal matters including but not limited to employment law; litigation; shared governance; data privacy; real estate; transactional matters; intellectual property;  free speech and academic freedom; non-profit law, and employee and labor relations;

• Review, draft, and negotiate institutional contracts, agreements, leases, and other documents for execution by the University President and other senior leaders; 

• Provide advice to School and Student Life Deans regarding a wide range of student matters including disability and religious accommodations, Title IX, FERPA, and behavioral/code of conduct issues;

• Provide advice to Human Resources regarding a range of employee matters including accommodations; hiring practices; disciplinary actions; terminations; threats of litigation; employee benefits; reductions in force; retirement and severance agreements.

• Assist with policy and procedure interpretation, review, and revisions, and create new policies and procedures as needed;

• Represent Simmons before administrative and governmental agencies; 

• Support the University in building a culture of compliance and work closely and collaboratively with the Office of the Provost, Human Resources, Student Engagement, Success, and Diversity, Finance, Advancement and other University departments that manage risk and compliance;

• Hire and manage outside counsel where appropriate and assist with legal and litigation strategy;

Secretary to the Board of Trustees

•  Serve as counsel to the Board of Trustees and its standing committees, draft and review board resolutions and prepare reports for the Board;

• Oversee board operations, thrice-yearly full Board meetings, and special meetings and Committee meetings, and advise on compliance with Board policies and By-laws;

• Assist with the identification and recruitment of new Trustees and their onboarding;  

• Draft revisions to governance documents and oversee amendment process;

• Draft and maintain Board Minutes, records, documentation, policies and standards adopted by the Board and its committees;

• Provide research and coordinate the collection of data and other factual information requested by Trustees and Board committees;

• Present to the Board of Trustees where requested; 

OTHER DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Performs other duties as assigned by the President or the Board;

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

•  A Juris Doctorate degree required from an ABA accredited law school; 

• Minimum 10+ years legal experience as a lawyer in a law firm, in-house, or other legal setting;

• Active license to practice law, membership in good standing, and eligibility to practice in Massachusetts within 18 months of appointment;

• Proven ability to anticipate and assess legal risks and give prudent advice to achieve University objectives;

• Excellent communication and negotiation skills to interact with internal stakeholders, external partners, and regulatory authorities;

• Must be collaborative and flexible with excellent social skills, an innovative thinker and possess high ethical standards;

• Professional, and collegial demeanor;

• Commitment to Inclusive Excellence and Social Justice;

• Strong leadership and management skills to oversee the legal department, including the ability to lead and mentor a team of two attorneys and an Administrative staff member

• Demonstrated success with a complex organization;

• Ability to make complex decisions in a rapidly changing environment;

• Ability to draft, interpret and provide guidance on complex legal matters;

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Legal experience in a higher education setting;

COMPETENCIES

• Proven track record in handling complex legal matters, drafting and reviewing contracts, managing litigation, and ensuring legal compliance across all areas of the University;

• Ability to multitask, prioritize, and manage projects;

• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality, and demonstrate discretion, diplomacy, and good judgment;

• Commitment to uphold the University’s values and mission;

• Ability to work well under pressure and meet deadlines;

• Strong skills in developing and presenting presentations to members of the university community 

• Effective Financial/business analytical techniques and strategies; ability to develop and implement legal strategies and solutions;

WORK ENVIRONMENT & CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS

•  Occasional evening, holiday, or weekend work required, as needed, including during Board of Trustees meetings and at other college events; 

• This is an in-person position; however position is hybrid eligible (3 days per week in office);

• Occasional travel for legal matters as needed; 

• Typical office environment, minimal exposure to adverse environmental conditions;

• Long periods of sitting at a desk and making substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers to type, write, file, perform clerical tasks, and/or operate a computer and/or mobile device;

• Position requires the use of standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines;

• Ability to lift up to 10 pounds, and ability to carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects;

• Standing/remaining upright on the feet periodically;

• Walking/moving about on feet to accomplish tasks; 

Salary Grade

Instructions to Applicants: Please upload all applicable application materials (e.g. resume/cv, cover letter, writing sample, teaching philosophy, etc.) in the Application Materials box on page 2 ("My Experience") of this application. Documents can be uploaded individually or as a combined document (e.g. PDF).

Simmons University is committed to inclusive excellence in all aspects of an individual’s community experience. As a university committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, Simmons encourages applications from all under-represented groups. Simmons is committed to creating, developing, promoting, and enhancing inclusive hiring practices–at all levels, for all positions–ensuring diverse talent pools and the delivery of a consistent positive candidate experience. Simmons is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to continuing to develop a more diverse faculty, staff, student body, and curriculum.