"Vice President and General Counsel"

Southern California University of Health Sciences seeks a Vice President and General Counsel

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Location: Whittier, California (Remote & Hybrid Options)

The Position:

The Vice President and General Counsel is a strategic, experienced, and business-oriented leader who oversees all legal affairs of the University and provides oversight of the people and culture (human resources), risk management, and compliance functions. In addition to traditional higher education legal matters, the Vice President addresses healthcare-specific legal and regulatory issues, including provider agreements, HIPAA compliance, and risk management. The Vice President will serve as a key member of the executive leadership team, responsible for leading SCU’s legal, compliance, and regulatory strategy while ensuring alignment with business goals and values. This role demands a proactive legal expert who is comfortable in a fast-paced, high-growth environment and who can lead both internal and external legal affairs.

Remote Opportunity: This position will require building strong relationships across the campus and nationally. Candidates for this position will have the option to work on campus, hybrid, or in a fully remote capacity. Travel to the main campus in Whittier and to future learning sites to build relationships and attend key events and meetings is expected. Travel costs will be budgeted for and covered by the University.

Responsibilities:

• Executive Leadership
• Contribute to the management of SCU and its systemic development and success.
• Shape and reinforce the University’s culture, values, and ethical standards.
• As a member of the President’s Cabinet, discuss and develop SCU system policies and procedures.
• Act as a key advisor in major business decisions.
• Management
• Oversee day-to-day activities of the people and culture (human resources), compliance, and risk management functions through delegation to department leaders, external consultants, or by direct effort.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships within the departments reporting to the position and across the University.
• Direct the development and maintenance of effective compliance programs and University policies.
• Prepare agendas for meetings of the President’s Cabinet and Board of Regents in collaboration with the president, executive team, Board of Regents Chair.
• Governance
• Advise the Board of Regents and executive team on corporate governance matters.
• Ensure compliance with internal bylaws, charters, and applicable governance standards.
• Legal Affairs
• Lead the strategy for all SCU legal matters across both its academic and healthcare operations.
• Oversee the delivery of legal services and resources to accomplish corporate goals, strategies, and priorities.
• Review and/or prepare contracts and other legal documents for execution by or on behalf of the University.
• Identify and evaluate opportunities for mergers, acquisitions, or expansion.
• Advise the Board and senior management and executives on legal issues, risk mitigation, and business decision-making, including regulatory changes.
• Review, analyze, and respond to correspondence pertaining to a variety of legal matters.
• Spearhead and oversee the University’s strategies to ensure compliance with all applicable legal and regulatory obligations, including, without limitation, Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 as amended (“ADEA”), the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1966 (“HIPAA”), and the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”).
• Develop and recommend strategic business solutions.
• Maintain proper corporate interactions with the relevant local, state, and federal governmental bodies, legislatures, and the community at large.
• Ensure compliance with all state higher education authorization requirements, including applications, renewals, reporting, and institutional approvals.
• Coordinate with outside legal firms and manage legal affairs budgets.
• Participate in/lead training on various legal matters for the Board of Regents, management, and/or staff.
• Contribute to the overall success of the University by performing other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the University President or the Board of Regents.
• Other Duties As Assigned

Qualifications:

• Juris Doctorate (JD) degree from an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school.
• Must have an active State of California law license in good standing OR active law license in good standing from a different US jurisdiction and must obtain a State of California law license within 12-16 months of starting employment.
• Tten (10) years of progressively more responsible legal experience, with at least five (5) years of recent legal experience serving an institution of higher education or serving higher education clients.
• Experience working with executive teams and boards of trustees.
• Legal experience with non-profit entities and system structures preferred.

Desired Skills and Abilities:

• Extensive knowledge of relevant laws and regulatory frameworks governing non-profit institutions of higher education.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills necessary to communicate with all levels of staff and a patient population composed of diverse cultures and age groups.
• Excellent program development, management and leadership skills.
• Demonstrated analytical and organizational, problem-solving, critical thinking, and conflict management and resolution skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build effective teams and to lead, mentor and develop management.
• Ability to clearly articulate complex legal issues and analysis orally and in writing.
• Ability to manage and control the allocation of available resources to achieve projects and goals.

About the Institution:

Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCU) is a regionally accredited, nonprofit institution specializing in healthcare education. SCU is dedicated to its core values of integrative whole health, evidence-based practice, health equity, and inclusivity. [More details as per the text, but summarized for brevity in this extraction.]

Why Consider the Opportunity:

• Mission & Leadership. This is an opportunity to provide leadership for, and support the strategic growth of a University committed to integrative, whole-person health.
• Location flexibility. With the flexibility to choose whether to work remotely, hybrid, or on-site.
• Culture. The University has a collaborative, supportive and collegial environment.
• Benefits. Health care plans are paid 100% for employees.

To Apply:

Confidential review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled; parties who apply by August 25 will be given first consideration. Please submit a PDF version of your resume and cover letter outlining your interest and suitability for this position. Apply Now

Salary Range: The broad range is $235,000 to $255,000.