San Francisco Bay University

About San Francisco Bay University: San Francisco Bay University (SFBU), a nonprofit, WASC-accredited, university situated in the heart of Silicon Valley in Fremont, California, seeks an innovative and experienced General Counsel & Chief of Staff. SFBU’s mission is to offer inclusive, innovative, and inspirational education for lifelong careers and our vision is to set the standard as a national model of higher education in service of the common good. At SFBU, students come first. We prioritize students’ needs by fostering personal engagement among students, faculty, and staff. We are committed to providing affordable quality education with a deep commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. Our professors are accomplished professionals who provide real-world experience in the classrooms to enhance the learning experience and prepare students for future careers. Our student body is reflective of the rich cultural diversity of the world, supported by a dynamic and inclusive learning environment. Moreover, our university captures the vibrancy of Silicon Valley. SFBU is in growth mode and we are looking to make a difference in our communities by enhancing access to affordable education for all students. We encourage you to learn more about SFBU by reviewing our strategic plan at https://www.sfbu.edu/strategic-plan( https://www.sfbu.edu/strategic-plan ). Position Overview: A member of the President’s Cabinet and reporting directly to the President, the General Counsel represents San Francisco Bay University in all legal and regulatory matters and provides advice and counsel to the President and university administrators in their official capacities. The General Counsel oversees and coordinates the University’s commitment to remain compliant with all applicable legal and regulatory obligations and plays an essential role in supporting the University's ongoing work to advance a diverse and inclusive campus community. General Counsel Responsibilities: * Provides counsel, legal representation, and support to the President and University on a broad spectrum of legal issues to help fulfill the University mission and meet all legal and compliance obligations. * Reviews, analyzes, interprets and advises the President and senior leadership on laws, regulations, and guidance on changing governmental requirements such as civil rights, affirmative action, Title IX, SEVIS, equal opportunity, reporting obligations under the Clery Act, dispute resolution, and internal auditing and reporting. * Directs and collaborates in the development of multifaceted compliance and risk training programs for members of the university community. * Drafts, reviews, and negotiates legal documents. * Composes policies, organizational by-laws, committee charters, resolutions, and other governance documents. * Retains and supervises outside counsel as necessary for litigation and specialized matters. * Provides counsel to the President and serves as a sounding board and advises on sensitive matters. Synthesizes information from a variety of internal and external sources and ensures the President has all the information necessary to make informed decisions. * Assists in coordinating University‐wide projects that cross various University areas. * Handle various special projects and advise the President on a wide variety of executive and administrative matters, help set the tone for communications emanating from the President’s Office, and represent the President, as needed, with internal and external constituents. * Implement protocols and procedures to maximize the effectiveness of the Office of the President with respect to workflow, scheduling, communications, events, and interactions with key internal and external constituencies. Ensures the President’s priorities and initiatives are effectively implemented. * Ensures all organizational units of the President are in line with overall University policies, goals, and mission. Helps lead in change management efforts, partnering with appropriate leaders and staff to achieve goals. * Collaborate with the associated departments on campus to develop content and structure for internal meetings, town halls and events and ensure follow up on action items. * Serve as liaison or represent the President’s Office as needed and provide leadership to key administrative groups, task forces, and committees as assigned by the President. * Work with the President to drive and coordinate various cross‐departmental projects, maintaining and communicating timelines and documenting progress. * Facilitate information flow and sharing among staff in support of effective and timely decision making. * Aid in the planning, execution and communication of Cabinet meetings and follow up on action items. * Attend meetings and conferences with the President and provide support for preparation and follow-up activities as appropriate. * Manage annual goal setting and tracking progress for the President’s Cabinet. * Serves as the University’s chief liaison with the Board of Directors, working on behalf of the University President. * Provides advice and resources to the Board on relevant topics including governance matters, fiduciary duties, and adherence to bylaws and compliance. * Handles program support activities and matters of institutional significance for the Board on behalf of, and in collaboration with the President. * Serves as the primary conduit for communication between the Board and senior leadership through timely distribution of materials such as agendas, meeting minutes, and other Board materials. * Working closely with the President, Board chair, and senior leadership, builds and coordinates agendas for all Board of Directors meetings. Serves as the internal administrator for the Governance Committee. Helps establish meeting cadences and follows up on necessary matters to accelerate completion. * Ensures proper recording and management of meeting minutes and board actions in a timely way. records. * Performs other duties as assigned. Minimum Qualifications and Skills * JD degree from an accredited ABA law school. * Licensed and in good standing as a member of a state bar. * Must be a member of the California Bar or become a member of the California Bar within 12 months of hire date. * A minimum of 5 years experience as a practicing attorney. * Exceptional communication (written, verbal, and digital) and interpersonal skills. * The aptitude to be a generalist. * Demonstrate ability to use sound judgment, discretion; diplomacy; objectivity; integrity, and ethics. Preferred Qualifications: * Experience working in higher education * Demonstrated knowledge of legal issues affecting private institutions of higher education. Salary Range: * $220,000 - $240,000 Application Materials: * Current CV/resume. * Letter of interest that describes your communication style, leadership experience, and commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. * Applications will be reviewed beginning February 29, 2024 and continue until the position is filled. This position description is not intended to cover or contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time, with or without notice. SFBU is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer: SFBU is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants for employment. SFBU does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices based on race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by law. View More