Associate General Counsel (Facilities, Construction & Purchasing)

at  Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University is seeking an Associate General Counsel to join the Office of the General Counsel and provide legal advice to Vanderbilt University on a full range of transactional legal matters and projects, primarily supporting two main campus partners: (1) the Facilities Department on construction, maintenance, and land use matters, and (2) Purchasing Services on contracting and other transactional matters. This position collaborates with and advises leaders across the University to protect the best interests of the university.
The Associate General Counsel may also work within the Office of the General Counsel to provide advice and counsel on a variety of other issues facing academic institutions, based on the individual’s experience and interests and the needs of the university.
The Office of the General Counsel provides legal advice to university departments with an awareness of the nuances of client business priorities and with understanding of university business practices. The Office of the General Counsel is committed to agile service delivery aligned with the university’s mission, priorities, and needs. All litigation proceedings are managed by the Office of the General Counsel on behalf of the university.

The Office of the General Counsel focuses on operational excellence in all we do, which includes:

• Project management and status updates
• Technology implementation, use, and analytics
• Budget and outside counsel management
• Identification of the highest and best use of attorney time

QUALIFICATIONS

• A juris doctorate is required, and the Associate General Counsel must be licensed in the State of Tennessee, or eligible for licensure, within twelve months of hire.
• At least 3-4 years of professional legal experience in a construction and/or commercial real estate practice;
• At least 2-3 years of experience with procurement contracting;
• Experience with purchase, sale, and lease of real property;
• Ability to identify, analyze, and explain legal issues and to both develop and implement appropriate solutions;
• Advanced oral and written communications skills and the ability to work with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community;
• Knowledge of organizational structure, workflow, and institutional operating procedures; and
• Proficiency with common technology for document creation and management.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Associate General Counsel will have a responsibility to:

• Support the university’s strategic goals, in particular with respect to real property, campus planning, and purchasing-related matters.
• Protect the university’s short- and long-term interests by ensuring that actions taken by or on the behalf of the university comply with university policies and federal, state, and local laws or regulations.
• 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 to Vice Chancellors and their teams.
• Proactively analyze and recommend corrective action and training to ameliorate risk as needed.
• Utilize creative problem-solving techniques and excellent oral and written communication skills to contribute to the highly collaborative working environment within the Office of the General Counsel and across the university.

Provide legal advice, counsel, and representation to the Facilities Department, Purchasing Services, Real Estate, and other business units across the university on strategic and operational transactions, as assigned. Related tasks include reviewing, negotiating, drafting, advising, and managing counsel on documentation related to:

Facilities Department

• Drafting and negotiating construction-related agreements, including the AIA suite of instruments
• Contract template management, including master work agreements and professional services agreements for University suppliers
• Participating in and contributing to cross-departmental meetings that affect University facilities
• Selection of and fee budgeting for outside counsel for construction matters
• Working collaboratively with Purchasing Services on supplier contracting and requests for proposal
• Advising the Facilities Department on best practices in contracting
• Reviewing and managing on-campus lease arrangements with outside parties
• Managing public and private easements on campus
• Maintaining campus compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations on uses of unmanned aerial vehicles

Purchasing Services

• Reviewing and negotiating professional services agreements, event agreements, and nondisclosure agreements with suppliers
• Drafting and applying policies on University supplier contracting
• Training and collaborating with members of the Purchasing Services team
• Collaborating with University Risk Management on risk-shifting provisions in supplier contracts
• Advise on applicable foreign, federal, state, and local laws, rules, and policies as they relate to the university. Understand and manage risk and compliance issues in a complex environment.
• Interpret and review university regulations, policies, and procedures to identify the need for policy development or changes to protect and serve the university’s legal interests. Serve as legal advisor to key work groups, committees, and related entities as assigned.
• Prepare comments on proposed federal, state, and local legislation and regulations that may affect the university.
• Supervise outside counsel, as needed.
• Demonstrate strong analytical and counseling skills, judgment, and empathy.
• Collaborate with university officials, offices, and departments to develop and provide legal education and support to the Vanderbilt community.
• Pursue professional growth and development through seminars, workshops, and professional affiliations to keep abreast of latest developments in college and university law and in other related matters.
• Perform similar or related duties as assigned or required in an evolving environment.

Supervisory Relationships: This position does not have supervisory responsibility.

At Vanderbilt University , our work - regardless of title or role - is in service to an important and noble mission in which every member of our community serves in advancing knowledge and transforming lives on a daily basis. Located in Nashville , Tennessee, on a 330+ acre campus and arboretum dating back to 1873, Vanderbilt is proud to have been named as one of “America’s Best Large Employers” as well as a top employer in Tennessee and the Nashville metropolitan area by Forbes for several years running. We welcome those who are interested in learning and growing professionally with an employer that strives to create, foster and sustain opportunities as an employer of choice through:

• Working and growing together as a community of communities… we are One Vanderbilt .
• Providing a work environment where every staff and faculty member can be their authentic and best self , while providing the resources and opportunities to learn and grow.
• Encouraging development, collaboration, and partnership both internally and externally while fostering the value that every member of the Vanderbilt community can lead and grow regardless of title or position