General Counsel, NIU Foundation (4234)

Position Summary

The General Counsel (GC) of the NIU Foundation reports directly to the President and CEO and serves as the chief legal counsel for the Foundation and Secretary to the NIU Foundation Board of Directors. The GC provides legal guidance for all aspects of Foundation and its subsidiary operations ( NIU Real Estate Foundation and NIUAA Alumni Travel Program, LLC ). The GC provides senior administrative leadership and strategic legal guidance to the NIU Foundation and Division of University Advancement.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

30% Legal Management

• Represent the Foundation, President & CEO, and Board of Directors on all legally related matters. Manage Foundation responses to litigation, legal investigations, and other legal proceedings.
• Advise the President & CEO, Board of Directors, and senior administrators on all matters pertaining to applicable litigation, laws, regulations, and other duties under the law.
• Maintain expertise and provide legal guidance, updates, reviews, and recommendations to the President & CEO and senior administrators on existing and evolving laws (including statutes and regulations) and legal trends involving all aspects of university-related organization operations, charitable gift laws and non-profit governance. Additional areas include, but are not limited to, contracts, privacy, construction and real property regulations, intellectual property, and applicability of state and federal laws.
• Communicate and confer with external entities, such as legal venues, agencies, the university and related organizations, and other legal consortia that represent the interests of university foundations, on national legal trends and the development of specific university legal matters.
• Conduct legal research and prepare documents including opinions, memoranda, briefs, reports, and correspondence.
• Assign, oversee, and actively manage the work of outside counsel in appropriate matters.
• Provide interpretations of existing and emerging laws and regulations, for litigation prevention and other purposes.
• Prepare presentations, as needed, for the President, meetings of the Board, and other settings.
• Recommend policy and bylaw updates and assist with policy and bylaw development.
• Perform due diligence for legal matters, vendor selection, board matters and other complex arrangements, as required.
• Advise on interdisciplinary, university-level gift strategies and coordinate development of complex gift agreements and contracts.
• Perform estate administration functions in support of planned giving.
• Draft contracts, develop contract templates, and review and maintain tracking system to ensure timely renewal or discontinuation of contracts.
• Compose agreements for endowed and expendable scholarships, professorships, and program funds, as required.
• Oversee implementation and oversight of charitable registrations in all applicable states.
• Coordinate with the University concerning requests it may receive regarding Foundation records as part of the Freedom of Information Act.

20% Board-related Work

• Serve as Secretary to the Board of Directors, oversee rules of order for Board meetings and actions, interpret and maintain Board Policies, and advise Directors on corporate procedures and obligations.
• As corporate secretary, serve as the official recorder of minutes and activities of the NIU Foundation and its subsidiary organizations, the NIU Real Estate Foundation and the NIUAA Travel Program, LLC .
• Work closely with the Nominating and Governance Committee of the NIU Foundation Board to ensure compliance with all governance requirements.
• Manage all state and federal compliance reporting and governance requirements for the board. Ensure the board and its committees follow proper governance procedures in accordance with the bylaws, Illinois General Not-for-Profit Corporation Act, and other legal requirements.

20% Risk Management and Compliance

• Lead the Enterprise Risk Management program, in consultation with the NIUF Audit Committee, ensuring rigorous risk identification and mitigation strategies developed, executed, and evaluated for efficacy.
• Lead all other risk assessments required and serve as the Foundation liaison regarding all aspects of the university compliance programs.
• Serve as principal liaison to HR regarding matters of compliance. Ensure all policies and practices are adhered to within the Advancement Division.
• Assure all institutional compliance training for the Division of University Advancement is met, and partner with the Executive Director, Chief of Staff to ensure full execution.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for knowledge development and training of the Division of University Advancement as well as the NIU Foundation Board of Directors, which will require ongoing expansion of competencies regarding the key national issues and trends impacting the work of university-related foundations.
• Support the work of the NIU Foundation Audit Committee and the finance team to ensure full compliance with applicable laws, statutes, and regulations regarding all financial aspects of the enterprise, including UPMIFA (Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act).

20% Strategic Project Work

• Work closely with NIU Foundation leadership and team members as an adviser on short-term and long-term institutional innovation planning and strategic development projects such as West Campus, large grants, external resource development, Opportunity Zone project, business, and investment development, and other economic development activities.
• Provide strategic planning and alignment of NIU Foundation with NIU goals regarding innovation and entrepreneurship.
• Support and drive NIU regional innovation ecosystem development strategy by identifying, facilitating, coordinating, and evaluating a broad set of NIU Foundation strategic initiatives across multiple administrative units.
• Advise NIU Foundation on innovation ecosystem and entrepreneurship activities and initiatives including external partnerships, related educational programming, partnerships, and collaborations, tracking national innovation best practices.
• Assist with building strong, supportive alliances with local, regional, state, and national public-private leaders to support and further NIU development, growth, and innovation.

10% Administration and Other Duties

• Serve as a subject matter expert for knowledge development and training of the NIU Foundation Board of Directors, to complement ongoing expansion of competencies.
• Prepare and review reports and correspondence for the President & CEO and senior leaders.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the President & CEO and/or the Chair of the Board of Directors.

Minimum Required Qualifications (Civil Service)

N/A

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) (Civil Service)

Specialty Factors (Civil Service)

N/A

Preferred Qualifications (Civil Service)

N/A

Minimum Required Qualifications (SPS)

• J.D. from ABA accredited law school;
• Illinois State Bar licensed and in good standing, or eligible for and able to achieve admission to the Illinois State Bar within one year of hire;
• A minimum of 10 years of law practice experience.

Additional Requirements (SPS)

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex issues and legal concepts to non-lawyers;
• Demonstrated ability to navigate effectively through and successfully work with the different departments and constituencies within a university community;
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and work under deadlines;
• Excellent presentation and project management skills;
• Excellent leadership and managerial skills, including the ability to effectively lead and manage the staff, attorneys and activities of the office;
• Excellent judgment and interpersonal skills.
• Deep personal commitment to diversity in all forms, the recognition of all individuals as worthy of respect, and the acceptance of others without biases. Demonstrable commitment to leading by example, modeling diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the Foundation and university.
• Demonstrably strong work ethic and entrepreneurial mentality. A high-level of integrity, focus and commitment to achieve ambitious goals is essential.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and a temperament to work effectively with diverse constituents, both internally and externally.
• Demonstrable commitment to the highest ethical standards of professionalism and conduct, including an impeccable level of maturity and unimpeachable character.
• Superior knowledge and experience with the broad spectrum of statutes, regulations, and legal procedures relevant to non-profit organizations or the operations of university-related organizations.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills necessary to effectively represent the university, President & CEO, and Board of Directors in all legal matters.

Preferred Qualifications (SPS)

• Preference for candidates with substantive experience in the legal representation of academic institutions or a university-related organization, including (a) 10 years+ in practice and 6+ years of experience advising academic institutions, either in an in-house or outside counsel capacity, (ii) deep knowledge of laws and regulations applicable to academic institutions, and (iii) good familiarity in general with the operational and organizational environment of undergraduate or graduate institutions;
• Demonstrated ability to gain trust and inspire confidence at all levels of an academic institution.

Physical demands/requirements

N/A

Appointment and Compensation Details

Appointment and Compensation Details

Anticipated Appointment Start Date

Anticipated Appointment End Date

Percent of Staff Year

1.00

Standard Hours Per Week

37.50

Salary

$125,000 - $150,000/annual

Hourly or Semi-monthly Pay Rate/Range

$5,208.33 - $6,250.00/semi-monthly

Earn Type

Salary

Application Procedure

Application Procedure

Application Procedure

For full consideration, please visit https://employment.niu.edu/postings/70028 to apply and upload the following materials by April 16, 2023:

Required Documents

• Cover Letter – Please include your interest in employment with the NIU Foundation and fit for the role for which you are applying
• Current Resume
• List of Three Professional References

Applications submitted after April 16, 2023 are welcomed, but will be considered as needed.

Special Instructions

N/A

Quick Link to Applicant

https://employment.niu.edu/postings/70028

Is Background Check Required?

Yes

EEO Statement Summary

In accordance with applicable statutes and regulations, NIU is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, religion, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, political affiliation, or any other factor unrelated to professional qualifications, and will comply with all applicable federal and state statutes, regulations and orders pertaining to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action.

The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:

Ethics and Compliance Officer, Title IX Coordinator
Health Services 230
TitleIXCoordinator@niu.edu
815-753-5560

Visa Policy

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

ADA Accommodation

NIU remains committed to ensuring that its recruitment and application procedures include full opportunities for applicants with disabilities. Employment opportunities will not be denied to anyone because of the need to make accommodations for a person’s disability during either the application or interview process. An applicant who believes they require an accommodation to participate in the employment process due to a disability may request that accommodation through the Accommodation Request Form . For further assistance, please contact the office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity ( AAEO ) at ada@niu.edu .

Safety Information

NIU provides annual reports on campus security and fire safety.

Read the Annual Safety and Security Report. Contact the Ethics and Compliance Office at 815-753-1649 for a hard copy.

Read the Fire Safety Report . Contact the Department of Environmental Health and Safety at 815-753-0404 for a hard copy.
Applicant Documents
Required Documents

1. Resume/Curriculum Vitae
2. Cover Letter
3. List of References

Optional Documents

1. Military Discharge Documents ONLY (DD214/DD215/NGB22/DD256)
2. Transcripts (unofficial with official required at hire)
3. Other

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).