Asst General Counsel & Director of Compliance at Merrimack… · North…

PCN 841

Position Description
Merrimack College seeks an experienced, collaborative and solutions-oriented attorney to serve as Assistant General Counsel and Director of Compliance. Reporting to the Vice President and General Counsel, the Assistant General Counsel and Director of Compliance provides legal counsel to the College and provides leadership, guidance and oversight in support of the College’s compliance with applicable federal and state laws, regulations and institutional policies.

The position serves as a trusted legal and strategic advisor to senior leadership and offices across the College on a broad range of matters affecting the College’s academic, administrative, employment and student operations. The Assistant General Counsel will work closely with the Vice President and General Counsel as well as the Senior Legal Counsel in providing legal services to the College, including legal research and analysis, contract review and negotiation, policy development, employment and student matters, investigations, litigation and other institutional matters.

As Director of Compliance, the position coordinates the College’s institutional compliance program, identifies and monitors significant compliance obligations and risks, assists responsible departments in maintaining effective compliance practices, and develops systems, policies, training and reporting mechanisms to support institutional compliance.

The successful candidate will possess excellent legal judgment, strong analytical and communication skills, and the ability to translate complex legal and regulatory requirements into practical guidance. This individual must be able to develop strong relationships across a complex organization, exercise sound judgment and discretion, and approach legal and compliance matters with a practical, collaborative and service-oriented mindset consistent with Merrimack College’s Catholic and Augustinian mission.

Key Responsibilities

Legal Counsel and Institutional Advising

• Assist the Vice President and General Counsel as well as the Senior Legal Counsel in providing legal advice and services to the College.

• Provide legal research, analysis and written work product on matters assigned by the Vice President and General Counsel or Senior Legal Counsel.

• Provide timely, practical and strategic legal advice to senior leadership and College departments on a broad range of institutional matters.

• Advise College leaders regarding applicable federal and state laws and regulations, institutional policies, legal risk and emerging legal issues affecting higher education.

• Conduct legal research and analysis and prepare legal memoranda, guidance, correspondence, policies and other materials.

• Identify legal and regulatory risks and work collaboratively with College leaders to develop practical strategies for managing and mitigating those risks.

• Assist in responding to government inquiries, subpoenas, regulatory matters, complaints and other legal requests.

• Advise on the development, interpretation and implementation of College policies and procedures.

• Provide legal support on sensitive or time-critical institutional matters.

• Assist the Vice President and General Counsel with other legal matters and special projects as assigned.

Institutional Compliance

• Provide leadership and coordination for the College’s institutional compliance program in partnership with the Vice President and General Counsel and other College leaders.

• Develop and maintain a framework for identifying and monitoring significant federal, state and other regulatory obligations applicable to the College.

• Work collaboratively with functional areas that have primary responsibility for specific compliance obligations to promote effective and consistent institutional compliance.

• Monitor significant legal and regulatory developments affecting higher education and communicate relevant changes, risks and required actions to appropriate College leaders.

• Coordinate periodic assessments of institutional compliance risks and assist departments in developing appropriate mitigation strategies.

• Develop, review and maintain institutional compliance policies, procedures, guidance and related resources.

• Assist College departments in establishing appropriate processes for documenting and demonstrating compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

• Develop and coordinate compliance education and training for faculty, staff and administrators as appropriate.

• Promote awareness of compliance responsibilities and foster an institutional culture of ethics, integrity, accountability and responsible decision-making.

• Identify potential gaps or areas of heightened compliance risk and work with responsible departments to develop corrective action plans.

• Provide periodic reports and updates to the Vice President and General Counsel and senior leadership regarding significant compliance developments, risks and initiatives.

• Support institutional responses to compliance reviews, audits, investigations and regulatory inquiries.

Contracts and Business Transactions

• Draft, review, revise and negotiate a broad range of College contracts and agreements, including vendor and service agreements, technology agreements, licenses, leases, affiliation agreements, independent contractor agreements, confidentiality agreements and other institutional arrangements.

• Advise College departments regarding contract terms and legal risks, including indemnification, insurance, limitation of liability, confidentiality, privacy and data security, intellectual property and termination provisions.

• Work collaboratively with Finance, Procurement, Information Technology, Human Resources and other departments to facilitate effective and efficient contract review.

• Support consistent contract review, approval and recordkeeping practices.

• Develop and maintain contract templates, guidance and other resources to improve efficiency and appropriately manage institutional risk.

Employment and Workplace Matters

• Provide legal advice to Human Resources and College leadership regarding employment and workplace matters.

• Provide legal guidance regarding faculty and staff policies, appointments, discipline and separation matters, as appropriate.

• Advise on federal and state employment laws, accommodations and leaves, wage and hour requirements, employee relations, workplace policies, employment agreements and other personnel matters.

• Advise on workplace investigations and other sensitive personnel matters in coordination with Human Resources and College leadership.

• Assist in responding to employment-related administrative complaints, claims and agency matters.

Student, Academic and Campus Matters

• Provide legal counsel on matters involving students, academic programs, student organizations and campus activities.

• Advise appropriate College offices regarding student conduct, accommodations, privacy and records, discrimination and harassment, Title IX and other student-related legal and regulatory matters.

• Advise academic and administrative leaders on legal and regulatory considerations involving academic programs, partnerships, experiential learning and other educational activities.

• Provide legal support regarding Athletics, Athletics Compliance and other campus operations as assigned.

• Assist in reviewing agreements and arrangements involving students, educational and clinical partners and other external organizations.

Regulatory and Higher Education Matters

• Monitor and advise the College regarding laws and regulations affecting higher education, including matters involving accreditation, authorization, consumer protection, nondiscrimination, accessibility, student privacy, data privacy and security, federal financial aid and other applicable regulatory requirements.

• Assist responsible College offices in interpreting and implementing new or changing regulatory requirements.

• Support institutional responses to regulatory reviews, inquiries and requests for information.

• Partner with appropriate offices to evaluate the legal and compliance implications of new programs, initiatives, partnerships and business activities.

Litigation, Investigations and Claims

• Assist the Vice President and General Counsel in managing litigation, administrative proceedings, claims and threatened claims involving the College.

• Coordinate with outside counsel, insurers and College departments regarding litigation and disputes.

• Assist with internal investigations and other sensitive institutional reviews as assigned.

• Coordinate preservation and collection of records in connection with litigation, investigations, subpoenas and other legal matters.

• Monitor assigned matters and advise College leadership regarding significant developments, risks and recommended actions.

Policy, Training and Education

• Coordinate the legal review of institutional policies and assist in developing processes to promote consistency, appropriate approval and periodic review.

• Develop legal and compliance guidance, templates, checklists and other resources for College departments.

• Develop and deliver training and educational programs on legal and compliance topics for faculty, staff, administrators and other College constituencies.

• Identify opportunities to improve institutional understanding of legal obligations, compliance responsibilities and risk management.

Office of the General Counsel

• Serve as a collaborative member of the Office of the General Counsel and assist the Vice President and General Counsel in providing effective legal services to the College.

• Develop strong working relationships with administrators, faculty and staff throughout the institution.

• Maintain the confidentiality and integrity of privileged and sensitive information.

• Assist in developing efficient processes and systems for managing legal and compliance matters.

• Manage outside counsel and other external resources on assigned matters, as appropriate.

• Maintain current knowledge of developments in higher education law, compliance and professional standards.

• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned by the Vice President and General Counsel.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school.

• Admission to the Massachusetts Bar or eligibility for admission in Massachusetts.

• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible legal experience.

• Demonstrated experience providing legal advice regarding complex organizational, regulatory, contractual, employment or compliance matters.

• Strong knowledge of legal and regulatory compliance principles and experience interpreting and applying statutes, regulations and institutional policies.

• Experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating contracts and other legal agreements.

• Excellent legal research, analytical, writing and oral communication skills.

• Ability to communicate complex legal and regulatory issues clearly and practically to non-lawyers.

• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment and discretion in handling confidential, sensitive and high-risk matters.

• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to develop effective working relationships with individuals at all levels of an organization.

• Excellent organizational and project-management skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.

• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively as part of a team.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience practicing law in or advising a college or university.

• Experience developing, managing or supporting an institutional compliance program.

• Demonstrated knowledge of laws and regulations applicable to higher education, including areas such as Title IV, FERPA, Title IX, Title VII, the Clery Act, VAWA, ADA, ADEA, HIPAA and OSHA.

Application Materials Should Include

• Resume.

• Cover letter stating motivation and interest in the position, citing experience relevant to the qualifications and including experience with, and commitment to, Merrimack College’s Catholic and Augustinian mission and values.

Work Location

This is an on-campus position as employees are essential in order to provide a fully on-campus, residential college experience for our students and the community.

This position is subject to the successful completion of a criminal background check.

Statement on Our Mission

Merrimack College is a Catholic Augustinian institution of higher education committed to building an accepting and respectful community. Our mission is to enlighten minds, engage hearts and empower lives and is inspired by our Catholic faith and the Augustinian tradition of seeking truth through inquiry and dialogue.

Merrimack College seeks candidates who understand, respect, and can contribute to Merrimack’s Catholic and Augustinian mission. All candidates should describe in their application how they will foster a culture that supports our mission.

About Merrimack College

The only Catholic, Augustinian institution of higher education in New England, Merrimack College is a private, independent, coeducational institution with more than 4,100 undergraduate, 2,500 graduate students and 50 doctoral students from 48 states and 63 countries. The College features more than 160 career-focused undergraduate, professional and graduate programs, all taught by exceptional faculty who are passionate about their subject and student success. The College has six schools: arts and sciences, engineering and computational sciences, nursing and health sciences, education and social policy, the Girard school of business and the graduate school of counseling and social work. The College’s suburban 220-acre campus is just north of Boston in North Andover, Massachusetts. Merrimack is a Master’s Colleges and Universities/Larger Programs (M1) institution in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Merrimack is one of the fastest growing educational institutions in the country and has steadily climbed up in the U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of Best Colleges, ranking 38th in the Regional Universities North category in 2026. Merrimack is a NCAA Division I athletic institution.

Merrimack College is an Equal Opportunity Employer.