Job Description

We have an exciting role for a mission-driven legal professional.  The General Counsel will be responsible for legal affairs in a profitable and successful $150 million revenue educational technology company.  Supported by the services of the parent company’s 30-lawyer shared service legal department, the General Counsel will have primary responsible for all of Turnitin’s legal affairs and compliance matters. 

As a member of the senior management team, the General Counsel will be expected to be a highly trusted adviser on a broad range of legal matters, creatively supporting sophisticated business negotiations with business partners around the world, and advising on employment matters, competition, privacy, intellectual property and all other areas typical for the senior legal executive of a multinational business. The General Counsel will also support the Company’s Board of Directors and work closely with the Chief Executive Officer.

The General Counsel will develop and implement policies, procedures and governance protocols in compliance with U.S. and international data privacy, anti-bribery and corruption, competition and other laws.  The General Counsel will also be responsible for communicating details of the company’s privacy practices to staff, media, regulators and other external parties. 

Reporting to Turnitin’s CFO, this position will also work closely with the Chief Legal Officer of the parent company, Advance. 

The position is based out of Turnitin’s Oakland, California headquarters and will require some travel.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The GENERAL COUNSEL:

• Is responsible for all legal matters affecting the company, including labor and employment, competition, disputes, M&A, legal and government investigations, customer and distribution agreements, technology licensing and other matters;
• Provides overall vision, direction, and collaborative leadership of the Company’s legal and compliance initiatives;
• Provides the interface between the Company’s senior management team and a 30-lawyer shared legal services organization at the Company’s parent company;
• Acts as an advisor to senior management in connection with setting policies for the business.
• Advises management and the board of directors regarding legal risk and compliance matters.
• Tracks relevant legislation and regulations that may affect the Company’s business and advises the business in relation thereto.
• Reviews, updates, and develops Company data privacy and security policies and procedures, working General Counselsely with the Chief Information Security Officer, and all other appropriate stakeholders, including Finance and commercial business leads;
• Reviews, updates and develops Company anti-bribery and corruption (ABC), antitrust and other policies and procedures, working General Counselsely with the Chief Revenue Officer, procurement and other appropriate stakeholders, including Finance.
• Is responsible for compliance with domestic and foreign data privacy laws
• Working with technology professionals, works to ensure that the company employs best practices and remains in compliance on all data handling matters;
• Develops and implements company-wide training and awareness programs regarding privacy, ABC, and other matters that fits the Company’s unique structure and cultures;  
• Provides legal counsel and investigation services and support for claims of violation of law or company policy and procedures generally as well as for apparent security breaches, coordinating with other employees as necessary.
• Develops and implements directly a program to monitor regulatory developments of significance to the Company, and to highlight such developments to the relevant businesses and ensure appropriate actions are taken;   
• Reports on the operation and progress of compliance, and risk management efforts on a regular basis to senior management, the Board of Directors and the parent company; and
• Provides expertise and oversight on litigation and regulatory matters, including subpoenas, litigation discovery and other similar matters.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will have many or preferably all of the following qualifications and experience:

• Ability to work as a legal generalist, handling and/or managing most day to day matters including general contracting, labor and employment, litigation supervision, and the like.
• Proven ability to advise management teams and company boards on variety of legal, compliance and risk allocation matters
• Proven ability to manage an in-house legal function, including by effectively managing outside counsel and working with non-lawyers in a collaborative environment
• Proven expertise in understanding and interpreting US and global data privacy and security laws, regulations and industry standards, and information governance. 
• Knowledge of compliance generally, including in particular ABC and antitrust compliance programs that are consistent with guidance provided by US, UK and other regulators and law enforcement
• Proven track record developing and leading the implementation of data privacy and security programs and compliance programs, risk management frameworks and processes that align with the needs of the business.  This includes the drafting and deployment of policies and procedures, as well as workforce awareness, and training.
• Relevant industry background that includes experience working for or with major corporations in the information technology and education sectors.
• Working knowledge of technical issues related to data governance and cybersecurity.
• Excellent negotiation skills.
• A J.D. from a leading  law school with at least 10 years of experience in relevant areas, at least 5 years of which should be in an in-house environment. 
• CIPP/US and CIPP/E preferred.

Additional Information

Leadership and Personal Characteristics

A successful candidate will have a collaborative leadership style that engages others, earns trust, and influences the entire organization.  This candidate will feel comfortable with, and energized by, the prospect of communicating and gaining acceptance for their ideas and programs across a complex and diverse global organization. 

In addition, the General Counsel will have a track record of demonstrating and successfully applying the following leadership and personal characteristics:

• Ability to provide strategic leadership in her/his areas of responsibility while simultaneously leading change on a tactical level; 
• Ability to formulate and lead plans and programs in environments and on topics characterized by complexity and uncertainty; 
• Exceptional ability to simplify information and concepts, to formulate options and recommendations, and to communicate with all levels of management and workforce to achieve objectives; 
• Steady and resolute manner that inspires confidence and trust; 
• States and maintains position backed by facts, while working through differences and alternative views in a respectful and business-savvy manner; 
• Effective listener -- probes, surfaces, and shares new ideas and ways of doing things;
• High energy, highly resilient, and resourceful;
• A “self-starter” motivated by the achievement of the organization, the team, and themselves – in that order;
• Ability to manage and prioritize multiple priorities and work projects; 
• A team player;
• Flexible and adaptable, even while maintaining a keen focus on the Company’s compliance and risk objectives; 
• Leads by example – hands on role model;
• Highest personal standards of integrity; and
• Keen interest and passion for the Company’s business goals and objectives.