Director of Legal Compliance, Legal Compliance

Provide leadership and direction to ensure the District’s compliance to laws, policies, procedures, and/or practices.

Essential Duties:

• Positively and proactively participate in senior leadership meetings, representing district and department priorities.
• Ensure on-going consultations and strong communications with building and district leaders, executing accurate and precise recommendations.
• Assist in liaison responsibilities to the school district’s external legal counsel.
• Serve as primary contact person and liaison providing research, project coordination, and administrative support for activities related to a tax-exempt public foundation associated with, but separate from, the District, as part of the strategic plan.
• Train school and department leaders on districtwide contract/vendor agreement expectations and applicable purchasing policies; review, revise, and track contract documents; elevate districtwide understanding of best practices in procurements; triage all incoming contract requests/inquires; and communicate timely and effectively with internal and external stakeholders regarding the use contract templates and documentation.
• Promote a performance culture by modeling robust attention to detail and desire for accuracy to support the organization’s compliance with board policies and regulations, state and federal laws, and other applicable legal requirements.
• Direct, track, and work closely with team members responsible for the following processes and procedures, to assess risk, ensure data integrity, generate timely recommendations, and provide quality service to school district employees, government agencies, and community members:
  • Record requests and production, including but not limited to, open records, non-party, authorization, agencies and subpoenas
    • Student complaints and grievances including internal and agency investigations under Board policies (e.g. Policy JCAC/Title IX, Policy JAA)
    •  U.S. Department of Education's Civil Rights Data Collection
    • Policy and legal issues
    • Student & Parent Handbook
    • State and federal agency responses, mediations, and resolutions on behalf of the District.
• Keep abreast of federal and state laws and policies relevant to preK-12 education. Serve as a resource for compliance-related research on elevated topics.
• Attend meetings and trainings as required.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of a Bachelor's degree, required; Master's degree and/or Georgia Educator Certification, preferred.
• Juris Doctorate with at least two years prior legal experience, highly preferred.
• Prior school-level or central office administrative experience, preferred.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, verify facts, and draw valid conclusions, required.
• Knowledge of public education and driving improvement in student achievement.
• Familiarity with systems thinking and the ability to analyze organizational situations from structural/operational, human capital, political, and cultural perspectives.
• Ability to make challenging decisions, remain professional under stress, and possess exceptional judgement.
• Strong project management and organizational skills with ability to meet deadlines.
• Analyze complex situations and timely synthesize information carefully to develop an effective course of action.
• Ability to work well with staff and the public; ability to effectively respond to inquiries or complaints from staff members, agencies, or members of the community, required.
• Exceptional integrity, commitment to confidentiality, excellent character, and strong professional reputation.
• Ability to abide by the Georgia Professional Standards Code of Ethics for Educators.
• Must be regularly, predictably, and reliably at work.
• Ability to be present at the physical worksite.
• Must perform tasks involving prolonged periods of standing, walking, and sitting.
• Must perform routine physical activities such as bending and lifting/pushing/pulling up to 50 pounds.
• Vision, hearing, written, and verbal communications are essential factors in performing required tasks.