COMPANY BACKGROUND:

Knowledge Universe is a leading global education organization with a network of more than 3,700 locations worldwide, employing over 40,000 education professionals, operating large on-line schools, colleges, international schools and school management systems which together touch over four million students daily.  We are the nation’s largest private provider of early childhood and school-age education and care, serving more than 250,000 children in the United States. The Company is committed to enhancing the educational opportunities for children, families, and the dedicated professionals who serve them.

KinderCare | Knowledge Beginnings  |  Cambridge Schools  |  The Grove School  |  CCLC

Combined, these brands operate in 39 states and have more than 1,600 community-based early learning centers and employer partnerships.  Centers provide care and education for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, kindergartners, and school-age children.

Champions

A nationwide brand, Champions programs provide K-12 education solutions via supplemental and enrichment programs.  More than 600 programs across the nation meet learners’ needs through education offerings that include summer science camps, before – and after – school learning experiences, and academic tutoring.

KU Technologies

Customers in the early childhood and school-age education and care industries look to the KU Technologies brand for innovation business solutions.  In addition to providing expert solutions to other Knowledge Universe brands, solutions such as the Child Care Marketplace and OnCare Online Child Care Services allow KU Technologies to expand its customer base to organizations outside the KU family of companies.

Position Summary

Provide legal services and advice to field and corporate employees; manage company’s litigation, crisis response, and other risk areas; and allocate, supervise and evaluate work of direct reports.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership to direct reports; allocate work among direct reports, supervise and evaluate work of direct reports.
• Advise field management and corporate executives on compliance with labor and employment laws, licensing regulations, criminal law and general liability matters.
• Supervise handling of all litigation, including review of all significant pleadings and motions filed in company’s litigated matters.
• Personally manage commercial litigation, employment litigation, and significant general liability matters.
• Negotiate claim settlements and draft settlement documents.
• Respond to emergency situations requiring legal analysis.
• Evaluate risk on behalf of corporation and advise senior executives.
• Provide training to field and corporate employees on corporate compliance and general liability issues.
• Prepare quarterly reports for executives, auditors and insurance carriers.
• Provide assistance in any manner requested to Executive Vice President and General Counsel.
• Handle special projects as requested by corporate executives and field management.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Manage litigation, including driving strategic and cost-effective resolution of claims.
• Provide advice on litigation strategy and selection of counsel to Risk Management personnel.
• Supervise litigation being handled by outside counsel.
• Respond to calls from the field on various matters.
• Provide training to corporate and field management.
• Provide leadership, professional development, and mentoring to direct reports.
• Serve as intermediary between Legal Department direct reports and other Company personnel.
• Allocate, manage, supervise, and evaluate work of direct reports.
• Negotiate and draft documents for settlement of claims.
• Provide advice to Risk Management, Human Resource and other Corporate Department personnel on employment, criminal, and general liability related matters.
• Review, revise, and/or draft company policies, practices and procedures.
• Assist General Counsel in overseeing compliance by other Company departments relating to corporate compliance, employment, licensing and general liability related matters.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Legal education (JD required);
• Law firm and/or in-house experience (minimum 7 years);
• Substantial complex commercial litigation experience strongly preferred;
• Alternative dispute resolution experience;
• Proven success in legal position(s) (e.g., strong references from law firm or in-house counsel).
• Excellent reading, writing, presentation, and verbal communication skills required;
• Legal research and analysis skills required;
• Detail-oriented and methodical analytical skills;
• Ability to handle crisis situations with thoughtful analysis and judgment and calm temperament;
• Strong problem evaluation and resolution skills required;
• Ability to present effectively to large and senior groups within the Company;
• Ability to work in team-oriented environment;
• Adherence to highest ethical standards required;
• Strong practice management skills and at least intermediate computer skills required;
• Ability to align Company legal issues with business objectives.

Leadership & Management Behavioral Competencies

• Visionary thinking; the creativity and conceptual ability to envision and build machines to achieve goals in a dynamic environment.
• Strategic and practical thinking; bringing a general management perspective and good judgment to corporate direction, management and growth.
• Managerial agility and adaptability; the ability to “drive fast on curvy roads.”
• Intrinsic intellectual horsepower (analytical, conceptual, synthesizing).
• Goal-level thinking and results orientation with excellent implementation/ operational abilities.
• Ability to manage in a principle-based way.
• Excellent talent assessment; the instincts and capabilities to assess people and the ability to articulate logical principles or guidelines for assessment to produce repeatable outcomes.
• Influence leadership skills; the ability to attract world-class talent and motivate people to perform at the highest level via leading by example.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Position requires frequent exercise of independent and prompt judgment, problem-solving skills, and advice on matters of potentially substantial liability and financial risk to Company.
• A high bar for excellence and a low tolerance for mediocrity; constantly striving for improvement.
• A sense of personal responsibility and motivation for building and creating something great; acting and thinking as a business owner.
• Uncompromised ethics and integrity.
• Operating as a team player with a balanced ego to achieve common goals.
• Position requires a high degree of adaptability.
• Incumbent will be faced with a variety of issues on a day-to-day basis and will be expected to respond to these issues appropriately.

CONTACT

Glenn M. Fox

Senior Director of Talent Acquisition
Knowledge Universe

Please contact me via LinkedIn