Director of Legal

About the Role

Nightingale College is looking for a Director, Legal to lead the day-to-day execution of our in-house legal function. Working under the strategic direction of the Assistant Vice President of Legal and Compliance, you'll take ownership of legal matters from intake through resolution — providing practical, risk-informed guidance to institutional leadership, directing outside counsel, and building the processes and infrastructure that let our legal function scale alongside our growth.

This role calls for someone who thrives on independent judgment: you'll manage a portfolio of active legal matters, know when to solve something yourself and when to escalate, and bring clarity and structure to a legal function that touches nearly every part of the institution — from contracts to compliance to legislative affairs.

What You'll Do

Independently manage and resolve day-to-day legal matters within delegated authority, providing practical advice and recommendations to leadership and escalating based on significance, risk, or institutional impact
Deliver attorney-client privileged guidance consistent with ethical obligations and applicable law
Manage the Legal function's portfolio of active matters — assigning work, setting deadlines, monitoring progress, and ensuring matters advance through completion
Develop recommended courses of action for legal issues, weighing legal risk, operational impact, and institutional priorities
Lead the development and continuous improvement of legal workflows, templates, governance practices, and knowledge management
Review institutional communications, policies, and initiatives through a legal risk lens
Draft legal correspondence, demand letters, and other legal communications
Serve as the primary point of coordination for external counsel — managing deliverables, monitoring deadlines, and coordinating strategy
Provide legal guidance on contract strategy and risk in collaboration with Procurement and other functions
Oversee legal intake and response processes for subpoenas, record requests, and legal holds
Support legislative and regulatory initiatives through legal analysis and cross-functional coordination
Partner with Compliance, Title IV, and Legislative and Regulatory Affairs to ensure legal interpretation informs institutional strategy
Supervise and mentor assigned staff, including the Contract Specialist and legal operations support

What You Bring

Minimum Qualifications

Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school
Active license to practice law and in good standing with at least one U.S. state bar
Minimum of 7 years of legal experience, preferably in higher education, healthcare, employment law, regulatory law, legislative affairs, or complex organizational advising
Demonstrated experience with contract law, legal risk analysis, and collaboration with external counsel
Strong professional judgment, discretion, and the ability to maintain attorney-client privilege
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex legal concepts into practical operational guidance
Ability to collaborate across institutional functions and support leadership in navigating legal risk

Preferred Qualifications

Experience providing practical legal guidance within a regulated environment
Familiarity with subpoena response processes, legal correspondence, and governance practices