Associate General Counsel

Office of the General Counsel

The University of Northern Iowa (UNI) is one of Iowa’s three public universities organized under the Iowa Board of Regents. Initially founded as a teacher education school, UNI will be celebrating its sesquicentennial in 2026, reflecting its long history of its commitment to providing an exceptional education to students from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. 

The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) provides strategic legal advice and counsel to the University. Led by the General Counsel who is currently the institution’s sole attorney, the OGC is going through a robust transformation to enhance service, streamline processes, and engage more with its community of UNI colleagues. 

The OGC is seeking a skilled, highly-motivated attorney to serve as Associate General Counsel. Reporting to the General Counsel, the incoming Associate General Counsel will serve primarily as a generalist in multiple legal and policy areas, but also be able to cultivate expertise in specific legal domains. Due to the small size of the office and its large portfolio, the Associate General Counsel will be expected to manage and prioritize a wide range of practice areas and assignments stemming from a broad campus constituency with a great deal of independence and sound judgment.

Primary Function: Manages legal issues for the University related to labor and employment law, export controls, and immigration; provides counsel to the Provost Office on faculty grievances and employee contract issues; provides training for University employees; represents the University on the collective bargaining team with the United Faculty contract; manages legal cases and issues as assigned by University Counsel; provides prompt, accurate, and ongoing legal advice on a broad range of labor and employment matters; participates in University committees and meetings as requested; and completes all other duties assigned.

Required Qualifications: Juris Doctorate from an accredited ABA law school; at least three years of experience as a practicing attorney in higher education law, employment law, or related area; and admission or eligibility for admission to the Iowa Bar within one year of employment or eligibility to be registered in Iowa as In-House Counsel.

Preferred Qualifications: Experience in a higher education setting; thorough knowledge and understanding of legal, academic, and operational issues pertinent to public universities; excellent verbal and written communication skills; demonstrated skill in conducting legal research, problem-solving, conflict resolution, advocacy, sound judgement, and interpersonal skills; ability to perform effectively under pressure of conflicting demands and changing priorities; experience working collegially and collaboratively with individuals and groups from different backgrounds, perspectives, and areas of expertise; high ethical standards, reflecting honesty, integrity, and reliability; and high degree of motivation and willingness to develop expertise in new and unfamiliar areas of law.

Working Environment: The work is expected to be performed in an office on campus at UNI in Cedar Falls, Iowa; some flexibility in work location may be considered. Remote work must be performed within the state of Iowa. Employees who elect remote work must comply with the requirements of our remote work policy and agreement. Occasional travel within Iowa to other institutions, the Office of the Iowa Board or Regents, or the Office of the Iowa Attorney General may be required. Infrequent out-of-state travel, such as to attend conferences, is expected.

Salary:

Salary: $115,000 to Commensurate

Pay Grade: 123

Pay Basis: Salary

UNI is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. The University encourages applications from persons of color, women, individuals living with disabilities, and veterans. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, creed, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, political affiliation, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran or military status, or any other basis protected by federal and/or state law.

The University offers an excellent benefits package including a vacation plan, employer sponsored retirement plans, health and dental insurance, and life and disability insurance. Benefits package details can be viewed at https://careers.uni.edu/benefits. Application materials received by 9/13/2024 will be given first consideration. For more information or to apply, visit https://careers.uni.edu/. Cover letter and resume required when applying. Criminal and other relevant background checks required. UNI is a tobacco free campus.

About University of Northern Iowa

Why UNI? A great place to work. The University of Northern Iowa provides a high-quality and diverse educational experience, purposefully guiding students to find and develop their strengths and prepare them for success after college. Building on its historic excellence in teacher education, the university has developed outstanding programs in business, natural sciences, humanities and fine arts, and social and behavioral sciences with advanced degrees available in many programs. One of three state universities, UNI enjoys national recognition for its high educational standards and possesses a distinctive mission of being the comprehensive state university for Iowa. U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks UNI in the top two among Midwest public universities. The university's attractive size, nearly 10,500 students, allows it to offer faculty, facilities and academic choices characteristic of a much larger university while retaining a friendly, small-college atmosphere on a park-like campus. Experiential learning opportunities such as undergraduate research, internships, student teaching, international study programs, community service and cooperative education cre...ate a classroom connection with real-world experience. A rigorous liberal arts curriculum equips students with a broad understanding and knowledge of how to apply and acquire new information throughout life. Activities on campus are plentiful for both students and the community. The university offers a full calendar of fine and performing arts events offered by music and theatre students, many of which take place in the acoustically outstanding Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center (GBPAC). The GBPAC also hosts numerous national touring acts as part of its artist series. Panther athletics sponsors 17 varsity intercollegiate sports. Fans can see all UNI teams in action in the McLeod Center, UNI-Dome, West Gym and other campus complexes. For more information, visit https://uni.edu/. A great place to live. UNI is located in picturesque Cedar Falls, Iowa, a riverfront town with many recreational, cultural and entertainment opportunities. Downtown Cedar Falls was named one of the "30 Most Charming College Town Main Streets of 2019" by Best Value Schools. The metro community of Cedar Falls/Waterloo has a combined population of 170,000 and offers a pleasant residential setting with a strong and growing industrial base. Cedar Falls is a friendly, affordable community located about 300 miles from Minneapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City and Chicago. For more information about our community, visit the Cedar Falls/Waterloo Community web page. Employee Benefits The University of Northern Iowa believes that our employees are our most valuable resource. We offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to meet the demands of each individual's life at work as well as at home. Employees are encouraged to participate in any or all of our benefit programs. The University provides a comprehensive benefits package. Our benefits package enables us to be highly competitive within the Cedar Valley-and within the state.

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