Description

The SCIS General Counsel (GC) leads the Company's legal strategy, protects the organization's interests, and enables business growth through sound, proactive legal guidance. As the chief legal and compliance advisor for the Company, the GC ensures the company meets all contractual, licensing, and statutory obligations, and proactively manages risk across operations—ranging from commercial security services and subcontractor management to government contracts and facilities with security clearances.

This significant position requires both a strategic mindset for long-term outcomes and the ability to adapt quickly to real-time changes in priorities within a complex and fluid security environment. The ideal candidate has a proven track record of building high-trust relationships across all levels of the organization, fosters proactive and results-oriented communications and drives a culture focused on integrity that delivers business results.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• The functions listed describe the business purpose of this job. Specific duties or tasks may vary and be documented separately. The employee might not be required to perform all functions listed. Additional duties may be assigned, and functions may be modified according to business necessity.
• All assigned duties or tasks are deemed to be part of the essential functions unless such duties or tasks are unrelated to the functions listed, in which case they are deemed to be other (non-essential) functions.
• Employees are held accountable for successful job performance. Job performance standards may be documented separately and may include functions, objectives, duties, or tasks not specifically listed herein.
• In performing functions, duties, or tasks, employees are required to know and follow safe work practices and to be aware of company policies and procedures related to job safety, including safety rules and regulations. Employees are required to notify superiors upon becoming aware of unsafe working conditions.
• All functions, duties, or tasks are to be carried out in an honest, ethical, and professional manner and are to be performed in conformance with applicable company policies and procedures. In the event of uncertainty or lack of knowledge of company policies and procedures, employees are required to request clarification or explanations from superiors or authorized company representatives.

Legal Strategy + Leadership

• Serve as the primary legal advisor to executive leadership, providing guidance on business strategy, risk mitigation, and decision-making. Develop and execute the company's legal strategy to support growth, compliance, and operational effectiveness.
• Provide comprehensive legal counsel and support across a wide range of business functions including operations, business development, finance, and employment across both commercial and federal business.
• Manage relationships with external counsel, legal vendors, relationships with government and regulatory entities and manage the legal budget efficiently.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing legal and compliance team, including managing direct reports, setting priorities, and ensuring strong alignment between legal strategy and business objectives
• Champion and implement innovative legal solutions and best practices to enhance efficiency and support business transformation. Continuously identify and implement process improvements to enhance legal and operational efficiency and to reduce legal risk.

• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of contracts, including security services agreements, subcontractor agreements, teaming agreements, NDAs, employment agreements, and vendor contracts.
• Support pricing, proposals, and RFP/RFQ responses from a risk and compliance perspective. Ensure compliance with industry-specific terms—such as guard service licensing, post orders, indemnification, insurance requirements, and use-of-force provisions.
• Provide legal guidance with respect to mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures, including conducting legal diligence and direct outside counsel with respect to negotiations of purchase agreements.

• Oversee compliance with federal, state, and local regulations governing private security operations (e.g., armed/unarmed guard licensing, state regulatory agencies, weapons requirements, training mandates).
• Ensure ongoing compliance with labor and employment laws affecting field security personnel, including wage and hour laws, overtime classifications, scheduling mandates, and job site requirements.
• Maintain oversight of corporate licenses, registrations, and security agency filings in multiple jurisdictions.
• Serve as the Company's HIPAA Privacy Officer and manage SCIS's HIPAA and data privacy compliance programs. Advise on data privacy and cybersecurity matters, including compliance with relevant regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA, etc.). Negotiate and draft data processing and other agreements related to data security and privacy.

• Provide legal oversight related to government contracts, FAR/DFARS compliance, contract interpretations, and flow-down requirements.
• Support the Facility Security Officer (FSO) and security team on matters involving clearance compliance, reporting requirements, and industrial security policies under the National Industrial Security Program (NISP).
• Review and advise on classified contract provisions, DD254 requirements, and safeguarding obligations. Oversee legal aspects of access control, cleared guard operations, and secure facility procedures.

• Responsible for multi-state labor and wage/hour compliance. Lead compliance investigations and ensure corrective actions are implemented.
• Manage litigation matters, claims, and disputes involving employment, client incidents, tort liability, wage and hour, workers' compensation, or subcontractor issues. Provide senior leadership with recommendations for settlement of claims and disputes and pre-litigation matters.
• Advise on incident response and reporting for security-related events, including use-of-force, arrests, injuries, property damage, or high-risk site incidents.

• Provide legal guidance on hiring practices, performance management, worker classification, discipline, and terminations. Support HR on policy interpretation, employee relations, and workplace investigations. Oversee drafting and updating employee handbooks, security policies, and operational procedures.
• Act as a visible leader and communicator, ensuring legal guidance is accessible and actionable for all business partners. Work with HR and Training leadership to develop and deliver training programs to internal teams on legal and compliance topics. Engage in established content review for relevance and up-to-datedness.

• Responsible for Proxy Agreement and FOCI governance, including key management eligibility and supporting the Government Security Committee (GSC).
  • Ensure full compliance with terms of the Proxy Agreement, SSA, or FOCI mitigation agreements, including reporting, recordkeeping, and required notifications to DCSA
  • Support the independent directors in oversight duties, including meetings, audits, corp orate documentation, and security compliance certifications.
  • Prepare annual & quarterly compliance certifications, mitigation instrument updates, and governance reports.
• Advise on and direct all aspects of corporate governance, including preparing resolutions, conducting annual meetings of directors, managing records filings related to officers and directors, etc. Serve as the Corporate Secretary; maintain corporate policies, SOPs, and legal frameworks across the organization.
• Lead ethics, compliance, and whistleblower processes. Ensure the company's code of conduct and business practices align with legal, regulatory, and contractual standards.

1. Contracting and legal throughput
2. Litigation and Claims management. This will include litigation spend versus budget, litigation outcomes and similar
3. Regulatory compliance, FAR/DFARS/NISP audit results
4. Ethics, governance and internal controls (e.g. policy review with updates, ethics/policy/compliance training completion, internal audit completion and Company hotline/complaint closure time)
5. Leadership effectiveness, employee engagement and business support

• Keeping informed of legal and industry trends through benchmarking, participation in professional associations, and groups to lead and support operations.
• Maintaining a positive, professional environment in full compliance with applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures; acting to ensure employees understand and comply with applicable laws, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Performing additional functions, duties and specific tasks of a similar nature and scope as necessary to achieve assigned business objectives.

Basic Qualifications

• U.S. Citizenship Preferred
• At least 18 years of age
• Ability to acquire and maintain any other specific, special clearances/access requirements where appropriate.
• Ability to obtain and retain a Top-Secret security clearance.

• Juris Doctor (JD) from a nationally recognized, accredited US Law School. Admitted to and in good standing with the bar of at least one state
• At least eight (8) years of relevant professional legal experience spent in corporate counsel, private practice or regulated industry.
• Experience supporting security services, government contracting, or multi-state service operations is strongly preferred and experience with cleared environments, NISPOM, or industrial security compliance is a strong plus
• Significant experience in negotiating and drafting a wide range of commercial contracts as well as significant experience managing and resolving disputes and claims
• Familiarity with multi-state private security licensing and commercial guard force operations, labor/employment law, commercial contracts, and regulatory compliance
• Litigation management experience involving security incidents, employment law, and government contract disputes is strongly preferred

Must undergo and meet company standards for background and reference checks, controlled substance testing, and behavioral selection survey, in addition to any mandatory licensing requirements

Competencies (as demonstrated through experience, training, and/or testing)

• Deep understanding of legal obligations affecting security companies, including licensing, labor laws, risk mitigation, and contract requirements.
• Strong negotiation skills and business acumen with a practical approach to decision-making.
• Proven ability to manage litigation, outside counsel, and complex legal matters.
• Exceptional relationship-building and influencing skills, with the ability to partner effectively across functions and geographies.
• Effective communicator capable of influencing senior leaders and operational stakeholders.
• High integrity, sound judgment, and ability to thrive in a fast-paced, service-oriented industry
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to think strategically and creatively.
• Willingness to learn and leverage technology, including generative AI software, to increase efficiency.
• Ability to manage and prioritize multiple simultaneous demands and significant workload
• Strong strategic, analytical, and creative problem-solving skills.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills. Ability to influence across functions to effect change.
• Excellent planning, organization, project coordination and time management skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Positive/proactive attitude and desire to lead and support legal, organizational and business efforts.
• Demonstrated energy, drive, determination, and persistence, even when confronted with challenges.
• Ability to use personal computers and various office technology.
• Proficiency with MS Office Suite, including word processing, spreadsheet production.
• Ability to present information effectively and respond to questions from groups of managers, customers, and business leadership.
• Ability to interact effectively at all levels and across diverse cultures.
• Ability to be an effective team leader and team member and handle project assignments responsibly.
• Ability and willingness to adapt quickly to shifting deadlines and priorities.
• Strong sense of urgency and accountability
• Ability to adapt to changes in the external environment and organization.
• Strong customer service and results orientation.

With or without reasonable accommodation, requires the physical and mental capacity to effectively perform all essential functions. In addition to other demands, the demands of the job include:

• Maintaining composure in dealing with authorities, executives, clients, staff and the public, occasionally under conditions of urgency and in pressure situations.
• May be exposed to stressful situations.
• Handling and being exposed to sensitive and confidential information.
• May be required to work additional hours without advance notice.
• Required ability to handle multiple tasks concurrently.
• Occasional reaching with hands and arms, stooping, kneeling, crouching and crawling.
• Close vision, distance vision, and ability to adjust focus.
• Occasional lifting and/or moving up to 10 pounds and occasionally up to 25 pounds.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

VA License Number: 11-4665