Counsel, Business Operations and Regulatory (Remote)

Cengage Group•Virtual US MA, MA

1d•$138,200 - $179,650•Remote

About The Position

Cengage is seeking a pragmatic, business-oriented attorney for the role of Counsel, Business Operations and Regulatory, which will serve as a key legal partner to its growing workforce skills and career training business. This role will partner closely with Cengage Work’s leadership, strategy, sales, product, and operations teams to evaluate various business and product delivery models and structure, negotiate, and close complex commercial transactions while navigating the evolving regulatory landscape impacting workforce education and training. This role will also serve as lead counsel on select Cengage-wide regulatory compliance initiatives.

Requirements

J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar membership
4–7 years of relevant legal experience (law firm and/or in-house)
Experience in partnering closely with business teams to advise on complex legal issues in support of strategic objectives
Strong analytical, issue-spotting, and problem-solving skills, with a practical, business-oriented approach to risk
Willingness to learn a new business and capacity to independently develop expertise in unfamiliar areas
Demonstrated ability to take ownership of complex legal projects and independently manage projects cross-functionally with multiple stakeholders
Excellent drafting, negotiation, and communication skills

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with federal and state regulatory regimes affecting postsecondary education and workforce and skills training
Experience in technology companies focused on workforce skills, online continuing education, or vocational training

Responsibilities

Serve as a trusted advisor to the Cengage Work business, developing a strong understanding of its products, business models, and strategic priorities
Collaborate with product, operations, finance, and go-to-market teams to incorporate legal and regulatory considerations into business decisions
Provide practical, risk-based legal advice that supports business objectives
Advise on federal and state regulatory frameworks that, directly or indirectly, impact Cengage Work, including: Consumer protection laws and disclosure requirements, Education financing models (e.g., tuition assistance, employer-sponsored funding, public workforce funding), Postsecondary education laws and regulations, Workforce development and training program regulations (e.g., WIOA and related state programs)
Collaborate with Cengage’s government affairs team and advisors to monitor, interpret and advise on changes in postsecondary education, workforce education and skills training related laws and regulations that may impact Cengage Work
Identify legal, regulatory and operational risks across Cengage Work and partner with compliance, legal subject matter experts and the business to develop policies and procedures to mitigate these risks.
As needed, serve as lead counsel on select enterprise-wide regulatory and compliance initiatives.
Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of agreements supporting Cengage Work offerings, including customer, partner, and institutional arrangements
Provide clear, actionable legal guidance to support transaction strategy and execution
Partner with Legal Operations to set the strategic framework for contracting processes supporting Cengage Work, including templates, standards, and playbooks across multiple business models.
Serve as an escalation point for complex, non‑standard contractual matters, providing advisory guidance to the Contract Management team
As needed, support corporate legal team on acquisition and other strategic transactions for Cengage Work.