SVP Litigation

If you are motivated and believe in the credit union philosophy of "People Helping People," join our team!The SVP – Litigation will lead SECU’s litigation function, overseeing all litigation and dispute-related matters across the enterprise. The role combines people leadership, strategic program development and sophisticated litigation management. Reporting to the EVP - Deputy Chief Legal Officer, the SVP – Litigation will manage a team of attorneys and legal support professionals while partnering closely with business leadership and second line functions to mature industry-leading litigation management practices.35% Litigation leadership and strategyLead all litigation strategy and execution across SECU’s litigation portfolio, including consumer finance and member disputes, complex litigation and class actions, bankruptcy matters, arbitration programs and general liability matters, employment litigation, commercial and vendor disputeOversee hundreds of active matters annually through a combination of direct handling and outside counsel managementProvide practical, risk-based legal advice to senior business leadersServe as trusted internal client partner with strong executive presence and relationship management skills35% Team leadership and developmentDirectly lead and develop a team of two attorneys and two legal support professionalsFoster a culture of mentorship, professional growth and collaboration20% Function modernization and operational excellenceIn partnership with Legal Operations leadership, mature the litigation management function by:Building enhanced litigation tracking and reporting systemsImplementing best-in-class outside counsel managementDeveloping litigation KPIs, dashboards, and performance analyticsDriving disciplined litigation spend managementStandardizing early case assessment processesAdvancing discovery governance and legal hold management programsEstablishing scalable workflows10% Governance and enterprise partnershipPartner closely with second line and business unit leaders on dispute prevention and risk mitigationPrepare litigation reporting for executive leadership and board-level oversightSupport the enterprise in aligning with regulator and supervisory expectationsRequired Education & Experience (Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities):Juris doctor (JD) from an accredited law schoolLicensed to practice in North Carolina8 years of litigation experienceDemonstrated experience leading or supervising legal teams or significant litigation programsStrong litigation judgment and strategic case management skillsProven ability to manage outside counsel effectivelyExcellent communication, client counseling and leadership presencePreferred Education & Experience (Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities):In-house legal experienceFinancial services or consumer finance litigation experienceEmployment litigation experienceExperience building or improving legal department processes or programsExperience operating in highly regulated environmentsJob Environment & Physical Requirements:Primarily onsite with flexibility for occasional remote workSECU provides equal employment opportunity to all qualified persons regardless of race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other classification protected by law.DisclaimerState Employees' Credit Union reserves the right to fill this role at a higher/lower level based on business need.