The Role: Zum is seeking a Managing Counsel, Employment to contribute across the full range of employment matters for this Series D, Sequoia-backed company that has raised $200 million. Reporting to the General Counsel, Lynn Miller, you will be a key member of the legal group and will partner with Zum executives, engineers, and outside counsel. This person will be one of the founding members of Zum’s legal team and the sole employment counsel for the near-1000-person company.

Responsibilities:

• Be a trusted advisor to the company and provide critical legal and strategic advice on a wide range of complex issues involving the company’s employees and workers.
• Ensure compliance with all of the various wage and hour and other laws in the states Zum operates.
• Handle a wide variety of employment matters, including hiring, hourly worker management, performance management, employee relations, leaves of absence and accommodations, discrimination and harassment laws, wage and hour, internal investigations, immigration/visas, compensation/benefits, discipline and termination issues.
• Provide employment law strategies and guidance to address business challenges and create organizational alignment.
• Strategically resolve employment-related litigation, claims, investigations, subpoenas, etc.
• Oversee Workers' Compensation and any other employee claims.
• Supervise, manage and evaluate outside counsel on employment related matters.
• Partner with the General Counsel on all issues related to employment.
• Communicate sophisticated concepts in a clear and structured manner. Work closely and cross-functionally to support the company’s goals and priorities.

Requirements:

• JD degree with strong academic credentials.
• Must have a minimum of 5+ years of substantive labor and employment experience within a corporate legal department or at a top-tier law firm.
• Previous experience with employment matters such as hiring, hourly distributed workforce management, performance management, employee relations, leaves of absence and accommodations, discrimination and harassment laws, wage and hour, internal investigations, compensation/benefits and discipline and termination issues is required.
• Experience with labor relations and union issues is a plus.
• Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent writing and communication skills with a demonstrated ability to effectively and proactively provide quick, concise, and practical legal advice.
• Excellent judgment and a proven ability to establish strong cross-functional partnerships with executive teams.
• Ability to “roll up your sleeves” and ensure effective operations.

Compensation:   The estimated annual base salary for this position is $250,000 – $275,000, but could be higher depending on the level of candidate. This position will be eligible for the company's bonus program and equity program.  

About Zum:  Founded in 2015, Zum has reimagined student transportation, the nation’s largest mass transit system, by developing and deploying the most technically-advanced platform that serves over 4,000 schools, including the San Francisco, Oakland and  in California. Zum has been recognized by the Financial Times as one of the Fastest Growing Companies of 2023, named on CNBC's Disruptor 50 list, and selected by Fast Company as a World Changing Idea.

Zum’s Missions:

Electric vehicles:

Zum has committed to transitioning its entire fleet to electric buses and vans. Because school transportation is the largest mass transit system in the US, this translates into an enormous benefit for the environment and riders now traveling on diesel-spewing buses.   Electric vehicles also cut energy costs by 80 percent and maintenance costs by 60 percent – savings that can be reinvested into classrooms.  In addition, Zum is the only carbon neutral student transportation company, offsetting 100% of emissions for its entire fleet.

Equity:

Zum’s mission is more sustainable, safer, faster transportation for all students, which can especially improve the lives of those in underserved communities.  These children are more likely to waste valuable time on circuitous routes and miss after-school activities because they have no way to get home.  Zum designs efficient routes with flexible schedules.  This also translates to savings for school districts, which is especially important for underserved communities.

Safety:

Zum’s platform tracks driving performance to ensure safe driving at all times, notifies parents real time when their children will be picked up or delivered, allows real time communication with parents, districts and drivers, and provides on-board monitoring to prevent safety incidents. Zum’s drivers are vetted above and beyond state standards and introduced to parents via the app.

Zum has exclusively engaged Kerwin Associates to conduct this search.  Any resumes sent directly to Zum will be forwarded to Kerwin Associates.  If you are interested in speaking about or applying for this role, please contact Maddie Murray (maddie@kerwin.com) or Emily Castellanos (emily@kerwin.com) at Kerwin Associates.