Associate Chief Counsel

Official Title: Program Manager Specialist VI

Functional Title: Associate Chief Counsel

Primary Location: United States-Massachusetts-Boston-100 Cambridge Street

Job: Legal Services

Agency: Department of Housing & Community Development

Schedule: Full-time

Shift: Day

Job Posting: Aug 24, 2021, 11:24:45 AM

Number of Openings: 1

Salary: $41,017.08 - $118,000.00 Yearly

Bargaining Unit: M99-Managers (EXE)

Confidential: No

Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is within Housing and Economic Development Secretariat and its work touches the lives of all Massachusetts residents.  DHCD's mission is to strengthen cities, towns and neighborhoods to enhance the quality of life of Massachusetts residents by providing leadership, professional assistance and financial resources to promote safe, decent affordable housing opportunities, economic vitality of communities and sound municipal management.

The Associate Chief Counsel will report to the General Counsel and Deputy General Counsel in the Department of Housing and Community Development’s Legal Division which is comprised of a staff of 25.  The Associate Chief Counsel will supervise two paralegals and one administrative person.

The Associate Chief Counsel will provide agency-wide legal guidance on a variety of issues, develop agency policies and procedures, review and analyze proposed state legislation and inter-agency policy initiatives, assist the Chief Counsel in preparing information and analysis requested by Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development (EOHED) and/or legislative committees, and handle legal tasks related to DHCD programs.  The Associate Chief Counsel will provide supervision of special projects that interface with multiple departments and organizations and require administrative supervision to ensure that deadlines and reports are met.

The legal professional serving in this role will have the opportunity to advise senior agency stakeholders on an array of key and critical agency policies, such as the budget, operational policies and procedures and continuous guidance and advice on specific programs and projects that impact the lives of countless well-deserving Commonwealth citizens.

The Associate Chief Counsel will contribute the expanse of their seasoned legal professionalism to craft system-wide policies specific to technology contracts and counsel management regarding data sharing agreements.  Their understanding of these issues will provide agency-wide support for these critical issues.

The incumbent will develop agency-wide policies and procedures relating to compliance issues, such as state and federal procurement and financial controls; review contracts for state and federal program compliance; coordinate with Operational Services Division (OSD) and DHCD’s procurement officer(s), Internal Controls Officer, and outside auditors; and draft and review procurement documents including Request for Reponses (RFRs), due diligence postings and justification for emergency contracting.

They will assist with the daily management of the Office of General Counsel, including supervision of paralegals and administrative staff. The individual serving in the position will bring a vision of collaboration and inclusion to the agency.  Duties will include providing functional direction to legal staff and executive personnel; assigning work, providing guidance and feedback related to policy direction; and reviewing performance for accuracy and conformance to laws, regulations, policies and agency procedures.  In addition, the incumbent will provide supervision to interns, non-legal professionals, support staff and/or other personnel as needed and assigned to ensure best practices and that all assignments are on target.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

1. A Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school, a current license to practice law in Massachusetts and a member in good standing of the Massachusetts Bar at the time of hire.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Have at least (5) years’ experience practicing law with a concentration in complex transactional work.  Experience in affordable housing programs, land use (zoning/permitting), government procurement and/or contracting and/or technology contracts is strongly preferred.
2. Demonstrated experience in drafting and negotiating complex multi-party agreements, including interagency agreements.
3. Have at least five (5) years of management experience, including supervision of legal and support staff.
4. Demonstrated expertise in analyzing and interpreting statutes, regulations, and administrative guidance.
5. Demonstrated knowledge of federal/state laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures relating to affordable housing and/or land use and/or procurement and contracting.
6. Demonstrated expertise related to data sharing issues, particularly as they affect data sharing agreements by public agencies.
7. Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in written and oral expression.
8. Expertise in state and federal procurement and contracting requirements and financial controls.
9. Demonstrated experience establishing and maintaining collaborative working relationships with others and leading teams.
10. Professional ability to partner, collaborate and work with the full spectrum of today’s contemporary multicultural professionals both internally and externally.
11. Contribute a vision of collaboration and inclusion to the agency. The person will also work to support a professional workplace community of inclusion: true belonging for all community members.
12. Must be thorough and detail-oriented and maintain accurate records.
13. Excellent analytical and pro-active problem solving skills, including creative and thoughtful approach to problem-solving, consensus building, and conflict resolution.
14. Experience that evidences the ability to independently determine specific tasks needed to accomplish an assignment; to prioritize work; complete assignments in a timely and satisfactory manner, coordinate competing interests to carry out multiple assignments simultaneously while working under time constraints.
15. Experience that evidences willingness and ability to exercise initiative and respond rapidly and responsibly to unanticipated events, issues and inquiries.

COMMENTS:

Please attach a resume, cover letter and writing sample with your application.

The DHCD welcomes diversity and looks to create the most diverse, professional workforce. Applicants from the Commonwealth’s multi-ethnic demographics are encouraged to apply.

This position is currently a telework position. The successful candidate will work remotely but must be flexible and able to perform duties in a shared office workspace as required.

Salary placement is determined by years of experience and education directly related to the position and the Human Resources Division’s Recruiting Guidelines.

Education, licensure and certifications will be verified in accordance with the Human Resources Division’s Hiring Guidelines. Education and license/certification information provided by the selected candidate(s) is subject to the Massachusetts Public Records Law and may be published on the Commonwealth’s website.

PRE-OFFER PROCESS:

A background check will be completed on the recommended candidate as required by the regulations set forth by the Human Resources Division prior to the candidate being hired.

QUALIFICATIONS:

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS: Applicants must have at least (A) five (5) years of full-time or, equivalent part-time, professional, administrative, supervisory, or managerial experience in a particular specialty (i.e. scientific, professional, or technical) and must possess current license and/or registration requirements established for the performance of the position, of which (B) at least one (1) year must have been in a project management, supervisory or managerial capacity or (C) any equivalent combination of the required experience and substitutions below.

Substitutions:

I. A certificate in a relevant or related field may be substituted for one (1) year of the required (A) experience.

II. A Bachelor’s degree in a related field may be substituted for two (2) years of the required (A) experience.

III. A Graduate degree in a related field may be substituted for three (3) years of the (A) required experience.

IV. A Doctorate degree in a related field may be substituted for four (4) years of the (A) required experience.

If you have Diversity, Affirmative Action or Equal Employment Opportunity questions or need a Reasonable Accommodation, please contact Diversity Officer / ADA Coordinator: Marjie Lalli - 6175731254

An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer.  Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.