ATTORNEY, ASSISTANT CHIEF COUNSEL

California Department of Conservation; Sacramento (CA); Hybride; USD 162 000 - 198 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

The California Department of Conservation seeks an Assistant Chief Counsel to lead the Legal Office, guiding a team of attorneys and analysts on complex matters within the Division of Land Resources Protection. This permanent, full-time role requires strategic leadership, sound judgment, and the ability to work across agencies on environmental review, contracting, and public records issues.

Applicants must submit a Statement of Qualifications; the position is hybrid in Sacramento and offers a

Qualifications

• Senior leader within the Department's Legal Office.
• Experience advising on land resources and environmental matters.
• Strong collaboration and people development skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with attorneys and non-attorneys.

Responsabilités

• Support a broad portfolio of legal issues focused on Land Resources Protection.
• Lead a team of attorneys and analysts within the Legal Office.
• Advise on state contracting, ethics issues, administrative adjudication, and Public Records Act compliance.
• Advise on environmental review and permitting.
• Collaborate with the Attorney General's Office on civil litigation.

Connaissances

Leadership

Legal analysis

Communication

Collaboration

Description du poste

Equal Opportunity Employer The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Equal Opportunity Employer The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Position Details

Job Code #: JC-533924

Position #(s): 538-401-5871-002

Working Title: Assistant Chief Counsel

Classification: ATTORNEY, ASSISTANT CHIEF COUNSEL

$14,513.00 - $17,742.00

New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.

# of Positions: 1

Work Location: Sacramento County

Telework: Hybrid

Job Type: Permanent, Full Time

Facility: Primary Cert Contact

Department Information

With a team of scientists and other dedicated professionals, the Department of Conservation (DOC) administers a variety of programs vital to California's public safety, environment, and economy. The services DOC provides are designed to balance today's needs with tomorrow's obligations by fostering the wise use and conservation of energy, land, and mineral resources.

All employees are responsible for contributing to an inclusive, safe, and secure work environment that values diverse cultures, perspectives, and experiences, and is free from discrimination.

CNRA Career Center

The CNRA Career Center , located in downtown Sacramento, is open to both prospective and current employees looking to grow their careers. The center provides a range of personalized services designed to support you at every stage of your professional journey.

Services Include

• One-on-One career consultations
• Application and résumé reviews
• Personalized career guidance
• Mock interviews
• Tips and best practices for applying to positions

Location: Poppy Pavilion, 715 P Street, Sacramento, CA 95814

Hours of Operation: Tuesday-Thursday 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Department Website: http://www.conservation.ca.gov

Job Description And Duties

Under the general direction of the Chief Counsel, the Assistant Chief Counsel serves as a senior leader in the Department of Conservation's Legal Office, helping to manage a talented team of attorneys and analysts providing legal counsel on some of the Department's most complex and consequential matters. This position will support a broad and varied portfolio of legal issues with a particular focus on the work of the Department's Division of Land Resources Protection. This broad portfolio includes:

• Supporting programs that strengthen California’s rural communities through agricultural conservation easements and grant programs;
• Playing a key role in the implementation of programs funded through Proposition 4, the state’s natural resources bond measure;
• Advising on state contracting, ethics issues, administrative adjudication, Public Records Act compliance, and personnel and labor issues;
• Advising on environmental review and permitting;
• Managing the Legal Office's work with the Attorney General's Office on civil litigation.

Experience supporting grant programs, experience supporting projects that require tribal engagement, and expertise in real property law are all desirable qualifications. The successful candidate will be a collaborative and thoughtful leader who exercises excellent judgment, develops people, communicates effectively with attorneys and non-attorneys, and is comfortable navigating novel legal questions where the path forward is not always clear. This is an opportunity for an experienced attorney to combine sophisticated legal work with meaningful leadership and to help advance programs with significant statewide impact.

Please note: This position requires a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ). Applications submitted without an SOQ or an SOQ that does not answer the items/questions, and/or does not follow formatting instructions will be considered not interested in this position and will be eliminated from the selection process. Resumes and cover letters do not take the place of the SOQ. Please see the Statement of Qualifications section for more information.

In accordance with CCR 249.3, this job control may be used to fill subsequent vacancies.

Effective July 1, 2025, the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) implemented the Personal Leave Program 2025 (PLP 2025) which reduces an employee’s monthly salary by 4.62% [BU2] in exchange for leave credits. The salary range(s) included on this job advertisement do not reflect this reduction in pay. Employees appointed to this classification will have their monthly salary reduced and will accrue PLP 2025 hours on the first day of each pay period in accordance with their applicable Bargaining Unit contract .

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement .

Special Requirements

• This position is subject to the Department of Conservation's Conflict of Interest code. Candidates may be precluded from employment with the department if they, or their spouse, hold interests in oil, gas, or geothermal entities.

This position is contingent on budget approval.

Who May Apply

Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply.