independent public agency that serves as San Diego County's regional water ... in-house legal services on a broad range
The SAN DIEGO COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY invites you to apply for
GENERAL COUNSEL
The Organization
The San Diego County Water Authority is a progressive, independent public agency that serves as San Diego County’s regional water wholesaler. The mission of the San Diego County Water Authority is to provide a safe and reliable supply of water to its member agencies serving this semi-arid region’s $218 billion economy and its 3.2 million residents. In 1944, the Water Authority was formed by the California State Legislature, and operates under the County Water Authority Act, which can be found in the California State Water Code. The Water Authority is comprised of 24 member agencies who appoint representatives to serve on the Board of Directors, serving staggered six-year terms. The 36-member Board of Directors serves as the legislative and policy-making body to the Water Authority. The General Manager and the General Counsel are appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors, under employment contracts. As a wholesale agency, the Water Authority purchases a portion of its water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. The Water Authority also obtains water via long-term Colorado River water conservation and transfer agreements with agencies in the Coachella Valley and Imperial County. In late 2015, the Water Authority will add a new, drought-proof water supply from the Carlsbad Seawater Desalination Project, the largest desalination plant in North America. The Water Authority sells this water to its 24 member retail agencies, who in turn provide that water to the retail customer - residents and businesses - in San Diego County. The Water Authority also works with its member agencies to develop local supplies and promote water efficiency. With an acute awareness of San Diego’s dependence on imported water sources, the Water Authority is executing a long-term strategy to improve the region’s water reliability by diversifying the region’s supply sources, making major investments in the region’s water delivery and storage system, and improving water-use efficiency. Through dynamic leadership, thoughtful planning, and prudent fiscal policies, the Water Authority is cost-effectively managing the region’s water portfolio, while continuing to diversify supplies to enhance future reliability.
The Office of General Counsel
The Office of the General Counsel provides comprehensive in-house legal services on a broad range of issues affecting the Water Authority operations. The General Counsel’s office includes a Deputy General Counsel and support staff.
Board of Directors General Counsel
General Manager
The Position
The General Counsel is the Chief Legal Officer of the Water Authority and manages all legal affairs for the Water Authority Board and staff. Specifically, the General Counsel ensures that Water Authority business is conducted according to all applicable state, federal, and local laws and regulations; provides legal support to assist the accomplishment of the Water Authority’s policy goals; and represents the Water Authority, its officers and employees in litigation and administrative proceedings. The General Counsel’s Office provides legal support to the Water Authority in various areas including water rights, water quality laws, natural resources and environmental law; municipal and public law; contracts, public works construction and real estate; employment, employee benefits, retirement, and labor law; tort litigation and public liability insurance; public finance, taxes, rates, and charges. Where specialized legal services are needed, the General Counsel’s Office provides oversight and supervision to maximize the efficient use of outside counsel and minimize cost.
Requirements
Candidates must have a minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in the active practice of public or water law and be a licensed member of the State Bar of California. Experience in the fields of public law, environmental law, public works contracting, and water law are highly desirable. Candidates should have experience representing a comparable public organization in court, public hearings, and with other public or private organizations.
The Ideal Candidate
The ideal General Counsel candidate must possess the ability to do the following: • Analyze issues, assess risks, and provide options to achieve desired outcomes.
• Strategically and creatively solve problems in a collaborative environment as an essential team member with the General Manager and executive management.
Salary and Benefits
The salary for the General Counsel will be dependent on qualifications (DOQ) commensurate with the appointed candidate’s background and skills. The Water Authority offers an outstanding benefit package, including medical, dental and vision coverage for employees and their dependents. Water Authority employees participate in the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS).
• Take a visionary approach to complex and multi-dimensional issues, seeing the big picture and long-term impacts.
• Comfortably navigate conflict with the tenacity to reach a successful conclusion on protracted matters.
• Build relationships by being someone who can quickly develop and maintain active lines of communication, demonstrating strong listening skills and an open mind.
• Zealously represent the Water Authority’s interests ensuring that established priorities are effectively communicated and negotiated.
• Demonstrate the highest ethical standards commensurate with outstanding public service. The ideal candidate has: • Legal management and leadership skills which include experience in managing in-house legal staff, outside counsel, and issues; be experienced in providing legal counsel to a Board of Directors while working closely with the General Manager; and be fully familiar with the constitutional and statutory rules governing the conduct of legislative bodies.
• Experience working in or for the public sector in California providing legal advice and working with legislative bodies, including serving as counsel during public meetings and hearings, with knowledge of public agency law areas such as the Brown Act, Political Reform Act, Public Records Act, conflict of interest rules, and/or public bidding and procurement law, property and right-of-way acquisition, and public finance (including debt issuance and rate setting).
• Experience working with State and Federal agencies regarding water rights, natural resources, endangered species, and environmental laws.
Application and Selection Process
If you are interested in pursuing this unique and exceptional career opportunity, please submit a Water Authority job application, along with a resume and salary history by 12:00 noon on January 14, 2016. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application. All applications are to be submitted online at the San Diego County Water Authority website: sdcwa.org. On About Us, select “Careers,” Open Positions. All application and resume materials will be evaluated in relation to the criteria outlined in this posting. Highly qualified candidates with the most relevant qualifications will be invited to continue in the selection process, which are tentatively scheduled for early February 2016. If you have any questions regarding this position, please contact Human Resources Manager, Gretchen Spaniol, at (858) 522-6661.
• Demonstrated managerial competence in overseeing and directing a public agency in-house legal department to ensure the provision of timely and high quality legal work and instilling a work culture of teamwork and public service.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a complex, multi-faceted environment, providing complex legal support to facilitate resolutions.
Filing deadline is 12:00 noon, Thursday, January 14, 2016.
4677 Overland Avenue San Diego, California 92123 (858) 552-6660 sdcwa.org
Photgraph courtesy of Poseidon Water
