Job Posting: Deputy General Counsel

Department of Education

JC-454136
-
Deputy General Counsel
ATTORNEY III

$10,536.00 - $14,879.00 per Month

Final Filing Date: Until Filled

Job Description and Duties

Please note this is an 'Until Filled' position. The application cut-off dates are December 12, 2024, and December 27, 2024 by 11:59 PM (PST). Interested individuals must submit their application packages by the cut-off date(s) to be considered.

If you previously submitted an application for this position, you do not need to reapply.

It is an exciting time in the world of education law. Interested in becoming a member of a fast-paced office involved with very challenging issues at the forefront of state and national K-12 public education law? Come join the Legal team at the Department of Education!

Under general direction from the General Counsel and Assistant General Counsels for the Legal Affairs III, Legal, Audits and Charters Branch, the Attorney III focuses on enforcement of TK-12 students’ civil rights, by supporting CDE’s Curriculum Division in implementing Assembly Bill 1078. Duties include:

• Representing the CDE, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education in all aspects of cutting-edge, complex litigation in state & federal courts that includes constitutional issues that could impact students & educators throughout the country.
• Ensuring that school districts provide accurate & inclusive education that features the historical role and contributions of people of all genders, Native Americans, African Americans, Latino Americans, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, European Americans, LGBTQ+ Americans, persons with disabilities, & members
• Ensuring that school districts do not restrict access to accurate & inclusive classroom and library materials that are written by diverse authors and contain diverse themes.
• Ensuring that school districts create an equitable learning environment for all students.
• Providing legal support & advice to program staff who handle appeals & direct investigations of complaints that school districts have discriminated against students based on protected characteristics, with a particular focus on accurate & inclusive education.
• Providing legal support and advice on proposed legislation impacting student rights & related regulations to implement changes to the law.

Per CCR 249.3, this recruitment may be used to fill additional identical vacancies which occur within 180 days of the closing date of this bulletin.

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

Working Conditions

TELEWORK OPTION

HYBRID

This position is headquartered in Sacramento and may be eligible for a hybrid telework schedule for eligible applicants residing in California. A hybrid telework schedule includes working remotely and physically reporting to the office.

Minimum Requirements

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

Additional Documents

Position Details

Job Code #:
JC-454136
Position #(s):
174-070-5795-XXX
Working Title:
Deputy General Counsel
Classification:
ATTORNEY III
$10,536.00 - $14,879.00 A
ATTORNEY
$7,737.00 - $10,168.00 A
$8,708.00 - $11,676.00 B
# of Positions:
1
Work Location:
Sacramento County
Telework:
Hybrid
Job Type:
Permanent, Full Time
Facility:
Legal, Audits and Charters Branch

Department Information

The California Department of Education (CDE) oversees the state's diverse and dynamic public school system, which is responsible for the education of more than six million children and young adults in more than 10,000 schools with 295,000 teachers. The CDE and the State Superintendent of Public Instruction are responsible for enforcing education law and regulations; and for continuing to reform and improve public elementary school programs, secondary school programs, adult education, some preschool programs, and child care programs. The CDE's mission is to provide a world-class education for all students, from early childhood to adulthood. The CDE serves our state by innovating and collaborating with educators, schools, parents, and community partners, preparing students to live, work, and thrive in a highly connected world.

http://www.cde.ca.gov/

Special Requirements

Statement of Qualifications (SOQ)

 

Interested individuals MUST submit a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) with their application. Resumes, letters, and other materials do not take the place of the SOQ. The SOQ should have a title of “Statement of Qualifications, Your Name,” be no more than 3 pages, no smaller than 12-point Arial font, no smaller than 1 inch margins and numbered clearly 1-6. The Statement of Qualifications will be used to evaluate your experience. 

  1. Experience in handling complex litigation matters before all courts and administrative tribunals, including legal research methods, court procedures, rules of evidence and procedures, and administrative law.
  2. Experience in handling complex transactional matters including compliance with State contracting and procurement processes, technology development projects, and data privacy requirements.
  3. Experience in developing, analyzing and interpreting statutes, regulations and proposed legislation.
  4. Experience in handling complex legal and administrative issues from a request for advice to completion, including identifying and analyzing legal issues and developing and implementing a legal recommendation and/or effective course of action.
  5. Experience in providing assistance to a diverse and complex constituency, including the State Board of Education, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and California Department of Education.
  6. Please provide your California State Bar number.

Application Instructions

Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.

Final Filing Date: Until Filled

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.

Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).

How To Apply

Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:

Address for Mailing Application Packages

You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:

Department of Education
Human Resources Division-Mail In
Attn: C&P PC 0330/JC-454136
1430 N Street, Ste. 1802
Sacramento, CA 95814

Address for Drop-Off Application Packages

You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

Department of Education
Department of Education Drop-Off
Attn: C&P PC 0330/JC-454136
1430 N Street (Lobby Drop-Off Box)
Sacramento, CA 95814
08:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

  • Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
  • Resume is optional. It may be included, but is not required.
  • Statement of Qualifications -

    A STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS IS REQUIRED. Please see the Special Requirements section for instructions. Applications without the SOQ will not be considered.

Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for the hiring interview process must request the necessary accommodations if scheduled for a hiring interview. The request should be made at the time of contact to schedule the interview. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this job posting.

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

• Qualified persons with litigation experience
• Excellent writing skills
• A background in education-related law, civil rights law or litigation is desirable, but not required

Benefits

The State of California provides comprehensive benefits packages determined by the employee’s bargaining unit. Some of these benefits include:

·        Medical benefits, including health, dental, and vision insurance

·        Paid holidays: 11 paid State holidays, 1 personal paid holiday, and 2 professional development days

·        401(k) and 457(b) Plans (Savings Plus)

·        Employee Assistance Program, Commute Program

 

More benefit information can be found on CalHR’s website: Benefits Summary

Contact Information

The Human Resources Contact is available to answer questions regarding the application process. The Hiring Unit Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position.

Human Resources Contact:
Lydia Delgado
(916) 445-9481
ldelgado@cde.ca.gov
Hiring Unit Contact:
Lorie Adame
(916) 319-0641
ladame@cde.ca.gov

Please direct requests for Reasonable Accommodations to the interview scheduler at the time the interview is being scheduled. You may direct any additional questions regarding Reasonable Accommodations or Equal Employment Opportunity for this position(s) to the Department's EEO Office.

EEO Contact:
Randi Thompson, EEO Officer
(916) 445-9174
oeoinfo@cde.ca.gov
California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice) TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Additional Application Information

  • How to Apply for state jobs: https://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHRPublic/Landing/Jobs/Steps.aspx
  • Submitting an electronic application through your CalCareers Account is highly recommended.
  • Important: Make sure your contact information, i.e., address, phone number(s), etc., is current in your CalCareers Account.
  • DO NOT include ANY confidential information on any documents you submit for a job vacancy, such as your State Application, resume, or educational transcripts. Confidential information that should be excluded or removed from these documents includes, but is not limited to, your Social Security Number (SSN), birthdate, age, student identification number, driver license (unless required), examination results, LEAP status, and marital status.
  • Incomplete or late application packages will NOT be considered.
  • For experience to be considered, applications must be completed fully, including the “From” and “To” employment dates, “Hours Per Week”, employer contact information, and “Duties Performed" fields for all jobs listed in the “Employment History” (Resumes do not take the place of these fields on the STD. 678). For civil service classifications, do not use working titles.
  • If you choose to not submit electronically and are mailing or dropping off your hard copy State Application (STD. 678), please use the revised 06/2024 version.
  • If you are using education to meet the minimum qualifications, please include a copy of your degree or unofficial transcripts for verification. Foreign transcripts must be accompanied by an academic credential evaluation.
  • Please note that the CalCareer system will not allow you to make changes to your application once it is submitted.
  • For general information about getting a job with the state, please view the job series videos here: Work4CA:How to Get a State Job Series.

Examination Information

Individuals MUST have taken and passed an examination to obtain list eligibility for the classification in order to apply. The examination bulletin(s) may be viewed on the California Department of Education Web page at: Open Examinations - Jobs at CDE (CA Dept of Education) or at the link below:

Attorney III:

https://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Exams/ExamBulletin.aspx?ExamControlId=1580

 

Attorney: https://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Exams/ExamBulletin.aspx?ExamControlId=1579

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.

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

Application Methods:
Electronic (Using your CalCareer Account)
By Mail
Drop-off
Print Job