Job Description
Who We Are:
The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) seeks to protect, preserve, and enhance Massachusetts' environmental resources and create a clean energy future for all residents. Through the stewardship of open spaces, the protection of environmental resources, and the advancement of clean energy, EEA works tirelessly to make Massachusetts a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family. Our commitment to environmental justice ensures that every resident, regardless of background or location, can live in a safe, clean environment and shares equally in the benefits of the clean energy transition.
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) is the state agency responsible for ensuring clean air, land, and water. Our work impacts every aspect of people's lives and is critical to the health and wellbeing of our residents and visitors. MassDEP is the lead agency for safe management of toxics and hazardous materials, promotion of waste reduction and recycling, preservation of the state's wetlands and coastal resources, air quality monitoring and pollution reduction, and so much more.
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Who We Are as an Employer:
At EEA, we create meaningful, inclusive opportunities that empower our employees to make a real difference in shaping the environmental future of Massachusetts. We foster a workplace culture where diversity is valued, innovation is encouraged, and collaboration thrives. Our employees play a vital role in advancing sustainability, environmental justice, and clean energy solutions, ensuring a positive and lasting impact on Massachusetts and its residents.
Description:
I. Management of Legal Services for Fiscal, Contracts and Procurement
Under the supervision of MassDEP's General Counsel, the Deputy General Counsel for Operations is responsible for managing legal services to the Department's finance and administration groups for a wide range of administrative and business activities, including procurement of goods and services, contracting, and provision of grants. Duties include overseeing development of Interagency Service Agreements with other state agencies and other agreements with state and federal environmental agencies. The Deputy General Counsel for Operations directly supervises a Chief Legal Counsel for Contracts, who is the lead attorney to the Department's Chief Financial Officer and administrative managers throughout the Department and is responsible for staff attorneys handling assignments on fiscal matters, contracts and procurements.
II. Management of Legal Services for Public Records
The Deputy General Counsel for Operations is responsible for the management of the Office of General Counsel's legal review of responses to public records requests. The position supervises attorneys who review public records requests to determine whether records should be disclosed as public or whether such records are privileged or otherwise exempt from disclosure, and who interact with the Supervisor of Records on legal matters and public records appeals. The Deputy General Counsel for Operations provides senior managers with legal advice regarding the Public Records Law, coordinates with MassDEP's Records Access Officer and Records Response Coordinators, and works with EEA on non-routine requests.
III. Provision of Other Legal Services to Support DEP Management and Operations
The Deputy General Counsel for Operations provides legal support for other MassDEP administrative and operational functions, including through the provision of legal assistance on conflict-of-interest requirements, the Open Meeting Law, and human resource issues, and will assist the General Counsel with coordination of legal services across MassDEP's several offices, including through data management and reporting.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Excellent legal research and writing skills
- Seven years of experience as a practicing attorney
- Significant supervisory and management experience
- Experience with administrative law and regulatory practice
- Knowledge of and practice in environmental law
- Ability to produce high quality work quickly with a minimum amount of supervision
- Familiarity with use and application of modern computer technology
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
Minimum Entrance Requirements: Position requires a minimum of 7 years of full-time professional experience in the practice of law and/or educational substitutions (refer to DEP Entrance Requirements Booklet).
Qualifications
MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Applicants must have at least (A) six (6) 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 two (2) years must have been in a 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 or higher in a related field may be substituted for three (3) years of the required (A) experience.
IV. A Doctorate degree in a related field may be substituted for four (4) years of the required (A) experience.
Comprehensive Benefits
When you embark on a career with the Commonwealth, you are offered an outstanding suite of employee benefits that add to the overall value of your compensation package. We take pride in providing a work experience that supports you, your loved ones, and your future.
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An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.
The Commonwealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. Research suggests that qualified women, Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to thrive to apply for this role.