Senior Deputy General Counsel

The Presidio Trust is seeking a Senior Deputy General Counsel who will support the Legal Department. Once an Army Base, the Presidio of San Francisco is now a new kind of national park. The 1,500-acre Presidio is richly layered in history, is a natural oasis for wildlife, plants, and people, and offers iconic views known around the world. In its third decade as a park, public awareness and enjoyment of this exceptional place continues grow.

The Senior Deputy General Counsel works on projects that may have a high profile, significant fiscal consequences, and an attendant high degree of public interest. Reports directly to the General Counsel but exercises a substantial amount of independent judgment and is expected to successfully function with minimal supervision on a daily basis. Responsible for heavy client contact, client development and maintenance of productive relationships with service recipient groups (including the Executive Team) within the Trust. Often called upon to provide services in the context of the challenging and unprecedented interactions typical in conventional federal practice, the regulatory environment of a national park, and the unique statutory mandates of the Presidio Trust.

Our ideal candidate is a well-rounded legal professional who has a passion for learning, is intellectually curious, has experience in successfully navigating varied work cultures and can distill complex legal/regulatory issues to be understandable by non-legal professionals.  A good sense of self, humor and what effective teamwork can yield are necessary attributes for personal and professional success on this team.

This is a full-time position with benefits and a starting pay range of $184,171 to $207,234. The starting base salary is dependent on the experience and qualifications of the candidate. Applications received by April 19, 2024 will receive first consideration.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal support and counsel services in a broad variety of areas, including, but not limited to, land use (leasing, construction contracts & counsel, permitted uses of Area B land, etc.) planning for park development and programs, sustainable operation and maintenance of the park, conserving and enhancing natural and cultural resources, environmental impact assessment and remediation, litigation, fiscal law and compliance with federal reporting regulations, federal labor and employment (including, but not limited to, collective bargaining and labor/management activities), and miscellaneous other matters within the jurisdiction of the Trust.
• Manage, assign, and coordinate work with junior and peer in-house counsel, outside legal counsel and the office of the United States Attorney.
• Provide legal support and counsel services in all areas of park planning to include analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), and the California Environmental Quality Act (when applicable).
• Draft, review, interpret and provide advice with respect to Trust planning documents to include response to public comments. As appropriate, participates in public meetings and consultations with interested parties.
• Review new projects and programs for consistency with Presidio Trust plans and policies such as the Presidio Trust Management Plan (PTMP) and the Presidio Vegetation Management Plan (PVMP).
• Primary lead in consultation on the interpretation and future development of revisions to the PTMP and the PVMP. Participate in Trust compliance review meetings (N2), and as appropriate, provides comments on draft minutes.
• Provide oversight of legal support and counsel services with respect to compliance with (i) environmental laws and regulations concerning the impact of Trust operations on the land, buildings (including, but not limited to, historical structures) and flora and fauna in Area B of the Presidio, (ii) maintenance and abatement of Trust buildings and structures in accordance with laws and regulations related to lead-based paint and asbestos, (iii) the Presidio Water Treatment Plant and its operation, applicable permits, and required reporting to include assistance with drafting the annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), (iv) water rights, water conservation, and recycled water, (v) issues related to Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) laws and regulations, (vi) the development and implementation of required plans and permits governing major aspects of environmental regulatory compliance in Trust facilities such as a Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP), Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) permits, Spill Prevention, Containment and Countermeasure (SPCC) plan, and National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits, (vii) compliance with other requirements outlined in the Clean Air Act (CAA), Clean Water Act (CWA) Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), associated federal regulations, Executive Orders, and state-delegated programs, (viii) the development and implementation of an Environmental Management System and a Presidio environmental compliance audit program; and (ix) Presidio Trust regulations, rules, policies and procedures.
• Responsible for and/or provides oversight within the Trust Legal team for reviewing and drafting documents relating to endangered species, wetlands, water quality, migratory birds, federal land/building preservation and archeological issues, such as (1) requests for informal and formal consultation with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, attendant with compliance under the Endangered Species Act; (2). reviews and drafts documents required for obtaining CWA, Section 404 “wetlands” permits, from the Army Corps of Engineers and associated water quality certifications from the State Water Board; (3) advises staff to ensure Trust operations and maintenance are in accordance with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act; (4) advises the Trust Federal Preservation Officer on compliance with the Presidio Trust Programmatic Agreement with the Advisory Council for Historic Preservation, State Historic Preservation Officer, and National Park Service; (5) provides legal services for compliance with the Antiquities Act, Archaeological Resources Protection Act, and Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act; and (6) reviews and advises Heritage Center staff on Trust Archaeologic Collections and Museum Collections policies and associated guidance.
• In the area Environmental Remediation, work closely with the assigned Assistant General Counsel and the Environmental Remediation project manager to provide oversight and/or legal support to (1) all aspects of the Environmental Remediation Program, to include compliance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and RCRA as well as cleanup agreements with state regulatory agencies; (2) regularly interacts with environmental regulatory agencies and members of the public; (3) responsible for claims filed under the Trust’s environmental insurance policies and agreements with the Department of the Army for newly discovered pollution events; (4) represents the Trust in alternative dispute resolution proceedings against environmental insurance providers and in dispute resolution proceedings against the Army; (5) provides legal assistance to staff in developing and maintaining the administrative record for environmental cleanup as required under applicable federal and state law; and (6) assists Trust staff with applications for LEED credit for Brownfields redevelopment.
• In conjunction with the Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division and/or the United States Attorney for the Northern District of California, represents the Trust in litigation proceedings pertaining to environmental remediation, environmental insurance, NEPA, NHPA, and other natural or cultural resource issues. The incumbent shall efficiently manage various other litigation matters as may be assigned by the General Counsel from time to time.
• Serves as a resource to the Trust’s Designated Agency Ethics Official (DAEO) in administering the agency’s ethics program consistent with applicable law and regulation. Serves as a senior legal resource for advice, guidance, and training on ethics issues and regulations (5 CFR 2635).
• Provide oversight and/or legal services with respect to various miscellaneous matters, including: (i) labor, employment, and collective bargaining, (ii) Trust Act compliance, in particular with respect to Section 104(c), and (iii) certain insurance, regulatory, inter-governmental relations, taxation, federal fiscal law, Trust loan authority under the Trust Act, bankruptcy, First Amendment, transportation, and utilities matters.
• Conducts sophisticated legal research and renders legal opinions on issues of unusual importance to the Trust. Issues may be matters with little precedent and resolution may require highly innovative approaches.
• Manages various legal matters where those matters may be referred to outside counsel for unique subject area expertise and, depending on circumstances, may serve as liaison between Trust clients and outside counsel.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the General Counsel, including duties that increase the effectiveness of the Trust’s legal department.

Required Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school
• Membership in the bar of any state or the District of Columbia
• A minimum of ten (10) years of experience in a broad range of federal (or state, municipal, etc.) government/executive agency contractual, regulatory and parklands management matters, including regulation of hazardous substances, environmental remediation, environmental compliance counseling, and NEPA/NHPA.
• Strong academic credentials and excellent writing and oral communication skills are essential.

Desired Qualifications

• Federal agency and executive-level legal counseling experience is preferred.

About the Presidio Trust Legal Team

Our Legal Team is a diverse group of professionals. As part of a one-of-a-kind organization, the team brings together innovative private sector strategies while following federal laws and regulations (including unique Presidio Trust Act authorities) as well as external and internal protocols, policies and procedures. The Legal Team performs this work to provide best-in-class legal services to support the Presidio Trust’s mission, strategic business and environmental goals, ethical obligations and operational excellence.  We are also an essential part of ensuring that the park is fiscally self-sufficient model of stewardship in the national park system that is open to all visitors and loved by all.

Background Investigation and Review

The Presidio Trust has identified this position as subject to an employment background investigation which shall consist of a review of applicable county, state and Federal criminal and civil records, state bankruptcy indexes, driver’s license. An individual’s granting of a background investigation and resulting report is voluntary. However, employment in this sensitive position is contingent upon the successful completion of an employment background investigation. The Presidio Trust may refuse to hire an individual, may rescind an offer of employment to an individual, or may review and terminate the employment of a current employee not successfully completing the background investigation.

Financial Disclosure

This position will require the completion of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) Form 278, Public Financial Disclosure Report, both as a New Entrant into the position and annually thereafter. The purpose of the financial disclosure system is to assist employees and their agencies in avoiding conflicts between official duties and private financial interests or affiliations.

The Presidio Trust is an equal opportunity employer, offering a competitive benefits package. To apply, download the employment application from our website at www.presidio.gov/about/presidio-trust/careers and submit your application to our email address listed on our website.