Senior Deputy General Counsel

Seattle Housing Authority

$143K — $214K *
Legal & Accounting
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Graduated from an accredited law school
  • Active Washington State Bar membership in good standing
  • 7+ years of progressive legal experience
  • Strong knowledge of laws related to SHA programs
  • Proficient in real estate, public bonds, and procurement regulations

Responsibilities

  • Assist the General Counsel in providing legal services to SHA
  • Focus on real estate, bond issues, tax credit development, and contracts
  • Act as General Counsel in their absence
  • Handle complex legal matters without precedent
  • Advise on housing operations and federally funded programs
  • Prepare and review legal documents for litigation
  • Train and supervise assigned staff

Benefits

  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans
  • Long-term disability insurance options
  • Retirement plan membership and benefits
  • Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care
  • Generous leave benefits including annual and sick leave
  • Paid holidays and personal holidays
  • Employee assistance program for confidential support
Full Job Description
Salary: $68.86 - $103.29 Hourly
Location : Central Office - Seattle, WA
Job Type: Regular Full-Time Position
Job Number: 105992
Department: Executive
Division: Office of the General Counsel
Opening Date: 09/08/2026
Closing Date: Continuous

Job Summary
The position: We're looking for a Senior Deputy General Counsel to join our team! This role is perfect for someone who can work under the direction of the General Counsel and provide legal counsel, guidance, and recommendations on all SHA programs and activities. This role represents SHA in court, administrative hearings, and alternative dispute resolution proceedings; prepares a wide range of legal documents; and oversees, trains, and evaluates assigned staff. The Senior Deputy General Counsel also serves as the designated back-up to the General Counsel and must be prepared to assume the responsibilities of the General Counsel in their absence. In particular, this role will focus on real estate matters, bond issues, tax credit development, federal purchasing and procurement regulations, contracts, and other transactional work.
The Location: 101 Elliott Ave W, Seattle, WA 98119

The ideal candidate will have:
  • Graduated from an accredited law school
  • Active Washington State Bar Association membership and be in good standing with WSBA
  • At least seven years of progressive professional legal experience
  • Strong knowledge of laws and regulations related to SHA programs, including the United States Code, HUD regulations, EEOC regulations, the Revised Code of Washington and the Washington State Administrative Code
  • Strong legal analysis and researching skills
  • Strong knowledge and experience in the areas of real estate, public bonds, tax credit development, and federal purchasing and procurement regulations
  • Knowledge of court and administrative procedures, and the ability to demonstrate strong advocacy skills
  • Excellent legal writing skills, and experience preparing legal documents such as pleadings, contracts, and leases
  • Strong record-keeping and documentation skills
  • Strong interpersonal skills and experience working with a wide variety of clients, as well as a documented history of working with tact and professional courtesy
  • Effective communication skills, both verbally and in writing
  • Experience establishing and maintaining cooperative and effective working relationships with others
  • The ability to learn and adapt to new technology systems and tools
  • The ability to independently plan and organize work, meeting all schedules and timelines

What will you do?
  • Assist the General Counsel in providing comprehensive legal services and representation to SHA and its employees
  • Focus on serving departments with real estate matters, bond issues, tax credit development, purchasing and procurement issues, and contracts or agreements
  • Serve as acting General Counsel in the absence of the General Counsel
  • Handle highly complex legal matters, including issues with no established legal precedent
  • Advise on SHA programs, low-income housing operations, and federally funded housing voucher programs
  • Address landlord-tenant matters, including unlawful detainer litigation, termination notices, non-payment issues, and compliance with state local, and federal law
  • Represent SHA in court and administrative hearings
  • Prepare legal documents, conduct legal research, and perform interviews necessary for litigation and case preparation
  • Advise and represent staff in matters involving fraudulent activities related to vouchers, HAP contracts, and employee misconduct, including drafting documents for fund recovery
  • Respond to complaints and civil rights matters
  • Demonstrate analytical and legal research skills with the ability to provide clear, well-reasoned legal opinions
  • Demonstrate proficiency advising on procurement, purchasing, public financing, tax-credit properties, LLC structures, and other finance-related legal matters
  • Prepare, review, and revise contracts, MOUs, letters of agreement, interlocal agreements, and other legal documents
  • Supervise, evaluate and provide training to staff

For additional information on the job, please see the full
How to Apply: To apply, complete the online NeoGov application by clicking the Apply button in the upper right-hand corner of this posting.
Application Tips:
  1. Update the Work Experience and Education sections with your most current information. Note: SHA does not accept external attachments such as resumes or cover letters.
  2. Complete the Agency-Wide questions. Even if you've applied to SHA before, please review and update your responses.
  3. Respond to any Supplemental Questions, if applicable.


Benefits
Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) is pleased to offer an excellent benefits package for Regular and Project full-time and part-time employees scheduled to work at least 80 hours per month. (Temporary and On-Call positions are not eligible for the full benefits package).

The following is a brief summary of the SHA benefit programs:

Eligibility
As a new hire, your coverage begins on the first calendar day of the month if your hired date is on the first of that month. Otherwise, your coverage begins on the first of the following month.

Medical
Employees may select from four medical plans - Kaiser Permanente Standard Plan, Kaiser Permanente Deductible Plan, City of Seattle Preventive Plan, and City of Seattle Traditional Plan.

The monthly cost for each of the plans are as follows:

is $48.40 with or without children or $99.90 with spouse/domestic partner with or without children

is $25.00 with or without children or $56.92 with spouse/domestic partner with or without children

is $48.12 with or without children or $98.50 with spouse/domestic partner with or without children

is $0 with or without children or $32.34 with spouse/domestic partner with or without children

Dental
Employees may select from two dental plans - , an incentive plan, or , a managed care plan. Our dental plans include coverage for eligible dependents and are paid for by SHA.

Vision
SHA offers two vision plans through The Basic plan is fully paid for by SHA. The Vision Buy-Up plan is paid for by the employee. The Buy-Up plan provides more frequent coverage of lenses, frames, and contact lenses and includes coverage of progressive lenses.

Long Term Disability Insurance
If you are disabled, the Basic Plan will be combined with other sources of income to pay you up to $400 a month after a 90-day waiting period. Employees may purchase long-term disability coverage that provides up to 60% of gross monthly salary during disability.

Group Term Life (GTL) Insurance
You can select from one of two plans - Basic GTL, which is one-and-a-half times your annual earnings or Limited Basic GTL of $50,000.00. SHA will contribute 40% of the cost for the GTL insurance.

If you have elected Basic GTL, you may purchase supplemental term life insurance for yourself, your spouse/domestic partner, and your dependent children. The maximum amount of supplemental life insurance available is four times your annual income for the employee, 50% of the amount of coverage you elect for the spouse, and $2,000, $5,000 or $10,000 for children.

Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance
SHA offers an employee-paid group AD&D insurance plan. An employee may cover themself or a family member for amounts from $25,000 to $500,000 in $25,000 increments. AD&D insurance pays a death benefit if the insured person dies due to an accident or a percentage of the full insurance amount if the covered person loses a limb.

Retirement Plan
(PERS) membership is defined by Washington State statutes and is mandatory if you are hired into an eligible position. However, if you are retired from or have been a member of the City of Seattle, Spokane or Tacoma Employee's Retirement System, your PERS enrollment must be verified and approved by the Washington State Department of Retirement System.

Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
Employees have the option of making pre-tax contributions to pay for IRS eligible expenses. There are two accounts: a Health Care Flexible Spending Account and a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account. Employees can sign up for one or both accounts.

Leave Benefits
Annual Leave is provided for vacation and personal time off. First year employees earn up to 3.84 hours per bi-weekly pay period (100 hours annually), increasing incrementally due to service years - up to 7.69 per hours per pay period at 25 years of service (200 hours annually). Leave hours for part time staff are pro-rated. There is a 240-hour annual carryover limit for annual leave.

Sick leave is provided for health care and related appointments. Employees earn 3.69 hours per pay period. Hours for part time staff are pro-rated. There is no maximum or carryover limit for sick leave.

Seattle Housing Authority has twelve legal, as detailed below.

New Year's Day
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Presidents Day
Memorial Day
Juneteenth
Independence Day
Labor Day

Indigenous People's Day
Veterans Day

Thanksgiving Day
The day following Thanksgiving
Christmas Day

Additionally, up to three personal holidays are granted to regular employees each calendar year. They are available to be scheduled in advance by the employee with supervisor approval.

Regular administrative non-represented employees hired between January 1 and May 31 are granted three personal holidays. If hired from June 1 until November 10, two personal holidays are granted. If hired beginning November 11 or later, no personal holidays are granted until January 1.

Pay for Performance Program & Merit Awards
Regular Administrative non-represented staff are eligible for Merit Pay and Merit Leave awards based on their annual performance evaluation, as well as on the agency's fiscal year performance from January through December of each year. An employee's merit awards are based on the employee's performance rating, the position of the employee's salary within the salary range, and the fiscal performance of the agency. For new and promoted employees, the merit awards will be pro-rated based on length of time in the current position during the calendar year.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
As an SHA employee, you may be eligible for federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness. This federal program was created to assist full-time public service professionals in reducing their federal student loan debt burden.

Employee Transportation Program
A fully subsidized commuter is offered for use on Metro, Community Transit, Pierce Transit, Kitsap Transit, Everett Transit, Sound Transit, Link Light Rail, Sounder Commuter Train routes. It can also be used on the Seattle Center Monorail. ORCA Passport also provides reduced or fully covered fares on most vanpool routes.

Additionally, an , bike racks at various sites, and shower facilities at several offices are also provided, along with discount membership (if accepted). Finally, group discount parking is available for registered vanpools in certain areas.

Flex-Time
With supervisor approval, work hours may be scheduled around core hours of 8:00 am to 5:00 pm or a compressed 4/10 workweek. This option is not available for every position.

Telework
With supervisor approval, employees can perform assigned duties from home at certain times. This option is not available for every position.

Employee Assistance Program
Confidential counseling, referral, and information services are available through

Washington Deferred Compensation Program
Tax deferred savings plans are available through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems'
01

Do you have at least seven years of progressive professional legal experience?
  • Yes
  • No

02

Please note that SHA does not accept external attachments for resumes and cover letters. Did you update the education and work history sections of your application with your latest information?
  • Yes
  • No

03

Please include a cover letter.
Required Question

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