Senior Legal Advisor

Job Summary

King County Housing Authority is seeking a skilled and experienced Senior Legal Advisor to join our team and play a critical role in supporting agency-wide operations, procurement activities, public records compliance, and strategic initiatives. In this new position, you will collaborate closely with executive leadership and cross-functional teams to provide legal expertise on complex housing-related, regulatory, and public disclosure matters. Your guidance will be essential in identifying legal risks, strengthening policies and procedures, and ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations while advancing KCHA’s mission of providing equitable, sustainable housing solutions and supporting thriving communities.

Essential Functions

• Serves as a senior legal advisor to KCHA executive leadership on complex and emerging legal issues affecting agency operations, strategic decision making, and policy development, including matters involving significant complexity and limited or no legal precedent.
• Advises leadership and development teams on agency's complex development and construction related transactions, including financings, encumbrances, construction matters, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs, and other associated legal and risk related matters;
• Crafts and implements KCHA policy, communication.
• Advises leadership on opportunities, risks, and compliance requirements associated with federal housing programs and funding sources, including strategic planning and implementation related to federal program policies including Moving to Work and Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program.
• Directs and manages the Agency’s Procurement function and staff; develops, interprets, and implements procurement policies and procedures grounded in comprehensive legal analysis of applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations;
• Leads strategy to increase small and underrepresented contractor access to KCHA contracting opportunities;
• Responds to audits, investigations, or HUD inquiries related to procurement compliance;
• Revises and improves the standard form HUD contracts and negotiates with outside partners including HUD regarding various contractual issues to manage risk and advance agency interests.
• Provides legal and managerial oversight of agency staff, policies, and practices governing public records requests and the retention, preservation, and disposition of records, in compliance with the Washington Public Records Act and other applicable laws.
• Manages contractual relationships with outside legal counsel and advises staff on strategic use of outside counsel resources; oversees some litigation management.
• Advises Authority personnel with respect to impacts from and implementation of proposed legislation and new policies; makes presentations to internal and external groups as needed; provides information to executive staff and board as needed regarding changes in laws.
• Drafts, revises, and edits contract documents for program personnel in various Authority programs; reviews and approves forms related to contracts executed by the CEO or other executive staff on behalf of the Authority; recommends revisions as necessary; drafts special contracts as needed.
• Supervises and evaluates the performance of assigned staff; interviews and selects employees and recommends transfers, reassignment, termination and disciplinary actions; plans, coordinates, and arranges for appropriate training of subordinates.

Qualifications And Competencies Required

• Juris Doctorate AND Extensive experience with procurement operations, contract management, and providing legal advice on complex housing-related matters including policy development and regulatory compliance.
• Comprehensive legal knowledge, including a deep understanding of state, county and federal laws and regulations related to Authority operations, including legal/regulatory requirements, technical documentation, and best practices for procurement systems, project management, and contracting.
• Demonstrated ability to provide strong leadership in a dynamic, highly regulated work environment.
• Proven success in building productive and engaged work teams with a focus on mentoring and nurturing staff development.
• Proven ability to plan, support and supervise the work of cross-departmental teams, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and the successful completion of multiple, on-going projects.
• Extensive communication skills, including a high degree of emotional intelligence and conflict-resolution experience.
• Strong critical-thinking and analytical skills, with the ability to evaluate information, to make timely and nuanced decisions, and to apply business and operational priorities in weighing risk-managed outcomes.
• Capable of managing multiple legal matters in a dynamic environment while considering costs, risks, and organizational impact.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with internal and external stakeholders, senior and executive leadership, while fostering teamwork to achieve common goals.
• Ability to use independent judgment and discretion in performing duties and responsibilities; exercises initiative, provides leadership, and demonstrates sound judgment in analyzing situations.
• Values open-mindedness, inclusion, and diverse perspectives, recognizing multiple ways of knowing, thinking, and being; fosters a work environment that embraces and appreciates diversity, treats others with respect, and promotes cooperation.
• Proficiency with MS Office to include Word, Excel, Outlook, and database software.