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Posted April 17, 2018

General Counsel

Prosper Portland
Portland, OR Full Time

As the chief legal officer, the position provides expert legal and strategic advice to Prosper Portland's Board of Commissioners and staff to enhance...

As the chief legal officer, the position provides expert legal and strategic advice to Prosper Portland's Board of Commissioners and staff to enhance Prosper Portland's ability to be an agent of positive change as an equitable, innovative, and financially sustainable agency. The position leads attorneys and professional staff within the Legal Department, which is responsible for providing legal advice and representation on a wide variety of legal matters, including complex real estate development and commercial finance projects, Urban Renewal statutes, intergovernmental agreements, employment and collective bargaining laws, litigation, and public procurement.  A member of the Prosper Portland Leadership Team, the position demonstrates high-level leadership and works with partners across the agency and represents the organization in a number of external functions to support widely shared prosperity. 
Functions and Responsibilities
Provides expert legal and strategic advice to Prosper Portland's Board of Commissioners, Executive Director, management and staff on a diverse and wide range of Prosper Portland projects, programs, initiatives, financial investments, organizational concerns and litigation.
Selects, manages and develops staff of the Legal Department.  Plans, organizes, directs and evaluates the performance of assigned staff and establishes performance requirements and personal development targets. 
Provides legal support regarding wide range of real estate development transactions (acquisitions and dispositions, long term leases, property redevelopment, construction contracts and development agreements), and commercial finance transactions (secured loans, grants, and tax credit financing).
Provides advice to senior management on the legal risks to be assumed by Prosper Portland in connection with proposed decisions or actions.  Serves as a member of Prosper Portland's Finance and Investment Committee, which reviews proposed real estate and financial commitments for risk and financial soundness. 
Provides legal advice relating to the formation, amendment, and dissolution of urban renewal areas and urban renewal plans.
Advises Prosper Portland commissioners and staff regarding a variety of public agency, state and federal constitutional and municipal law matters, including public contracting laws, public records law, public meetings law, government ethics, laws covering urban renewal agencies and tax increment financing (ORS 457 and Portland City Charter Chapter 15), and state constitutional limits on public agency actions and authority.
Provides legal services and advice for all other legal matters affecting the organization, including legal matters related to employment, public/government law, business formation and finance, environmental law, etc.
Develops, implements and monitors work plans with legal staff; plans, organizes, oversees, assigns and evaluates the work to achieve Prosper Portland and the department's mission, goals, and performance measures. 
Assists the Board and Executive Director in policy development and program implementation.
Leads the Legal Department in coordinating the legal work of the Agency. Coordinates a large volume of widely varied projects with a high level of technical complexity; hires and manages outside counsel. 
Responsible for ensuring Prosper Portland employees comply with all ethics and conflict of interest laws and policies.
 
Additional Responsibilities and Functions
Executive sponsor for the Operations Steering Committee.
Oversees and manages the Legal Department budget.
Responsible for management of all litigation matters.
Performs all other relevant duties as assigned.
Additional Information
Job Scope

Provides leadership and overall direction to the Legal Department in alignment with Prosper Portland's values.
Serves as a member of the leadership team supporting, developing, and achieving practices and policies that advance equity and inclusion.
Responsible for managing and motivating the legal staff, creating and maintaining an inclusive and positive work environment, and supporting staff development.
Accountable for the Legal Department's performance in all areas including service delivery, compliance with internal policies and procedures, and ethical and legal conduct of staff.
Works independently, applying personal knowledge of legal principles involved in making determinations.
Carries out daily operations, involving moderate to high-level of complexity, with initiative and creativity; exercises sound professional judgment, excellent problem-solving skills and exemplary interpersonal tact.
Demonstrates sophisticated understanding of the underlying business of the organization, and of its Strategic Plan, in order to provide legal guidance designed to serve the needs of the Agency and its clients.
Handles and treat all legal and business matters with the highest level of discretion and confidentiality.   
 
Supervisory Responsibilities
Position provides leadership and direct supervision for professional and administrative staff within the Legal Department, and outside counsel.
 
Leadership Responsibilities
Position is expected to function in a leadership role by clearly demonstrating and acting in accordance with Prosper Portland's values, serving as a positive role model for others within the organization.

Interpersonal Contacts
The General Counsel serves as a member of Prosper Portland's Leadership Team. This position develops and maintains relationships with a wide range of high level external stakeholders/partners, both public and private, and represents the Agency in a variety of high profile forums and situations.  External contacts include the general public, business leaders, Prosper Portland Commissioners, consultants, attorneys, other governmental agencies, lenders, and developers. Internal contacts include interaction with represented and non-represented staff at all levels and across many disciplines in complex and sensitive situations.
 
All positions are expected to represent Prosper Portland's policy and interests in all contacts, including communications that are extremely sensitive and confidential in nature, requiring discretion at all times. 
 
Physical Requirements
Position requires the ability to sit for the majority of the work day, and frequently requires walking, hearing, speaking clearly and distinctly, seeing with visual acuity sufficient to read computer monitors or printouts in 8 point or finer type, and repetitive hand and wrist movements.  Occasionally requires periods of standing, reaching, bending, or light lifting.
 
Persons with disabilities may be able to perform the essential duties of this position with reasonable accommodation.  Reasonable accommodation will be evaluated on an individual basis and will depend in part on the specific requirements for the job, the limitations related to the disability and the ability of the agency to accommodate the limitation.
 
Working Conditions
Normal working hours are 8-5 Monday through Friday in an office environment; however, additional hours, including evening and weekend work, are regularly required to meet deadlines. Attendance at evening and weekend meetings are periodically necessary.
Qualifications & Education
QUALIFICATIONS
Minimum Knowledge and Skills

Demonstrated knowledge of and experience in analyzing, interpreting and applying the law in the following areas:
Commercial real estate transactions, including purchase and sale agreements, development agreements, easements, leases, and trust deeds/mortgages;
Commercial finance transaction law, including loan and grant agreements, guarantees, and Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code;
Public law, including laws relating to Oregon public records, public meetings, public contracting, urban renewal, municipal government and finance, and ethics;
The formation and authority of business organizations commonly encountered in the Agency's real estate and finance transactions.?
Advanced negotiation and business skills and a sophisticated understanding of real estate and commercial finance law; experience with public/private partnerships. 
Demonstrated leadership skills including strategic thinking, relationship building and people management.
Excellent interpersonal skills.
Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with wide variety of internal and external parties; applies cultural sensitivity in interactions with a diverse range of stakeholders.
Superior verbal and written communication skills including ability to communicate clearly and concisely, active listening, and ability to explain the basis for legal advice and alternative strategies to varied audiences.
Advanced management and organizational skills.
Ability to synthesize and judge relative importance of large amounts of complex information on a continuous basis; includes ability to form an opinion and provide advice and guidance where the legal standards are not well defined or the law is not settled.
Tactful, diplomatic, and discrete in dealing with sensitive, complex and confidential matters.

Minimum Education and/or Training
Juris Doctorate in Law, as well as a license to practice law in the State of Oregon is required.
 
Minimum Experience
Ten or more years of progressive legal experience with significant commercial real estate transaction work. At least eight years of leadership or management experience with five years in managing the legal work in connection with complex business transactions that involves the direction and coordination of the work of others.
 
Preferred Training or Experience
Three or more years of experience practicing law with a public entity (e.g. federal, state, local, or other authority). Demonstrated success at supporting social equity and community benefits.

This listing expired on Jun 16. Applications are no longer accepted.

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