DEPT OF EMERGENCY AND MILITARY AFFAIRS

Work Location: Papago Park Military Reservation (PPMR), Phoenix, AZ

Salary: $80,000 to $108,247 per year (DOE)

Grade: 01

Closing Date: May 7, 2024

The primary purpose of the DEMA General Counsel position is to serve as a Senior Policy Advisor on state and emergency management issues to the Adjutant General. This includes providing legal advice and services to the DEMA Deputy Director and Director of the Arizona Division of Emergency Management as well as the various divisions of the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs. This includes State legislative review, grant administration and legal advice to the agency on administrative law, property, and environmental issues. The DEMA General Counsel reports directly to the agency’s senior legal counsel, the State Judge Advocate.

Responsibilities include:
• Provides legal advice and services to the Adjutant General, and to various DEMA divisions, including State legislative review, grant administration, state and federal emergency declarations, real estate, state employment and environmental issues. Coordinate with the Arizona Attorney General's Office as appropriate.
• Engages with the Office of the State Judge Advocate and coordinates with the full-time senior JAG Officer. Serves as the primary action attorney on all non-military legal issues for DEMA. Coordinates with the Deputy State Judge Advocate and staff of the State Judge Advocate on all non-military legal matters as needed.
• Drafts and edits legal opinions, state contracts, inter-agency agreements, administrative rules, memorandum, and briefs; drafts and edits correspondence and communicates with clients, judges, opposing counsel, witnesses, and the public. Conducts extensive legal research when necessary.
• Assists leadership in the development and implementation of policies and programs to ensure compliance with applicable state rules and laws and effective and efficient operations of the agency.
• Serves as the DEMA representative for internal and external customers regarding state legal matters and policy and legislative review matters, including participating in committees, giving presentations, and responding to inquiries.

Knowledge of:
• Arizona administrative practices and procedures.
• Purposes, goals, policies, procedures, and practices of DEMA.
• Legal research methods, legal principles, and their application.
• Arizona law and applicable Federal law as it relates to environmental quality, administrative practice and procedures, appellate practice and procedure, superior court practice and procedure, rule-making and other regulatory requirements affecting state agencies, contracting and procurement, open meetings, and public records.
• Emergency management practices and procedures.
• Grant administration.
• Ethical standards applicable to lawyers and public employees.
• Arizona legislative review process and procedures.
• Arizona Public Records Law Requests

Skilled in:
• Legal research and legal writing.
• Persuasive oral communication and negotiation.
• Clear and concise written and oral advocacy.
• Critical and logical analysis, including skill in analyzing complex legal problems and applying legal principles and precedents to a particular set of facts.
• Planning/organization, multi-tasking, and time management.
• Computer and related technical devices/programs/software.
• Problem-solving, ingenuity, and decision-making.
• Attention to detail and being thorough.

Ability to:
• Interact professionally with a diverse group of clients, coworkers, and the public.
• Effectively manage a significant workload.
• Display courteous, ethical, and professional behavior.
• Apply professional ethical rules in daily practice.
• Exercise good judgment in making strategic decisions in cases and providing legal advice to clients.
• Multi-task, prioritize, adapt to changing circumstances, and meet deadlines.
• Work under pressure.
• Travel within and outside the state of Arizona, including overnight stays.

Desired qualifications include any combination of experience, education and training that meets the knowledge, skills, and abilities described. Preferred candidate will have, minimum 5 years’ experience in areas of law related to that described herein. Experience in the area of employment law, contract law, litigation, property law, and administrative law.

• Graduate of an American Bar Association accredited college of law; Admission to, and in good standing with, State Bar of Arizona; Active member of State Bar of Arizona.
• Requires possession of and ability to retain a current, valid state issued driver's license. Employees who drive on state business are subject to driver's license record checks, must maintain acceptable driving records and must complete a required driver training (See Arizona Administrative Code R2-10-207.12).
• In and out of State travel may be required.
• Candidates for this position will be required to submit to a criminal background investigation.
• Requires the ability to obtain and maintain a favorable Tier 1 (T1) investigation for purpose of obtaining a Common Access Card (CAC) for federal IT domain system access.

The State of Arizona offers a comprehensive benefits package to include:
• Sick leave
• Vacation with 10 paid holidays per year
• Health and dental insurance
• Retirement plan
• Life insurance and long-term disability insurance
• Optional employee benefits include short-term disability insurance, deferred compensation plans, and supplemental life insurance

Learn more about the Paid Parental Leave pilot program here. For a complete list of benefits provided by The State of Arizona, please visit our benefits page

Eligible DEMA employees participate in excellent retirement programs provided by the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS).

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact hr@azdema.gov.
DEMA is a smoke-free work environment.
ADA/EEO Employer
The State of Arizona is an Equal Opportunity and Reasonable Accommodation Employer