VP, Legal Services & Deputy General Counsel

⁠​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌⁠

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Summary

The VP of Legal Services & Deputy General Counsel works closely with the organization’s executive leadership and administrative staff under the direction of the General Counsel. This role supports the comprehensive legal affairs of Austin Transit Partnership (ATP), including litigation, policy, contracts, governance, and legal guidance, and helps ensure that ATP meets all applicable legal compliance obligations and successfully achieves its business goals.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The essential duties and primary responsibilities below describe the general scope of this position but are not intended to be an exhaustive statement of duties. Other duties may be assigned.

• Actively engages with ATP management and staff to provide strategic legal guidance and direction on issues affecting ATP’s legal compliance obligations and its operations
• Provides input on legal services budgetary requirements to ensure efficient use of resources, including working with ATP’s budget staff and external contractors as needed
• Drafts, reviews, and negotiates legal documents relating to ATP’s real estate transactions, contracts, and processes
• Provides advice and analysis on litigation risks, proposed programs, and contractual activities
• Advises on Texas Public Information Act and Texas Open Meetings Act compliance

Minimum Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree from an ABA-accredited law school and licensed membership in the State Bar of Texas, or the ability to become licensed within 90 days of employment
• Ten years of progressively responsible legal practice experience, including significant involvement in transactional matters and exposure to public law
• Experience in a leadership role managing legal affairs in a public or private entity

Note: a combination of experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics which ATP determines to be equivalent may be considered to meet any of these required qualifications

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience working with transit infrastructure projects, large scale public works projects, and/or eminent domain proceedings for transportation-related public entities
• Three years of managing a contract function for an organization
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a fast-paced business environment with multiple internal client representatives and external stakeholders
• Understanding of public financing laws, methods, terminology, and processes
• Personnel supervisory experience
• Experience advising on compliance with the Texas Open Meetings Act and Texas Public Information Act

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Superior document drafting, review, and editing skills
• Superior written and verbal presentation skills
• Superior ability to analyze complex laws and regulations and apply results to concrete operational issues
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative business environment that includes both internal clients and external resources

Leadership Expectations

This role may include functional management of internal compliance programs.

Work Environment and Physical Demands

Work is generally performed in an office environment, but also requires attendance at public meetings, stakeholder meetings, and/or job sites. ATP promotes a safe and healthy work environment and provides appropriate safety and equipment training for all employees as required.

Relocation assistance is not available.

ABOUT US

Austin Transit Partnership is an independent organization with the authority and resources to design, construct and implement the Project Connect program. ATP will operate with full transparency for the community and with oversight from the Capital Metro board and Austin City Council. Our next steps will be to search for candidates who are leaders and change agents able to effectively collaborate with Capital Metro and the City of Austin leadership and staff. Many of these new jobs include architectural, urban design, engineering, or construction expertise. Austin Transit Partnership is an equal employment opportunity employer.

ABOUT THE TEAM

Austin Transit Partnership is committed to building a workplace where inclusion is valued. ATP is an equal-opportunity employer and committed to creating a welcoming and diverse environment. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, pregnancy, age, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. ATP makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and organizational needs at the time.