CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION CAREER EXECUTIVE ASSIGNMENT EXAMINATION ANNOUNCEMENT

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DEPARTMENT:	CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION	RELEASE DATE:	Friday, February 13, 2015
POSITION TITLE:	Chief Counsel I, CEA	FINAL FILING DATE:	Monday, March 16, 2015
CEA LEVEL:	Chief Counsel I, C.E.A. (5872)	EXTENDED FINAL FILING DATE:
SALARY RANGE:	$ 9,366.00 - $10,850.00 / Month	BULLETIN ID:	02062015_4

POSITION DESCRIPTION
The Chief Counsel serves as attorney to the California Coastal Commission (Commission) and the Executive Director, and manages and directs the work of the Legal Division, which is comprised of attorneys, legal analysts, a legal assistant and a legal secretary. The Chief Counsel advises the Commission and Executive Director on all legal issues arising from the Commission’s Implementation of the California Coastal Act and California’s Coastal Management Program. The Chief Counsel is the principal contact for City Attorneys and County Counsels for the 76 local governments in the coastal zone, to the legal offices of other public agencies, special districts, commercial ports and the University of California; and is the primary liaison with the California Attorney General’s Office. The Attorney General’s Office handles litigation for the Commission.

Legal issues raised by implementation of California’s Coastal Management Program are complex, diverse, intellectually challenging and often on the cutting edge of land use law in the state and nation. Primary areas of law involve state land and water use law (e.g. Coastal Act, Subdivision Map Act, CEQA); federal law affecting coastal and ocean resources; federal and state constitutional law concerning “takings”; enforcement; and state administrative law, including conflict of interest, ethics, rulemaking and state civil service rules. The Chief Counsel travels to each monthly Commission meeting (3 to 5 days) to advise the Commission on legal matters arising during the meeting.

This position is demanding and rewarding. The Coastal Commission plans for and regulates development along the California coast pursuant to the California Coastal Act. The Commission’s mission is to protect and enhance the coast and ocean for present and future generations. The agency has broad and strong authority including to protect public access and recreation, sensitive wetlands and coastal habitats, scenic rural and agricultural landscapes, cultural resources, and manage coastal hazards. It is charged with assuring that new development in the coastal zone is supported with adequate public services, including water, wastewater and transportation infrastructure. The Commission is on the front line of responding to sea level rise and other coastal resource impacts due to climate change. The Commission is also a national leader in coastal management and land use agency, and its actions may have implications far beyond the state’s coastal zone. The Commission’s decisions are often controversial, and the agency relies heavily on its legal division and strong relationships with the Attorney General’s office to assure that the Coastal Act is implemented to the fullest extent on behalf of all Californians.

The Chief Counsel position is central to the effectiveness and success of the program. The Commission seeks a candidate with high ethical and professional standards, and a commitment to excellence, productivity, accountability, and dedication to public service and the California coast.

The Commission seeks to fill the position as a Chief Counsel I, CEA. Attorneys currently serving in a CEA appointment that have lateral transfer eligibility as Chief Counsel I, CEA; or attorneys in state service qualified to be a CEA are encouraged to apply. [NOTE – In order to transfer to one of these classifications, the applicant must meet the minimum qualifications.] If you are a current state employee who is interested and qualified for this position, please submit an application, resume and cover letter because the Commission will be administering a Chief Counsel I, CEA examination for this position.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Applicants must meet the following minimum qualifications.

Membership in The State Bar of California. (Applicants must have active membership in The State Bar before they will be eligible for appointment.) and

Either I
Two years of experience in the California state service performing legal duties* at a level of responsibility equivalent to Staff Counsel, Range D. (Applicants who have completed 18 months of the required experience will be admitted to the examination, but must complete two years of such experience before they will be eligible for appointment.)

Or II
Broad and extensive experience (more than five years) in the practice of law*. Experience in California state service applied toward this requirement must include the same number of years of qualifying experience as required in Pattern I above performing the duties of a class at a level of responsibility equivalent to that described in Pattern I.)

*Experience in the "practice of law" or "performing legal duties" is defined as only that legal experience acquired after admission to The Bar.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Membership in The State Bar of California. (Applicants must have active membership in The State Bar before they will be eligible for appointment.) And

Either I Two years of experience in the California state service performing legal duties* at a level of responsibility equivalent to Staff Counsel, Range D. (Applicants who have completed 18 months of the required experience will be admitted to the examination, but must complete two years of such experience before they will be eligible for appointment.)

Or II Broad and extensive experience (more than five years) in the practice of law*. (Experience in California state service applied toward this requirement must include the same number of years of qualifying experience as required in Pattern I above performing the duties of a class at a level of responsibility equivalent to that described in Pattern I.) *Experience in the "practice of law" or "performing legal duties" is defined as only that legal experience acquired after admission to The Bar.

Ability to: Analyze legal principles and precedents and apply them to complex legal and administrative problems; present statements of fact, law and argument clearly and logically in written and oral form; draft opinions, pleadings, rulings, regulations and legislation; hold hearings and independently present difficult and complex cases in court; plan, organize and direct the work of a staff of attorneys; effectively contribute to the department's equal employment opportunity objectives.

EXAMINATION INFORMATION
A minimum rating of 70% must be attained to obtain list eligibility. Hiring interviews may be conducted with the most qualified candidates. All candidates will receive written notification of their examination results. The result of this examination will be used only to fill the position of Chief Counsel I, CEA, with the CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION. Applications will be retained for twelve months.

The Results of this examination will be used only to fill this position.

FILING INSTRUCTIONS

Interested applicants must submit:

• A completed Standard State Application (Form 678).
• A "Statement of Qualifications". The Statement is a narrative discussion of how the candidate's education, training, experience, and skills meet the minimum and desirable qualifications and qualify them for the position. The Statement of Qualifications serves as a documentation of each candidate's ability to present information clearly and concisely in writing and should be typed and no more than two pages in length.
• Resumes do not take the place of the Statement of Qualifications.
• A Supplemental Application is required. It is attached to the official examination bulletin.

Applications must be submitted by the final filing date to:

CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION, Human Resources
45 Fremont St. Suite 1930, San Francisco, CA 94105
Jim McCunn | 415-904-5432 | jim.mccunn@coastal.ca.gov

SPECIAL TESTING
If you have a disability and need special testing arrangements, mark the appropriate box in Part 2 of the "Examination Application." You will be contacted to make specific arrangements.

GENERAL INFORMATION
If you meet the requirements stated in this bulletin, you may take this examination, which is competitive. Possession of the entrance requirements does not assure a place on the eligible list. Your performance in the examination described on this bulletin will be compared with the performance of others who take this test, and all candidates who pass will be ranked according to their scores.

The CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the service if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service law and rules and all competitors will be notified.

General Qualifications: Candidates must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, and ability to work cooperatively with others.

Class specs:  http://www.calhr.ca.gov/state-hr-professionals/pages/5871.aspx