Announcement is hereby made for the appointment of College Deputy General Counsel.  Suffolk County Community College is an open admissions institution committed to serving a diverse student population in a variety of degree and career programs. Suffolk is the largest community college in the State University of New York (SUNY) system, enrolling more than 22,000 students at its three campuses in Selden, Brentwood, and Riverhead.  College locations also include a Culinary Arts and Hospitality Center in Riverhead and the Sayville Downtown Center.
Job Description:
The College Deputy General Counsel performs legal services such as research, policy review, legal audits, contract reviews and compliance training.  The College Deputy General Counsel reports to the College General Counsel and may perform the duties of the College General Counsel in his/her absence.  The successful candidate must be capable of working independently, while remaining integrated within a dynamic team, be an excellent communicator and be willing to develop new areas of sub-specialty, as needs may arise. The successful candidate will have demonstrated excellent judgment, collegiality and multi-tasking skills.  The primary responsibilities of this position are as follows:

Conducts research and prepares memoranda on legal, administrative and policy issues arising at the College.
Assists in factual and legal preparation for the defense and prosecution of lawsuits, including conducting preliminary assessments of cases, locating and researching files related to the cases, interviewing College staff, assisting in the preparation of discovery responses and attending depositions and court proceedings.
Assists in the preparation of contracts, leases, memoranda of understanding and grant agreements to be entered into by the College.
At the direction of the College General Counsel, conducts legal audits of various College operations.
Participates in the development and review of College policies and procedures.
Reviews requests for proposals, bids and purchasing methods, as assigned by the College General Counsel.
Assists in the preparation of positions and strategies for negotiating collective bargaining agreements.
In collaboration with Human Resources, facilitates and manages employee disciplinary matters, including conducting investigations, preparing written charges, attending disciplinary meetings and hearings, and recommending disciplinary action.
Partners with Human Resources and with the College’s Chief Diversity Officer to prepare materials for, and conduct, compliance training.
Assists in the preparation of materials for Board of Trustees meetings.
Stays current on local, state and federal legislation, statutes, ordinances, etc. that impact the College.
Attends administrative hearings, arbitrations and court proceedings, as directed by the College General Counsel.
Provides advice and recommendations to College offices and departments on a variety of legal issues impacting College operations, and its faculty, staff and students.   
Works collaboratively with the County of Suffolk and the State of New York on matters of mutual interest.
Performs other related duties as assigned by the College General Counsel.

Minimum Qualifications:
 
A law degree from an accredited law school, admission to practice in the State of New York and at least three years relevant experience in the public or private sector with significant experience in general municipal law, public bidding and RFP processes, public sector labor and employment law, commercial contracts and leases, ability to conduct administrative hearings, conduct research and prepare memoranda, ability to evaluate legal claims, excellent writing skills.
 
Demonstrated success in progressive responsibilities, including attention to innovative problem solving, initiative and reliability.  Excellent verbal and written communication skills to effectively interact with campus and other administrative units and personnel.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail. Ability to work independently while effectively keeping supervisors and colleagues informed and engaged.  Excellent problem-solving skills and demonstrated ability to address difficult and complex issues.  Strong interpersonal skills demonstrating courtesy, diplomacy and a collaborative approach that reflect a commitment to providing effective legal services.
 
The College Deputy General Counsel is an exempt position; compensation will be based on the College's exempt salary and benefit plan.  We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental and vision, vacation days, deferred compensation and a defined benefit plan.
 
To apply:
Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume to the following link https://www3.sunysuffolk.edu/About/Employment.asp and click on the job ID# 21-58.
 
The New York State Retirement and Social Security Law requires retirees of a public pension plan within the State or City of New York to disclose prior public employment and pension plan history for the purpose of establishing a retiree's eligibility for employment.