The Assistant General Counsel serves as a trusted legal advisor to the General Counsel, Board of Directors, executive leadership, and departments across the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. This role provides guidance on complex legal and governance matters, plays a key leadership role within the legal department, and operates at the intersection of law, public governance, and infrastructure development for one of the nation's busiest single-runway airports.
What You'll Do
- Advise Executive Leadership: Serves as a trusted legal advisor to the General Counsel, Authority Board, executive leadership, and departments by providing guidance on complex governance, regulatory, community, risk mitigation, and operational matters affecting airport operations.
- Lead Legal Team Operations: Oversees the work of Associate General Counsels, paralegal, and administrative staff while fostering a collaborative, high-performing legal department.
- Provide Strategic Legal Counsel: Researches and analyzes complex legal issues and delivers clear, practical legal opinions that support informed decision-making by Board members and senior leadership.
- Draft & Negotiate Agreements: Reviews and prepares contracts, agreements, memoranda, and legal instruments supporting the Authority’s operations, partnerships, and business activities.
- Oversee Litigation & Claims: Manages or represents the Authority in civil litigation, administrative hearings, and claims matters; develops legal strategies, directs outside counsel, and negotiates resolutions.
- Support Major Infrastructure Initiatives: Provides legal guidance on significant organizational initiatives, including airport development and capital improvement projects such as the New Terminal 1 program.
- Monitor Regulatory & Legislative Landscape: Tracks federal and state legislative and regulatory developments and advises leadership on potential impacts to Authority policies, practices, and operations.
What We're Looking For
- Leadership: Builds cohesive teams and fosters employee engagement by encouraging open dialogue, recognizing contributions, and defining success through collective achievement.
- Critical Evaluation: Identifies issues, conducts legal research, analyzes complex problems, evaluates alternatives, and develops sound conclusions and recommendations.
- Interpersonal & Presentation: Communicates effectively in writing, verbally, and digitally; clearly presents information and persuasively engages audiences in both group and one-on-one settings.
- Strategy: Develops and executes strategies that support organizational priorities, long-term objectives, and the Authority’s mission.
- Influencing Skills: Engages stakeholders, builds alignment, and gains commitment to advance initiatives and deliver effective solutions.
- Integrity: Exercises diplomacy, sound judgment, and discretion when handling highly sensitive, complex, and confidential matters.
- Agility & Problem-Solving: Evaluates evolving situations, collaborates to generate solutions, and adapts approaches to address changing priorities and challenges.
- Judgment & Decision Making: Applies sound judgment and confidentiality when selecting procedures, interacting with departments and stakeholders, and resolving complex, non-routine issues.
Team & Environment
Part of the Office of the General Counsel. Supervises Associate General Counsels, paralegal, and administrative staff. Reports to the General Counsel. Our culture emphasizes believing the best in people, collaboration, empathy, listening, thoughtful decision-making, advancing airport development, transforming the customer experience, optimizing ongoing business, and cultivating our culture.
Benefits & Compensation
- Hiring salary: $275,200-$294,464. Full pay range: $200,145-$378,400.
- 14 paid holidays
- 18 – 33 days of vacation (PTO)
- Parental and child care benefits
- Salary continuance for family & parental leave
- Tuition reimbursement
- Retirement plan options including a comprehensive pension plan and 457 defined contribution plan
- Annual employer-funded Lifestyle Spending Account to support personal development and growth activities
- Multiple on‑site gyms
- Outdoor workspaces
- Fitness discounts
- Volunteer‑time rewards
- Access to financial wellness advisors
- Scenic walking trails just steps from campus
Work Mode
Hybrid schedule with both on-site and remote work. On-site days required based on department needs. Remote work flexibility available on other days as determined by the department. Primary on-site location is the San Diego International Airport campus, near the waterfront.
