What are the responsibilities and job description for the Assistant City Attorney position at City of Grand Junction?
About the City Attorney's Office:
The City Attorney's Office provides comprehensive legal support to the City Council, staff, and various boards and commissions to benefit the citizens of Grand Junction. The City Attorney attends all City Council meetings, drafts ordinances and resolutions, and advises key bodies such as the Planning Commission, Board of Appeals, and Liquor Licensing Board. The office is also responsible for reviewing contracts and offering daily legal opinions on personnel, land use, property acquisition, finance, and other municipal law issues. This collaborative and dynamic office is critical in ensuring the City operates within legal parameters while advancing its strategic objectives.
We know that a healthy and happy workforce is a thriving workforce, which is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package that supports quality work-life balance, including 32 days of paid annual leave to be used for holiday, personal, and/or sick days, health insurance options, employer-matched retirement, a City employee health clinic, a City employee day care center, wellness program, and an Employee Assistance Program. Of equal importance, we offer an opportunity to serve the community you love and live in. Our employees find their work rewarding and fulfilling, knowing that their day job makes a positive impact.
At the City of Grand Junction, we lead the way with continuous improvement, collaborative partnerships, and exemplary service. Our core values are demonstrated by our willingness to challenge the status quo, our ability to work together using all areas of expertise to achieve a common goal, and our commitment to fulfilling the needs of our community through thoughtful interactions.
- Assist the City Attorney in representing the City to other departments, elected officials, and outside agencies.
- Negotiate and resolve sensitive and controversial issues, focusing on achieving favorable outcomes for the City.
- Perform legal research and prepare written and oral opinions on various legal problems for the City Council, City departments, and boards and commissions.
- Confer with and render legal opinions to department heads in establishing departmental policies and recommend changes to meet legal requirements.
- Prepare, draft, and review ordinances, resolutions, contracts, deeds, leases, and other legal documents; offer opinions on their legal acceptability when presented to the City for consideration by external agents or agencies.
- Investigate claims and complaints against the City and initiate or recommend appropriate action.
- Assist in training, motivating, and evaluating legal support personnel; provide or coordinate staff training, work with employees to correct deficiencies, and implement discipline and termination procedures as needed.
- Assist in developing and administrating the budget; forecast funds needed for staffing, equipment, materials, and supplies; monitor expenditures and implement necessary corrections.
- Serve as staff on various boards, commissions, and committees; prepare and present staff reports, legal analysis, and other necessary correspondence.
What We're Looking For:
- Four years of increasingly responsible experience practicing municipal law.
- A Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school.
- Possession of membership in the State Bar of Colorado.
Notice to Applicants:
In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, we kindly request that you do not include the dates of your education to include years of attendance or graduation on your application, resume or attachments.
Grand Junction, Colorado, is the gateway to the mountains and canyonlands of western Colorado and eastern Utah. Centrally located between Denver, CO (250 miles east) and Salt Lake City, UT (270 miles west), Grand Junction is surrounded by 1.2 million acres of public land. Residents enjoy world-class whitewater rafting on the Colorado and Green Rivers, golfing, fishing, skiing, and snowboarding, and exploring mountain bike and hiking trails through the Colorado National Monument and the Grand Mesa National Forest. Grand Junction has a robust downtown and hosts multiple arts, music, food, and market events annually. With a population of over 150,000 in Mesa County (65,000 within the City limits) we have many of the big town amenities without the big town stresses such as traffic and trail congestion. With an average of 245 days of sunshine, Grand Junction is the perfect place to work and play.
Learn more about our area on Visit Grand Junction's website and Instagram!
At the City of Grand Junction, we proudly operate as an Equal Opportunity Employer, purposely building an inclusive workforce representative of various cultures, perspectives, and experiences. We believe in respect for all and do not discriminate based on hair, race, color, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status or any other status protected by applicable federal, state or local law.
If you have any questions or need assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please contact our Human Resources office at 970.244.1512.
Salary : $11,697 - $13,165
