Attorney

Overview

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The City of Manassas is an independent city located approximately thirty (30) miles west of Washington, D.C. in the Washington Metropolitan area. Manassas offers a suburban lifestyle with close proximity to major interstates and airports, and access to regional higher education and healthcare facilities. The City has a Council-Manager form of government and a commitment to strategic priorities including Economic Prosperity, Educational Success, Community Vitality, Advancing Mobility, and Sustaining Excellence.

Manassas City Government

The City Attorney is appointed by the City Council and serves as the chief legal counsel for the City government. Responsibilities include providing legal advice to the City Council, City Manager, and City departments; drafting ordinances, regulations, contracts, and other legal documents; ensuring compliance with local, state, and federal law; advising on land use, employment and labor law, public infrastructure, purchasing and property transactions, and code development;

coordinating with outside counsel when necessary; and interacting with elected officials and City leadership. The City Attorney also helps ensure decision-making aligns with applicable laws and government guidelines.

Essential Job Functions

• Represent the City in a positive and influential manner and support City goals and initiatives.
• Be a proactive, effective, and straightforward communicator who engages coworkers, management, elected officials, and the public.
• Demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills and awareness of controversial or sensitive issues.
• Provide ethical leadership, integrity, and a commitment to fostering a collaborative team.
• Motivate and maintain a focus on excellence; work independently and prioritize to meet City needs.
• Think strategically, solve problems, and facilitate consensus; lead and build teams with a track record of collaboration.
• Demonstrate ongoing personal and professional growth, and assess current and future City needs to manage change.
• Possess substantial knowledge of Virginia and Federal law as it relates to local government; be a member in good standing of the Virginia State Bar.

Ideal Candidate

The candidate will understand the Council-Manager form of government and act as counsel to both the City Manager and City Council. They should be proactive, problem-solver oriented, collaborative, a good listener, and capable of leading and managing a professional staff. They will review legislation with accuracy and be able to respond to last-minute changes during public meetings. The candidate will have strong research skills, the ability to multitask, and extensive experience in public law;

they will be skilled in state and federal law and municipal law principles.

Minimum Required Qualifications

Education and Experience

• Graduation from an accredited law school with a Juris Doctorate degree and admission to the Virginia State Bar.
• Minimum of seven to ten years of progressively responsible related municipal law experience, including senior supervisory experience, or an equivalent combination of education, experience, and training.

Skills and Past Performance

• Administrative Ability: Strong written and verbal communication; ability to explain complex legal issues clearly; highly organized with strong follow-through; proficient with technology and able to coordinate legal department operations.
• City Council/City Manager Relations: Ability to work with elected officials on complex legal and policy issues; receptive to constructive criticism and able to implement changes; maintain discretion with confidential information.
• Management: Experience planning, developing, and coordinating budgets and organizational activities within a municipal context.
• Intergovernmental Relations: Stay current on legal trends; build working relationships with local, state, regional, and federal agencies to advocate for the City.

Professional Skills and Management Style

• Thorough knowledge of local government operations and administrative practices.
• Ability to explain the City’s…