Senior Assistant Attorney

The City of Vacaville - A beautiful place to live, a great place to work!

The City of Vacaville is seeking a dynamic, collaborative public attorney with a proactive, service-oriented approach to municipal practice to join the City Attorney’s Office as the Senior Assistant City Attorney
. Reporting to the City Attorney, this at-will executive management position serves as a trusted legal advisor, tackles complex and high-profile legal issues, and partners closely with departments to advance City priorities while mitigating legal risk. It is an excellent fit for someone who excels at problem-solving, confidently navigates complex legal concepts, and delivers clear, strategic guidance and leadership in a fast-paced environment.

Salary Information: Senior Assistant City Attorney: $ – $ annually. A 2% COLA is scheduled for 11/01/2026.

Working for the City of Vacaville comes with an excellent benefits package, including:

• Medical Insurance at affordable rates – City covers up to 85% of Kaiser premium, other plans are also available
• Vision and Dental Insurance – monthly premiums covered 100% by the City
• Healthcare double coverage opt‑out incentive of $3,000 per year for eligible employees
• Paid sick leave, vacation leave, thirteen holidays and two floating holidays a year
• Up to 104 hours per year of Administrative Leave
• Tuition reimbursement and student loan repayment up to $2,200 per fiscal year
• Deferred compensation plan with up to 6% City contribution available
• California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) plan enrollment and Retiree Health Savings account

Benefits Summary is being updated to reflect the new agreement and will be available shortly.

The City Attorney’s Office is looking for a highly motivated, experienced legal professional who thrives on making an impact. The ideal candidate will bring strong legal acumen, excellent communication skills, and sound professional judgment. They will excel at analyzing multifaceted issues, presenting well-reasoned options to decision-makers, and delivering practical, solutions-focused recommendations. This individual will value teamwork and collaboration, build strong relationships across the organization, and take pride in providing thoughtful, high-quality advice to City departments.

The ideal candidate will also have experience supervising professional and administrative staff, mentoring team members, and contributing to a high‑performing organizational culture. A background in public or municipal law – along with a solid understanding of the Brown Act, the Public Records Act, and conflict-of-interest laws – will allow the ideal candidate to step confidently into this critical leadership role.

With over 600 employees, the City of Vacaville is proud to serve a vibrant, growing community. We offer a supportive and engaging workplace with employee social and wellness events, casual dress days, flexible work schedules, every other Friday off and outstanding pay and benefits. Join us and help shape the future of Vacaville!

For information about the City of Vacaville and to view the complete job description, please visit our website yofvacaville.gov.

• Provide clear, forward-thinking legal counsel on labor and employment matters, including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, performance management, leaves/benefits, accommodations, and recruitment.
• Effectively defend the City and its management in employment litigation before administrative agencies and in state and federal courts, including the ability to strategically oversee and collaborate with outside counsel.
• Prepare well-reasoned, persuasive written position statements for matters before the Civil Rights Department and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Skillfully represent the City in arbitrations, grievance proceedings, and related writ litigation arising from labor and discipline matters.
• Support Human Resources by guiding internal employment investigations and effectively managing investigations conducted by outside counsel.
• Serve as a knowledgeable legal advisor to the Police Department on operational and personnel matters,…