Deputy General Counsel

Job Description and Duties

This recruitment requires a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ). Responses to the identified qualification factors are required for this CEA recruitment. Please see the instructions for the SOQ under the Special Requirements section of this job posting.

Anticipated Interview Dates: We anticipate holding in-person interviews on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. We look forward to meeting with you!

Do you enjoy tackling complex legal issues while helping shape the direction of an organization? Are you a strategic legal leader who enjoys partnering with executives and senior management on sensitive and high-impact matters? If so, the Deputy General Counsel for Investments and Contracts role at CalPERS may be right for you!

The Legal Office represents CalPERS in litigation and provides legal advice regarding all legal issues at CalPERS, including the areas of health care, fiduciary matters, ethics, contracts, public records, and open meetings and investment related matters.

Under the general direction of the General Counsel, the Deputy General Counsel is a senior operational leader in the General Counsel's office. The Deputy General Counsel also performs complex and sensitive legal work for CalPERS, provides legal advice to CalPERS executive and senior management staff, and assists in policy development and strategic planning.
Telework Information: This position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule, with up to two days of remote work and three days or more onsite, per week.

Sponsorship:  CalPERS does not participate in E-Verify for employment authorization purposes.

This position will run until filled with cutoff dates for review. The first cutoff date is August 31, 2026 followed by every Sunday until filled.

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You will find additional information about the job in the .

Special Requirements

STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS (SOQ)

An SOQ is required and serves as the examination for this CEA recruitment and must be included with your application.

Please provide a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) for the hiring manager’s review. Applications received without an SOQ or those that do not respond to the specific questions below will not be considered.

The SOQ must be typed, titled “Statement of Qualifications,” and each response must be numbered and list all relevant experience, education, and training, including places of employment, dates, and duties performed. The SOQ must not exceed three pages in length and must not have font smaller than 11 point.

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following SOQ factors provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate and must address the following:

1. Knowledge of and experience in California health benefits law and principles; California state government law and procedures regarding procurement and contracting; investment structures (e.g., partnerships, LLCs), investment funds (co-mingled, direct, fund of funds), and alternative investment vehicles; government employment law and procedures, and California public agency law including conflicts of interest, confidentiality, public records, and open meetings.
2. Experience in drafting and reviewing complex contracts including those involving investments, IT and procurement.
3. Experience as a key member of a leadership team overseeing a large team of legal professionals and contracted outside legal counsel; demonstrated ability to think strategically and function effectively as a member of a top management team; experience building and maintaining employee engagement.

Note: Resumes, letters, and other materials will not be evaluated or considered as responses to the Statement of Qualifications.

Applications received without the SOQ or with a SOQ not properly formatted will not be considered.

Career Services & Outreach

Need help with your state application, resume, Statement of Qualifications, or interview preparation?

The CalPERS Career Services & Outreach (CSO) team provides comprehensive support throughout the CalPERS hiring process. Our services include one-on-one online consultations for application assistance, Statement of Qualification review, and interview preparation. To schedule an appointment and receive personalized guidance from our team, please use the following booking link: CalPERS Career Services Consultations .

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

• Ability to manage supervising and staff attorneys and outside counsel.
• Ability to advise executive leadership on highly complex and sensitive legal issues, offer innovative solutions to manage and mitigate risk, and support the organization's mission and objectives.
• Knowledge of contracting, investments, and procurement law.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing, with all levels of staff and the public.

Benefits

CalPERS team members are eligible for a number of benefits. Health benefits and leave programs are available for most team members. Benefit eligibility may depend on length of service and collective bargaining agreements.

Some added benefits CalPERS offers include:

• Alternate Work Schedules
• Flexible Work Hours
• Onsite childcare facility
• Onsite fitness center
• Onsite café and nearby restaurants
• Free onsite parking available Mondays and Fridays 
• Free offsite parking available with shuttle service Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 

For more details about employee benefits, visit the California Department of Human Resources website. For more details about employee benefits, visit the California Department of Human Resources website.

Additional Information

Live Scan
Candidates are required to submit to a criminal history review process utilizing Live Scan fingerprinting.

CalPERS Disclosure Requirements
If employed, you may be subject to rules imposed by Personal Trading Regulations and Conflict of Interest Code that apply to CalPERS team members, which require disclosure of certain investment information and use of a designated trading platform for securities transactions, as well as filing a Statement of Economic Interest (Form 700)

Background Investigation
In addition to Live Scan, this position requires additional background screening prior to employment.

Please do not include any confidential information in any documents in your application package. Confidential information that should be excluded or removed from these documents includes, but is not limited to, your social security number, date of birth, marital status, personal photos, a copy of your driver’s license, and equal employment opportunity data.

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
• Resume is optional. It may be included, but is not required.
• Statement of Qualifications - In addition to completing your online job application, you must provide a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) for the hiring manager’s review. Please see the Special Requirements section for instructions and questions for the SOQ. Applications received without an SOQ will not be considered. We ask that you not use Artificial Intelligence assistance when composing your written response. Written responses are an attempt to assess and gain an understanding of your personal writing and communication skills and abilities.