Chief Deputy City Solicitor - Regulatory Law Unit

Position Summary The Chief Deputy City Solicitor of the Regulatory Law Unit supervises four divisions:  Airport, Environmental, Right-of-Way and Utilities, and Water.  The Unit currently has 21 attorney positions.  The Chief Deputy’s direct reports include four Divisional Deputy City Solicitors (managers).  The Chief Deputy oversees the general/regulatory counsel role for the Water Department and the Philadelphia airport system.  Six Unit attorneys are located with the Water Commissioner and his staff.  The seven attorney positions in the Airports Division are located with the airport executive team at Philadelphia International Airport.  The Environmental Division provides environmental/regulatory counsel to all City departments, but in particular to the Health Department.  Philadelphia is the permitting authority for air emissions from Philadelphia sources, and the Unit provides advisory and enforcement support for the Air Management Services division of the Health Department. It also provides legal support for the Office of Sustainability and several City departments with their sustainability initiatives.  The Right-of-Way and Utility Division provides advice and regulatory counsel and transactional services to the Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (OTIS), the Streets Department and other City departments and offices in legal, regulatory, and transactional matters involving streets, sidewalks, pedestrian corridors, railroads, transportation infrastructure and public utilities.    Essential Functions In addition to the Position Summary, responsibilities include but are not limited to: Managing all four Divisions and supervising direct reports Advising City officials including Commissioners, CEOs and directors, and ensuring compliance with all applicable federal, state and Philadelphia law. Establishing a standard of excellence and accessibility in the provision of legal services Meeting regularly with the Deputy Managing Director for OTIS, Commissioners and other City management staff to ensure that legal services are meeting client needs Communicating with all Unit staff on a regular basis and maintaining an open door for staff concerns Providing opportunities for attorney training and mentoring Fostering and maintaining a collegial, inclusive, and professional environment that recognizes and values all forms of diversity Participating in external efforts to raise the profile of the Unit and the Law Department.  Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Knowledge of environmental laws, aviation law, utility law, highway and motor vehicle laws, administrative procedure, government regulations, and executive orders Knowledge/Experience with legislative and regulatory processes Knowledge/Experience with government procurement and complex commercial transactions Knowledge/Experience with public utility law and utility rate making Ability to supervise and inspire a team of managers, attorneys and support staff Ability to foster and maintain a collegial, inclusive, and professional work environment Ability to communicate information and ideas in writing and orally so that both lawyers and non-lawyers will understand  Ability to independently manage a large volume of complex regulatory and transactional matters Ability to train and mentor staff  Ability to educate clients on applicable legal requirements Excellent judgment and critical thinking