Ethics Officer – Assistant City Attorney/Deputy City Attorney IV
City Attorney’s Office
City of Anaheim, California

Annual Salary:

Assistant City Attorney: $156,264 – $234,396 DOE/DOQ

Deputy City Attorney IV: $148,823 – $223,235 DOE/DOQ

*Scheduled COLAs: 5% in June 2024 and 5% in June 2025*

The City of Anaheim, California seeks an Ethics Officer, who will be classified as an Assistant City Attorneyor Deputy City Attorney IV, in the Ethics Division, a new division that will be part of the Office of the City Attorney. Reporting directly to the City Attorney, the Ethics Officer is a new role that will work heavily with City management and the City Council, offering legal expertise on a wide range of ethical issues, including compliance with campaign finance regulations, conflict of interest rules and regulations, ethics hotline responses, and Anaheim’s Sunshine and Lobbyist ordinances. The Ethics Officer’s role will be to promote public confidence in the integrity of local government and its operation by providing education, advice, oversight and guidance to public officials and those who work or do business with the City.

The successful candidate will possess a deep understanding of municipal law and the legal landscape facing public officials, including the California Political Reform Act, the Brown Act, the Levine Act, the Public Records Act and other rules and regulations governing the conduct of political candidates, committees and elected officials. In addition, the person chosen will be adept at building bridges between internal stakeholders and external partners, fostering collaborative relationships that strengthen the City’s commitment to ethical governance. With an ability to develop and implement innovative and effective education programs while also investigating and analyzing potential conflicts and violations of ethical rules, ideal candidates will inspire trust and confidence in their judgment and will possess a natural aptitude for public speaking and presentation, and an ability to articulate legal opinions with clarity and conviction. Use your exceptional legal skills in a dynamic and exciting work environment – apply today!

View the full recruitment brochure here: https://indd.adobe.com/view/48018203-8284-4b56-9920-25b7e310ac41

THE JOB
The Ethics Officer position will be responsible for promoting and planning for compliance with governmental ethics laws at the local, state, and federal levels. Reporting directly to the City Attorney, this exciting new role involves collaborating extensively with key departments such as the City Manager’s Office, the City Clerk’s Office, the Human Resources Department, and the Audit Division. This high-profile position carries the critical responsibility of developing, implementing, and sustaining an ethics education program to educate City officials and other stakeholders to promote adherence to ethical standards. Complex legal research, report preparation, and the provision of legal opinions on various matters for the City Council and City departments, boards and commissions will be central to the role, requiring a keen understanding of the legal landscape and its implications for public conduct.

The Ethics Officer will lead culture assessments and policy development initiatives to ensure the consistency and integration of ethics philosophies across the City, contributing significantly to Anaheim's governance framework. The Ethics Officer may be asked to evaluate and propose improvements to laws and policies relating to campaign finance reform, lobbying, governmental ethics, and conflicts of interest. The Ethics Officer will review and oversee campaign statements, compliance with lobbying rules and regulations, and adherence to conflict of interest statutes. In addition, the Ethics Officers may be responsible for conducting, overseeing, or directing investigations, and analyzing alleged violations of laws and ordinances applicable to public officials. The Ethics Officer will be a resource for understanding laws, ordinances, and regulations, and will play a pivotal role in fostering a culture of integrity and accountability within Anaheim's administration. The position will also assist with Public Records Act issues and requests, and perform other duties of the Office of the City Attorney, as assigned, that do not conflict with the Ethics Officer’s role.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
The ideal candidate will have a strong technical understanding of municipal law and applicable local, state, and federal regulations related to the conduct of public officials. He or she will have foundational experience collaborating effectively with key departmental partners to advance ethics efforts within an organization. The selected individual must have the ability to develop, implement, and sustain a comprehensive ethics education program to ensure compliance with the intricate web of laws and regulations that apply to public officials, and those that work or do business with the City.

As a highly public-facing figure in the Department, the ideal candidate will be politically astute, diplomatic, resilient, and capable of navigating complex political landscapes with confidence. He or she will build relationships both internally and externally, fostering collaboration and consensus-building among stakeholders. Extensive experience performing legal research and analyzing legislation and regulatory requirements will be critical to this role. Moreover, the ideal candidate should have experience managing investigations and audits related to ethics violations, along with the ability to develop and implement policies and programs to address ethical issues.

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS

Education: Juris Doctorate degree from a fully accredited school of law.

Experience: Five (5) years of increasingly responsible experience directly related to area of assignment/specialty, such as in the field of municipal, civil, transactional, ethics, and government law, including two (2) years of advanced journey level experience directly related to area of assignment/specialty.

Licenses:

• Membership in the State Bar of California and license to practice in the federal courts.
• Valid California driver’s license.

HIGHLY DESIRED

• CCEP: Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional Certificate

ANNUAL SALARY AND BENEFITS
Assistant City Attorney: $156,264 – $234,396 DOE/DOQ
Deputy City Attorney IV: $148,823 – $223,235 DOE/DOQ
* This position will receive a 5% salary increase in June 2024, as well as a 5% increase in June 2025

Plus a generous benefits package.

HOW TO APPLY

For first consideration, apply by June 17th at wbcpinc.com/job-board/

SAVE THE DATES

Round one virtual interviews will take place on June 28th; Finalists will move forward to round two in-person interviews on July 12th. Selected candidates must be available for both interview dates.

QUESTIONS?

Please contact your recruiter, Levi Kuhlman:

• levi@wbcpinc.com
• 866-929-WBCP (9227) toll-free
• 541-664-0376 (direct)

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $148,823.00 - $234,396.00 per year

Work Location: In person