Demo

Director of Legal Affairs - Municipal Affairs Division

City of Grand Rapids and Careers
Grand Rapids, MI Full Time
POSTED ON 3/3/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 5/3/2026
JOB
We are currently seeking to fill the Director of Legal Affairs position in the Municipal Affairs Division of the City Attorney’s Office. Candidates must be licensed and in good standing with the State of Michigan BarAssociation. The Director of Legal Affairs will be responsible for the leadership of Assistant City Attorneys and administrative staff. The work will involve management oversight of municipal activities, Board Counsel for various economic and community development boards, advising on a variety of municipal finance mechanisms, provide consultation on statutes impacting municipal operations, as well asadvising most City departments within the organization regarding municipal issues that arise. This is an advanced professional legal position in which the director of a legal division serves as the lead attorney and primary manager over the daily affairs of a division in the City's Law Department. The position involves the direct management and oversight of legal services specifically as they relate to the respective division's functions (litigation, enforcement and municipal law). It is expected that an employee serving in the director's role over one of these divisions will have complete management responsibilities and serve as the lead attorney for handling legal matters. The director will oversee all cases of the division and ensure that complex legal issues are handled professionally. The position has the responsibility and authority to provide guidance and daily supervision of the operations for the division. Supervisory duties include, but are not limited to, the oversight of the professional legal staff to provide direction in their ability to properly handle cases, projects, legal communications, presentations and other related duties consistent with the Law Department's functions; responsibility for making regular work assignments; administration of employee performance reviews, counseling and coaching guidance when needed; facilitation of employee professional development training opportunities; ensuring that staff implement LEAN initiatives involving the legal services provided by the division. The director is also expected to assist with cost estimates and the department's budgetary process as needed.This position operates with a great deal of decision-making autonomy and discretion to fulfill these responsibilities. Work is performed under the authority of the City Attorney. Supervision of the position is exercised through periodic meetings and reports to the City Attorney or Deputy City Attorney.

EXAMPLE OF DUTIES
Graduation from law school Possession of a license to practice law in the State of Michigan. -AND- Four (4) years of experience in the practice of law, including experience in trial work-OR-Any equivariant combination of training and experiencePREFERRED QUALIFICATIONSThree (3) years of experience serving in a leadership or management role over professional legal staff. Six (6) years of experience with at least 3 years of municipal law and supervising other attorneys

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
We Offer: Medical, Dental, and Vision starting on Day 16% employee 401a contribution with employer matching (6% or 7% based on bargaining unit)Employee & Employer contributions to Retiree Health Savings AccountVoluntary benefits such as term life insurance, flexible spending accounts, accidental insurance, disability insurance, and deferred compensation plan optionsTwelve Paid HolidaysPaid Vacation and Sick TimePaid parking (if applicable)Employee Home Ownership IncentiveTuition Reimbursement and professional development opportunitiesPaid Parental LeaveEmployee Assistance Program with free mental health counselingComprehensive Wellness program with a health and wellness incentiveEmployee Discounts and Perks Should an applicant need any disability related accommodation or other consideration in the application or selection process, please notify the human resources department upon submittal of applicationThe City of Grand Rapids does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy or gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.Please Note: This position is subject to the provisions of the applicable collective bargaining agreement and all relevant civil service rules. For additional information, links to union agreement and Civil Service Rules are provided below. Collective Bargaining AgreementsCivil Service Rules

Salary : $127,243 - $162,301

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution. Compensation Planning
Enhance your organization's compensation strategy with salary data sets that HR and team managers can use to pay your staff right. Surveys & Data Sets

What is the career path for a Director of Legal Affairs - Municipal Affairs Division?

Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs on the Director of Legal Affairs - Municipal Affairs Division career path by checking the boxes next to the positions that interest you.
Income Estimation: 
$184,310 - $255,027
Income Estimation: 
$180,127 - $205,508
Income Estimation: 
$184,310 - $255,027
Income Estimation: 
$180,127 - $205,508
Employees: Get a Salary Increase
View Core, Job Family, and Industry Job Skills and Competency Data for more than 15,000 Job Titles Skills Library

Not the job you're looking for? Here are some other Director of Legal Affairs - Municipal Affairs Division jobs in the Grand Rapids, MI area that may be a better fit.

  • LG Energy Solution Michigan, Inc. Holland, MI
  • Title: Specialist I, Corporate Affairs Reports to: Corporate Affairs Manager Location: Holland, MI LG Energy Solution Michigan Inc. (LGESMI) develops and m... more
  • 4 Days Ago

  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Wyoming, MI
  • Summary The Battle Creek VA Medical Center is recruiting for a Licensed Practical Nurse. The Licensed Practical Nurse will function in Ambulatory Care Nurs... more
  • 13 Days Ago

AI Assistant is available now!

Feel free to start your new journey!