General Counsel

Job Summary

Teachers Retirement Association (TRA) has been providing pension coverage to Minnesota educators for decades, with a mission to help members and their beneficiaries plan for an independent and financially secure retirement. We are currently seeking job candidates with a strong background in litigation, compliance, and / or legal and regulatory affairs to serve as TRA’s General Counsel.

Our General Counsel position exists to provide legal advice and counsel, legal direction, and supervision of all TRA’s legal activities. The incumbent will serve as the agency’s Chief Legal Advisor, and will be responsible for providing legal consultation / guidance to the TRA’s Executive Director and staff on interpretation of federal and state laws, tax regulations, published guidance governing qualified retirement plans, employment law, and other legal and regulatory matters. This role will also act as the liaison between TRA, the Office of the Attorney General, and any other outside legal counsel regarding a variety of legal proceedings.

This position is located in our Saint Paul, Minnesota office, and will require the incumbent to work a schedule that includes in-person work. Travel may be required up to 10% of the time for this role.

Minimum Qualifications

A Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school;

Active license in good standing to practice law in the State of Minnesota and current with continuing legal education requirements; and

Five (5) years of experience practicing law in one or more areas : Administrative; Tax; Retirement / Pension; Compliance; Employment; Corporate; Securities; and / or other relevant legal fields.

Professional experience must further demonstrate :

• Evidence of providing legal advice and representation to an organization on a variety of legal and regulatory matters.
• Evidence of dispute resolution such as litigation, administrative hearings, and / or formal legal proceedings.
• Evidence of guiding an organization on legal compliance (e.g., statutory and regulatory administrative policies)
• Evidence in successfully managing competing priorities, strategic planning initiatives, and enterprise process improvement project(s) with major organizational impact.
• Proven strategic leadership ability and interpersonal skills to build collaborative relationships; influence decision-making; effectively motivate and manage a diverse team; and champion a work culture that advocates for inclusion.
• Excellent research, analysis, communication (written / oral), and presentation skills to articulate complex legal topics to diverse audiences.
• Proficiency in using Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, and Outlook; Cisco WebEx; or equivalent software packages.

Successful candidates must also possess the ability to secure their transportation for in-state business travel and / or conferences.

Preferred Qualifications

Physical Requirements

This position requires occasional transporting of articles such as file folders, ledgers and / or small tools. May be required to move or maintain a stationary position for long periods of time.

Additional Requirements

Successful candidates must pass past-employer reference checks and a criminal background check.

It is the policy of TRA that all finalist(s) submit to a background check prior to employment. The background check may consist of the following components :

How to Apply

Visit the MN Careers webpage : http : / / www.mn.gov / careers and search using the Job ID # 88988. If you have questions about applying for jobs, contact the Careers Help Desk at 651-259-3637 or email careers@state.mn.us. For additional information about the application process, go to http : / / www.mn.gov / careers.

Contact

If you have questions about this position, or are an individual with a disability and need to request an accommodation for a scheduled interview, contact Justin Johnson at jjohnson@minnesotatra.org.

To receive consideration as a Connect 700 Program applicant, apply online, email the Job ID#, the Working Title and your valid Proof of Eligibility Certificate by the closing date to Justin Johnson at jjohnson@minnesotatra.org.

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A sense of purpose in their work

Connection with their coworkers and communities

Opportunities for personal and professional growth

Compensation

The compensation range for this position is $50.25 - $71.95 / hourly; $104,922 - $150,231 / annually, and the compensation offer will be dependent upon candidate qualifications.

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