Senior Legal Advisor

Senior Legal Advisor

Salary

$178,897.35 - $250,456.70 Annually

Location

Tukwila, WA

Job Type

Regular Full-Time

Job Number

2026088

Division

ADMINISTRATION

Department

Support Services

Opening Date

06/09/2026

Closing Date

Continuous

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Job Summary

King County Housing Authority is seeking a skilled and experienced Senior Legal Advisor to join our team and play a critical role in supporting agency-wide operations, procurement activities, public records compliance, and strategic initiatives. In this new position, you will collaborate closely with executive leadership and cross-functional teams to provide legal expertise on complex housing-related, regulatory, and public disclosure matters.

Your guidance will be essential in identifying legal risks, strengthening policies and procedures, and ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations while advancing KCHA's mission of providing equitable, sustainable housing solutions and supporting thriving communities.

In this role, the successful candidate will:

• Provide legal expertise on a wide range of housing-related, procurement, and operational matters, including contracts, compliance, and regulatory requirements;
• Advise leadership and staff on complex legal scenarios, offering strategic, solutions-oriented guidance to support sound business decisions;
• Draft, review, and negotiate contracts, agreements, and other legal documents to support agency programs and operations;
• Support the development, interpretation, and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure alignment with applicable laws and organizational best practices;
• Provide legal oversight and guidance on the Agency's public records , including records retention, disclosure practices, and response processes in compliance with the Washington Public Records Act and other applicable laws.
• Identify and mitigate legal risks while ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations;
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders and maintain strong working relationships with outside legal counsel and consultants on complex or specialized matters.

As a key partner across the organization, you will be instrumental in supporting KCHA's operations, strengthening legal and compliance frameworks, and advancing initiatives that promote effective service delivery, accountability, and responsible stewardship of public resources. You may also support cross-departmental efforts such as policy development, internal reviews, and special projects that align with the Authority's strategic priorities.

If you are a collaborative and strategic legal professional with experience in public sector, housing, or procurement law, and you are ready to contribute to a mission-driven organization focused on impact and growth, we encourage you to apply.

King County Housing Authority (KCHA), an independent municipal organization, is a high performing nationally recognized leader in affordable housing. To learn more about KCHA and our Mission visit this link.

This position is open until filled; however, to ensure consideration applications should be received by June 29, 2026 at 4:30 p.m.

Essential Functions

• Serves as a senior legal advisor to KCHA executive leadership on complex and emerging legal issues affecting agency operations, strategic decision making, and policy development, including matters involving significant complexity and limited or no legal precedent.
• Advises leadership and development teams on agencys complex development and construction related transactions, including financings, encumbrances, construction matters, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs, and other associated legal and risk related matters; crafts and implements KCHA policy, communication.
• Advises leadership on opportunities, risks, and compliance requirements associated with federal housing programs and funding sources, including strategic planning and implementation related to federal program policies including Moving to Work and Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program.
• Directs and manages the Agency's Procurement function and staff; develops, interprets, and implements procurement policies and procedures grounded in comprehensive legal analysis of applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations; leads strategy to increase small and underrepresented contractor access to KCHA contracting opportunities; responds to audits, investigations, or HUD inquiries related to procurement compliance; revises and improves the standard form HUD contracts and negotiates with outside partners including HUD regarding various contractual issues to manage risk and advance agency interests.
• Provides legal and managerial oversight of agency staff, policies, and practices governing public records requests and the retention, preservation, and disposition of records, in compliance with the Washington Public Records Act and other applicable laws.
• Manages contractual relationships with outside legal counsel and advises staff on strategic use of outside counsel resources; oversees some litigation management.
• Advises Authority personnel with respect to impacts from and implementation of proposed legislation and new policies; makes presentations to internal and external groups as needed; provides information to executive staff and board as needed regarding changes in laws.
• Drafts, revises, and edits contract documents for program personnel in various Authority programs; reviews and approves forms related to contracts executed by the CEO or other executive staff on behalf of the Authority; recommends revisions as necessary; drafts special contracts as needed.
• Supervises and evaluates the performance of assigned staff; interviews and selects employees and recommends transfers, reassignment, termination and disciplinary actions; plans, coordinates, and arranges for appropriate training of subordinates.

Qualifications and Competencies

Required Qualifications:

• Juris Doctorate AND
• Extensive experience with procurement operations, contract management, and providing legal advice on complex housing-related matters including policy development and regulatory compliance.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Comprehensive legal knowledge, including a deep understanding of state, county and federal laws and regulations related to Authority operations, including legal/regulatory requirements, technical documentation, and best practices for procurement systems, project management, and contracting.

• Experience supervising staff including coaching and mentoring to support employees in achieving Authority and individual goals; demonstrated ability to provide strong leadership in a dynamic, highly regulated work environment.

• Proven success in building productive and engaged work teams with a focus on mentoring and nurturing staff development.

• Proven ability to plan, support and supervise the work of cross-departmental teams, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and the successful completion of multiple, on-going projects.

• Extensive communication skills, including a high degree of emotional intelligence and conflict-resolution experience.

• Conveys clear and timely messages; communicates clearly and effectively via multiple methods;

• Presents proposals and recommendations clearly, logically and persuasively;

• Analyzes and develops effective policies and procedures.

• Strong critical-thinking and analytical skills, with the ability to evaluate information, to make timely and nuanced decisions, and to apply business and operational priorities in weighing risk-managed outcomes. Capable of managing multiple legal matters in a dynamic environment while considering costs, risks, and organizational impact.

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with internal and external stakeholders, senior and executive leadership, while fostering teamwork to achieve common goals.

• Ability to use independent judgment and discretion in performing duties and responsibilities; exercises initiative, provides leadership, and demonstrates sound judgment in analyzing situations; a self-starter that can multi-task and prioritize.

• Values open-mindedness, inclusion, and diverse perspectives, recognizing multiple ways of knowing, thinking, and being; fosters a work environment that embraces and appreciates diversity, treats others with respect, and promotes cooperation.

• Proficiency with MS Office to include Word, Excel, Outlook, and database software.

Special Requirements:

• Possession of Washington State Bar Association license is required upon hire.
• Final candidates may be required to complete a criminal background check in accordance with applicable law.
• Successful candidates must authorize and satisfactorily complete education, driving record (if applicable), and background checks.
• This position requires regular travel between work sites; candidates must be able to meet these travel requirements through reliable transportation.

Position Information and Application Process

To be considered for this opportunity, you must:

• Complete the online application profile in its entirety.
• Upload a cover letter that addresses how your experience and education qualifies you to perform the essential functions listed in the job announcement. (Cover Letter)
• Upload a detailed résumé of all educational and professional experience. (Résumé)

Salary & Benefits

The salary range is $178,898.00 to $250,456.70 with a midpoint of $214,677.03. New hires typically receive between minimum and midpoint, however, we may go slightly higher based on experience, internal equity and market. Salary is negotiable. Performance based merit increase opportunities and COLAs are reviewed on an annual basis. A comprehensive health care benefits package for you and your dependents includes medical, dental and vision insurance, life and long-term disability insurance plans, vacation, sick and personal leave, reduced tuition, and retirement benefits are also available. For more details regarding KCHA comprehensive benefits, please visit our benefits page.

Work Environment

After initial onboarding, this role will have the opportunity to work remotely up to 60% in accordance with the KCHAs flexible work arrangements; however, remote work conditions will be reviewed on a regular basis based on business and program need. Employees must reside in Washington State and have the ability to report to the Central Office in Tukwila as required based on business need. Some local travel may be required to support KCHA business needs.

Physical Work Environment

Incumbent(s) must be able to meet the physical requirements of the classification and have mobility, balance, coordination, vision, hearing and dexterity levels appropriate to the functions performed. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 10 pounds of force; work regularly requires sitting, speaking or hearing, using hands to finger, handle or feel and repetitive motions and occasionally requires standing, walking, reaching with hands and arms and pushing or pulling; work has standard vision requirements; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word and conveying detailed or important instructions to others accurately, loudly or quickly; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels and to receive detailed information through oral communications and/or to make fine distinctions in sound; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, operating machines, office equipment, motor vehicles, and observing general surroundings and activities; work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic).

Equal Opportunity

King County Housing Authority is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.

The excellent benefits package includes employer paid dental; vacation, sick & holiday pay; life insurance, long term disability insurance and transit subsidy. PERS retirement (mandatory) and medical plan require employee and employer contributions. Employee paid deferred compensation (457b) and flexible spending accounts are optional. Positive corporate culture and commitment to a diverse workplace, plus more!

For more details regarding KCHA comprehensive benefits, please click on the link below.

www.kcha.org/employment/employeebenefits.aspx

01

Do you have direct experience with the King County Housing Authority?

• Yes, I am a current employee at KCHA.
• Yes, I am a current temporary employee at KCHA.
• Yes, I am a current resident of KCHA.
• Yes, but not as described above.
• No, I dont have any direct experience but I am willing to learn.

02

Which best describes your level of education?

• High School Diploma or GED
• Some College
• Associates Degree
• Bachelors Degree
• Masters Degree or Higher
• None of the above

03

This position requires possession of a Washington State Bar Association license at the time of hire. Which of the following best describes your current WSBA status?

• I currently have my WSBA license.
• I do not currently have my WSBA license.
• I will have my WSBA license at the time of hire.

04

Please identify your years of experience with procurement operations, contract management, and providing legal advice on complex housing-related matters including policy development and regulatory compliance.

• I have no related experience.
• I have minimal (less than one year) experience.
• I have moderate (1 to 3 years) experience.
• I have considerable (3+ to 5 years) experience.
• I have extensive (more than 5 years) experience.

05

This position requires a valid drivers license and acceptable driving record at the time of hire. A valid Washington State Drivers License is required within 30 days of employment. Maintaining an acceptable driving record throughout employment at KCHA is required for this position. Can you meet this requirement?

• Yes
• No

06

Do you have any combination of two or more license suspensions or revocations within the last five years?

• Yes
• No

07

Have you had any of the following violations within the last three years? Please select all that apply.

• I have NO violations on my driving record in the last 3 years
• Reckless or negligent driving or other similar offense (e.g., careless driving)
• Failure to stop and report a vehicle incident (e.g., hit and run)
• Any driving offense involving the use of drugs, alcohol, controlled substances, or other gross misdemeanors or felonies
• Driving while license is suspended or revoked
• Eluding an officer of the law
• Possession of open container of alcoholic beverage

Required Question

Employer King County Housing Authority

Address 600 Andover Park West

Tukwila, Washington, 98188

Phone 206-574-1100

Website http://www.kcha.org