CA: Senior Associate Counsel ($2500 signing bonus)

Thank you for your interest. If you are a Green Dot employee, please apply using the Career Worklet on the Workday Home Page.

ABOUT GREEN DOT CALIFORNIA
Green Dot Public Schools California is a non-profit network of public charter schools helping to transform the public education system so that ALL students graduate prepared for college, leadership, and life. Our schools are founded on an unwavering belief in the potential of all students, and there are four key elements to our school model that help us unlock the inherent potential in every student we serve: quality teaching and instruction, a college-going culture, a focus on fostering leadership and life skills, and a focus on eliminating barriers to learning. We have 18 schools and over 10,000 students across Los Angeles. Our schools are located in some of the most underserved communities that have been denied access to high-quality educational opportunities, and we seek to prove that it is possible to close the access and opportunity gap that exists between low-income students and their more affluent peers.

What differentiates Green Dot California is our intense focus on truly serving ALL students, our collaboration with reform-minded unions, our work focused on large-scale turnarounds of schools formerly run by the districts, and our ability to take on the toughest challenges with the same public funding received by traditional district schools but accomplishing very different results. Green Dot Californias results are undeniable. Nine of our high schools have been ranked among the top schools in the country. We have three California Distinguished schools and 3 California Gold Ribbon schools, and several of our schools have been recipients of the CORE Districts Academic Growth Awards, which honor schools having the greatest impact on student achievement. Additionally, Green Dots first turnaround, Alain LeRoy Locke College Preparatory Academy, was named Charter School of the Year by the California Charter Schools Association in 2019.

OPPORTUNITY
We are excited to expand Green Dot Californias Legal team. If you are seeking to make a difference in public education, thrive when working with passionate and kind individuals towards a mission, have a can-do attitude, and are experienced in both education law as well as labor and employment law, we encourage you to apply. In this role, you will gain invaluable skills working in a dynamic, team-oriented environment and will collaborate heavily with members across the organization, in particular members of the Legal and Human Resources teams.

RESPONSIBILITIES
Personnel Matters:
> Lead personnel investigations, including school-site investigations regarding allegations of serious employee misconduct, and coordinate with management on resulting personnel decisions; draft investigation reports and employee-discipline notices
> Partner with the Green Dot Human Resources Department to advise on leaves, benefits, and accommodations requests
> Represent management in Green Dots discipline appeal process, including mediations, and arbitrations
> Collaborate with outside counsel handling ongoing litigation in state and federal courts

Labor Issues:
> Participate in bargaining process with classified and certificated employee unions; provide legal advice to management regarding same; draft CBA language and related documents
> Review employee grievances; prepare responses regarding same; oversee related hearings

Student Behavior:
> Respond to urgent school matters as requested (e.g., law-enforcement investigations, parent concerns, custody issues)
> Review student discipline matters, including suspensions and expulsions, and advise management on an ongoing basis

Contracts
> Review contracts (e.g., consultants, vendors, student health services, after-school programs, university partnerships, filming, maintenance, facilities, security, transportation)

Oversight and Compliance:
> Advise management on a variety of issues with an eye towards compliance, mitigating risk, and furthering Green Dots mission
> Review Green Dot policies including the Employee Handbook and Student Policy Manual to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations
> Review new legislation impacting charter schools, advise on revision of policies to ensure compliance with new laws
> Advise management on governance issues, including legal compliance with the Brown Act; prepare board resolutions; review board-meeting minutes

Additional Responsibilities:
> Conduct legal research on a wide variety of issues, including education law, charter school law, personnel matters, labor law, student rights (e.g., search & seizure, free speech), family law, corporate governance and FERPA
> Advise Special Education Department regarding implementation of IEPs and 504 Plans.
Other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS
As an ideal candidate you

> have a J.D. degree from an ABA approved law school, and California Bar admission
> have a minimum of 6 years of experience working in Education law: advising public schools on an array of topics including personnel, labor relations, student discipline, and special education
> possess additional experience in Employment law (a plus): counseling clients on day to day matters; participating in workplace investigations; defending personnel matters before administrative tribunals, state and federal courts
> have experience working with labor associations (a plus)
> possess excellent project management, client relations, writing and oral communication skills
> thrive in a fast-paced environment with frequent changes in priorities
> possess strong interpersonal skills
> are committed to ethical behavior at all levels of the organization
> are an energetic and resilient person with an open and straightforward operating style; someone with a natural and effective teamwork orientation who can work with and gain the trust of personnel at all levels within an organization
> are dependable, humble, have a sense of humor and a rock-solid commitment to Green Dots mission and the communities we serve
> will need to pass a TB test and background check at time of offer
> will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (submission of proof of vaccination will be required)

The information contained herein is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of the duties and responsibilities of the job, nor is it intended to be an all-inclusive list of the skills and abilities required to perform the job.

COMPENSATION
The starting salary range for this position is $131,000 - $157,000, based on education and experience. In addition, the position qualifies for a one-time $2,500 signing bonus, paid in two installments after months 6 and 12 of employment (subject to change).

In addition, Green Dot offers one of the most robust and comprehensive benefits packages in the industry (for both you and your dependents):

> PPO, EPO and HMO choices for medical, dental and vision - including a 100% employee-only paid option (visit https://www.mygreendotbenefits.com/ for more information)
> Employee Assistance Program (100% employer-paid)
> Life and AD&D Insurance (100% employer-paid)
> Optional Term Life & AD&D Insurance
> Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance (100% employer-paid)
> Flexible Spending Accounts (health and dependent care)
> Monthly parking for Central Office-based employees (100% employer-paid)
> Wellness programs and resources
> Financial planning/coaching access
> Optional non-matching 401(k) plan
> Potential for remote work opportunities (occasional or on-going)
> Potential for annual performance-based compensation increases
> Potential for annual bonuses
> Potential for stipend work opportunities
> Approved family care and/or medical leave (unpaid)

Green Dot also offers generous paid time off for an overall work-life balance, while giving employees the opportunity to impact a growing, mission-driven organization that is committed to the success of all students:

> 15 days of paid time off during years 1-3 of service (20 days during years 4-6 and 25 days beyond 6 years of service)
> An additional 15 days (minimum) of paid time off each year for our Winter and Spring breaks* (which include the Christmas and New Years holidays), as well as an additional 10 annual paid holidays (MLK Day, Presidents Day, Cesar Chavez Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July 4th, Labor Day and Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day and Day after Thanksgiving)
3-5 days of paid bereavement leave (if needed)

*May be adjusted annually

Only those applicants chosen for an interview will be contacted and we are looking to fill this position for a March 1, 2024 start date.

Green Dot Public Schools has embedded a diversity, equity and inclusion lens in our organizational culture, as well as in our educational and talent practices. We are committed to hiring those who reflect the diversity of our communities, and we recruit, employ, support, compensate and promote employees, without regard to their actual or perceived race, religious creed (including religious dress or grooming practices), color, national origin or ancestry (including native language spoken), physical or mental disability (including HIV or AIDS), medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital status (including registered domestic partnership status), sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), gender (including gender identity and expression), parental status, age (forty (40) and over), sexual orientation, Civil Air Patrol status, military and veteran status, citizenship, immigration status or any other consideration protected by federal, state or local law. Please note that Green Dot Public Schools California is unable to sponsor any applicant for a temporary or permanent U.S employment-based visa, nor hire any applicant currently holding a temporary U.S. employment-based visa.

Green Dot California Central Office, Los Angeles, CA