Job Details:

Job Location: Corporate Rancho Cucamonga - Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Position Type: Full Time

Education Level: Graduate Degree

Salary Range: $300000.00 - $325000.00

Job Shift: Day

Job Category: Legal

Position Summary

The General Counsel serves as the chief legal officer of National Community Renaissance of California and its affiliated entities (collectively, National CORE), providing enterprise-wide legal and risk leadership for a nonprofit affordable housing organization with development, construction, property management, asset management, resident services, and other business activities. Reporting to the Executive Vice President, the General Counsel advises executive leadership and the Boards of Directors on legal risk, corporate governance, strategic decisions, and the legal requirements affecting the organization. The General Counsel must bring intellectual curiosity, strong learning agility, and the ability to work across legal disciplines and business functions. The role requires an attorney who can develop a working understanding of unfamiliar issues, connect legal analysis with operational and financial considerations, and provide practical recommendations. Success depends on sound judgment, effective collaboration, and the ability to determine which matters to handle directly, delegate internally, or address through specialized outside counsel.

Principal Responsibilities

• Enterprise Legal Leadership: Serve as the principal legal advisor to executive leadership and the Boards. Identify material legal risks, present practical options, and provide timely advice on decisions affecting multiple entities or business units.
• Business Partnership and Risk Planning: Serve as a core business advisor to executive leadership and operating teams.
• Corporate Governance and Entity Management: Oversee legal support for nonprofit, corporate, partnership, and limited liability company governance.
• Legal Department Leadership and Development: Lead and develop a growing Legal Department through collaboration, clear expectations, thoughtful delegation, and shared accountability.
• Outside Counsel and Legal Operations: Establish consistent procedures for retaining, managing, and evaluating outside counsel.
• Real Estate Development and Financing: Oversee legal support for acquisitions, dispositions, development, rehabilitation, leases, easements, title matters, and ownership structures.
• Construction and Project Disputes: Oversee legal support for architect and design agreements, construction contracts, change orders, warranties, and project disputes.
• Land Use and Environmental Matters: Coordinate legal advice concerning land use, entitlements, permitting, environmental review, and remediation obligations.
• Portfolio Preservation and Restructuring: Advise on refinancing, resyndication, rehabilitation, partnership exits, defaults, workouts, and preservation of existing assets.
• Commercial Agreements and Business Operations: Oversee negotiation, drafting, and administration of significant commercial agreements.
• Property Management and Resident Services: Provide legal oversight for owned and third-party managed housing operations.
• Employment and Labor Matters: Advise Human Resources and management on employment policies, personnel decisions, wage and hour matters, leave and accommodations, workplace investigations, labor relations, separations, and employment claims.
• Litigation and Investigations: Oversee enterprise litigation, claims, administrative proceedings, and internal or external investigations.
• Compliance and Ethics: Provide legal oversight and guidance for applicable laws, regulations, financing requirements, and contractual obligations across jurisdictions.
• Risk Management and Insurance: Partner with Risk Management, Finance, business leaders, brokers, and insurers to assess enterprise exposure.
• Strategic Transactions and New Ventures: Participate in strategic planning and evaluate the legal implications of acquisitions, mergers, divestitures, joint ventures, restructurings, and new business initiatives.
• Public Funding and Regulatory Matters: Advise on interactions with public agencies, regulators, lenders, investors, and other stakeholders.
• Technology and Information Protection: Oversee legal advice concerning software and technology agreements, intellectual property, confidentiality, privacy, cybersecurity incidents, and records retention.
• Policy Development and Training: Develop and review corporate policies with responsible departments, provide practical training, and improve processes for obtaining legal advice.

Qualifications

J.D. from an accredited law school and active membership in good standing with the California Bar. Demonstrated ability to learn unfamiliar areas of law and business, synthesize information across disciplines, and apply sound legal and business judgment to complex organizational decisions. At least 15 years of progressively responsible legal experience, with substantial experience advising executives and managing complex corporate, transactional, regulatory, or litigation matters. Ability to lead collaboratively, develop people, and build the capabilities of a growing legal team. Experience supervising or mentoring attorneys, coordinating multidisciplinary teams, and improving the delivery of legal services is preferred. Prior General Counsel, Deputy General Counsel, or comparable senior legal leadership experience is preferred. Broad legal experience and the ability to oversee matters spanning corporate governance, commercial contracts, employment, litigation, real estate, financing, construction, property management, compliance, and risk management. Specialized expertise in every area is not expected. Demonstrated ability to work closely with business teams, investigate unfamiliar problems, and turn legal and operational analysis into practical plans with clear ownership and follow-through. Experience in one or more of the following areas is preferred: affordable housing development or finance; public finance; real estate development, ownership, or asset management; construction; property management; or nonprofit organizations. Familiarity with affordable housing programs, tax credits, tax-exempt financing, and related regulatory requirements is helpful. Candidates may bring relevant experience from other industries and demonstrate the ability to apply that experience in National CORE’s operating environment. Ability to counsel a multi-entity organization operating across jurisdictions and translate legal analysis into practical business decisions. Strong negotiation, writing, communication, and analytical skills; demonstrated discretion, independence, sound judgment, and ability to manage confidential matters. Commitment to National CORE’s mission and ability to build trusted relationships with Boards, executives, employees, and external stakeholders.

Core Competencies

• Learning and Cross Disciplinary Capability
• Executive Judgment
• Integrity and Governance
• Collaborative Leadership
• Business Partnership and Problem Solving
• Stewardship and Execution

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

This position primarily operates in a professional office environment and may require travel to National CORE offices, properties, meetings, Board or committee sessions, trainings, and organizational events. The employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

FLSA Status

Exempt