Assistant General Counsel

This Role Is Eligible To Be Hybrid And Has Onsite Reporting Located Within Raleigh, NC

This Position Is Exempt Managerial And Is EXEMPT From Certain Provisions Of The State Human Resources Act (GS 126).

The Assistant General Counsel II provides legal and policy guidance to executive leadership within the Division of State Operated Healthcare Facilities (DSOHF). This position supports DSOHF and its Central Office by advising on regulatory compliance, contract development, operational policies, and legal risk management. The role does not litigate but collaborates closely with the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office on matters with legal implications across the division’s healthcare facilities.

This position plays a critical role in ensuring compliance with healthcare regulations and protecting patient rights across a wide network of psychiatric hospitals, developmental centers, neuro-medical treatment centers, and addiction treatment facilities. The work spans privacy law, electronic health record (EHR) systems, billing practices, and program policy development, supporting legal soundness and operational safety across DSOHF programs and services.

Key Duties Include:

• Advise DSOHF Central Office and facilities on legal issues related to regulatory compliance, patient rights, and healthcare operations.

• Draft, review, and negotiate contracts, memoranda of understanding (MOUs), procurement documents, and policy guidance.

• Lead responses to adverse events by coordinating investigations and document reviews, and preparing for potential litigation in collaboration with the Attorney General’s Office.

• Provide legal counsel on the use and governance of electronic health record (EHR) systems and the State Health Information Exchange (HIE).

• Deliver legal training and education to staff on applicable statutes, regulations, and safety protocols.

• Assist with the drafting and interpretation of state and federal legislation and administrative rules.

• Consult on special projects with DHHS Office of the Secretary, Communications, and Government Affairs teams involving public records, legislative tracking, or media responses.

• Maintain systems for tracking compliance indicators, policy gaps, and potential legal exposures across DSOHF.

• Interpret and apply legal frameworks such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), 42 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 2, the 21st Century Cures Act, and CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) standards.

• Coordinate with the DHHS General Counsel and external counsel on legal matters with cross-agency or public visibility.

About the NC Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS):

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is one of the largest, most complex agencies in the state, and has approximately 17,000 employees. It is responsible for ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of all North Carolinians, providing human service needs for special populations including individuals who are deaf, blind, developmentally disabled, and mentally ill, and helping poor North Carolinians achieve economic independence.

About the DHHS Office of General Counsel:

The Office of the General Counsel at the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State provides expert legal guidance, ensuring compliance, transparency, and integrity in all departmental operations. It oversees legal research, rulemaking, contract reviews, litigation coordination, and public records management. While not offering legal advice to the public, it plays a vital role in upholding regulatory standards and supporting the department’s mission.

Compensation and Benefits:

The State of North Carolina offers excellent comprehensive benefits. Employees can participate in health insurance options, standard and supplemental retirement plans, and the NCFlex program (numerous high-quality, low-cost benefits on a pre-tax basis). Employees also receive paid vacation, sick, and community service leave. In addition, paid parental leave is available to eligible employees. Visit website for benefits:https://oshr.nc.gov/state-employee-resources/benefits.

For more information about DHHS:https://www.ncdhhs.gov/

Salary

• $87,849 - $153,736/year

Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities / Competencies

Listed below are the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) associated with the position. These KSAs, along with the minimum education and experience listed, are required in order to be deemed "eligible" for the position therefore you must provide supporting information, within the body of your application, to demonstrate your possession of each KSA listed.
Qualified applicants must possess, and application must clearly reflect work experience that demonstrates the following:

• Proven experience interpreting and applying laws, constitutional provisions, statutes, administrative regulations, or court decisions in healthcare or public service environments.
• Documented experience reviewing and drafting complex contracts and legal memoranda.
• Applied experience coordinating legal responses to incidents involving actual or potential litigation or case review.
  

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

Some state job postings say you can qualify by an “equivalent combination of education and experience.” If that language appears below, then you may qualify through EITHER years of education OR years of directly related experience, OR a combination of both. See https://oshr.nc.gov/experience-guide for details.

Qualified applicants must possess, and application must clearly reflect work experience that demonstrates the following:
Licensed to practice law by the North Carolina State Bar and three years of progressively responsible professional legal experience.

NOTE: GS 114-2 and 114-6 make it the duty of the Attorney General of NC to represent the State of North Carolina in all litigation unless another statute specifically states otherwise.

How to Apply

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is an Equal Opportunity Employer who embraces an Employment First philosophy which consists of complying with all federal laws, state laws and Executive Orders. We are committed to reviewing requests for reasonable accommodation at any time during the hiring process or while on the job. For more information about DHHS: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/.

DHHS uses the Merit-Based Recruitment and Selection Plan to fill positions subject to the State Human Resources Act with the most qualified individuals. Hiring salary will be based on relevant qualifications, internal equity, and budgetary considerations pertinent to the advertised position.

It is critical to our screening and salary determination process that applications contain comprehensive information. Information should be provided in the appropriate areas to include the beginning and ending dates of jobs worked, education with the date graduated, all work experience, and certificates / licenses. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completing this application. Answers to Supplemental Questions must refer to education or work experience listed on this application to receive credit. Degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

• Applicants seeking Veteran's Preference must attach a DD-214 Member-4 Form (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to their applications.
• Applicants seeking National Guard Preference must attach a NGB 23A (RPAS) if they are a current member of the NC National Guard in good standing. If a former member of the NC National Guard, who served for at least 6 years and was discharged under honorable conditions, they must attach either a DD256 or NGB 22.
• If applicants earned college credit hours but did not complete a degree program, they must attach an unofficial transcript to each application to receive credit for this education.
• Applicants may be subject to a criminal background check. All candidates selected for positions considered "Positions of Trust" will be subject to a criminal background check.

Applications for positions requiring specific coursework must be accompanied by a copy of the applicant's transcript. Applicants with degrees not conferred at a United States college or university must attach verification that their degree is equivalent to a similar degree from a U.S. institution. The Office of State Human Resources uses the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) as a referral resource for applicants who need to have their credentials certified as equivalent. For a list of organizations that perform this specialized service, please visit the NACES membership website at https://www.naces.org/members. Transcripts, degree evaluations and cover letters may be uploaded with your application.

NOTE: Applicants will receive communication via email only for updates on the status of their application or any questions on their application. If there are any questions about this posting other than your application status, please contact Talent Acquisition at talentacquisition@dhhs.nc.gov.

To check the status of an application, please log in to your NC Government Job Opportunities account and click "Application Status".

For technical issues with your application, please call the NeoGov Help Line at 877-204-4442. If you have a technical issue with your Government Jobs account, please call their Help Line at 1-855-524-5627. Benefits

NOTE: For temporary, contract or other supplemental staffing appointments: There are no paid leave, retirement or other benefits associated with these appointment types.

For permanent and time-limited appointments:
Eligible employees have benefits that include employee health insurance options, standard and supplemental retirement plans, NC Flex (a variety of high-quality, low-cost benefits on a pre-tax basis), and paid vacation, sick, and community service leave, to name a few. Paid parental leave is available for eligible employees. Some benefits require 30 + hours work/week for participation.