Assistant General Counsel I

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.

Salary Range: $91,249.00 - $159,686.00

Recruitment Range: $91,249.00 - $130,000.00

Candidates now meet the minimum qualifications of a position if they meet the minimum education and experience listed on the vacancy announcement.

The Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)/ Management Preferences are not required. Applicants who possess the following skills are preferred:

• Experience advising on federal grant compliance under 2 CFR Part 200 (Uniform Guidance), including cost principles, audit requirements, subrecipient monitoring, and pass-through entity obligations.
• Experience handling civil, administrative, or appellate litigation.
• Demonstrated ability to draft legal opinions, memoranda, and regulatory interpretations; experience representing clients before administrative or quasi-judicial bodies.
• Strong legal research and writing skills.

The Office of the Secretary serves as the executive leadership arm of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), guiding the Department’s mission to improve the health, safety, and well-being of all North Carolinians. Through strategic oversight and collaborative leadership, the Secretary’s Office supports the effective coordination of over a dozen core divisions, ensuring that agency-wide priorities are aligned, resources are used responsibly, and services are delivered with equity and impact.

NC Rural Health Transformation Program is a statewide program led by NCDHHS to transform rural health care delivery, improve health outcomes, and ensure sustainable access to care for nearly 3 million rural North Carolinians. The program is funded over five years by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

The main goals of the program are to: 

• Catalyze innovative health care models for rural communities by changing the way providers work together to care for patients in rural NC. 
• Transform the rural care experience, building community-based clinical, behavioral, and social supports close to home. 
• Create a sustainable rural health delivery system through underlying systems changes in rural workforce pipelines and care team models, and rural provider financial models.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is an Equal Opportunity Employer that 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.

In accordance with the Governor’s Executive Order 303, our agency supports second-chance employment for individuals who were previously incarcerated or justice-involved. We invite all potential applicants to apply for positions for which they may be qualified.

Application Process:

Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), DHHS is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, DHHS will ensure that people with disabilities, or known limitations covered by the PWFA, are provided with reasonable accommodation. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact the person indicated below.

If there are any questions about this posting, please contact Talent Acquisition at talentacquisition@dhhs.nc.gov. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completing this application.

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 the Education and Experience Equivalency Guide for details.

Licensed to practice law by the North Carolina State Bar and two 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.

The State of North Carolina is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and dedicated to providing employees with a work environment free from all forms of unlawful employment discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. The state provides reasonable accommodation to employees and applicants with disabilities; known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; and for religious beliefs, observances, and practices.

DHHS Workday Support Form