SENIOR ASSOCIATE COUNSEL - 65440

Executive Service

The Division of TennCare is dedicated to providing our employees with a hybrid work environment. All TennCare positions have a combination of work from home and work in the office, which varies by position, department, and business need. You may review the specific expectations with our hiring team. This position requires a background check. Therefore, you may be required to provide information about your criminal history in order to be considered for this position.

Who we are and what we do:

TennCare is Tennessee's managed care Medicaid program that provides health insurance coverage to certain groups of low-income individuals such as pregnant women, children, caretaker relatives of young children, older adults, and adults with physical disabilities. TennCare provides coverage for approximately 1.7 million Tennesseans and operates with an annual budget of approximately $14 billion. It is run by the Division of TennCare with oversight and some funding from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). TennCare's mission is to improve the lives of Tennesseans by providing high-quality cost-effective care. To fulfill that purpose, we equip each employee for active participation and empower teams to communicate and worked collaboratively to improve organizational processes in order to make a difference in the lives our members. Because of the positive impact TennCare has on the lives of the most vulnerable Tennesseans, TennCare employees report that their work provides them with a sense of meaning, purpose, and accomplishment. TennCare leadership understands that employees are our most valuable resource and ensures professional and leadership development are a priority for the agency.

Job Overview:

TennCare is made up of the Tennessee Medicaid program, the Office of eHealth Initiatives, the Strategic Planning Initiatives Group and Cover Tennessee. TennCare's Office of General Counsel (OGC) is responsible for providing legal advice and counsel to all divisions of TennCare. The Contracts Unit within OGC handles a wide variety of government contracting and procurement matters including contract development and negotiation, contract review and interpretation, contract compliance, and general agency support for all pending procurements. The Senior Associate Counsel reports directly to the Deputy General Counsel for the OGC Contracts Unit.

Key Responsibilities:

• TennCare OGC is seeking candidates for a Senior Associate Counsel position. This position will be expected to:
• Supervise an Associate Attorney within the OGC Contracts Unit.
• Provide legal advice, guidance, and interpretation on a wide range of issues involving contracts and government procurements.
• Develop, review, and revise TennCare contracts and procurement documents.
• Assist the Deputy General Counsel and General Counsel during contract negotiations, bid protests, and other stakeholder meetings.
• Build relationships and work collaboratively with senior leadership, counterparts at other state agencies, and contractor representatives to support the agency procurement process.
• Conduct research, provide legal guidance, and manage multiple projects to meet given deadlines as assigned by the Deputy General Counsel.
• Develop and maintain an in-depth knowledge of the procurement and contracting processes.
• This position is a hybrid work schedule and is expected to be in the office at least one day per week or as assigned by the Deputy General Counsel.

Minimum Qualifications:

• A current, valid license to practice law in Tennessee or be eligible for licensure under Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 7, Article X.
• Five years of relevant experience Desirable qualifications:
• Demonstrable communication, legal research, and writing skills.
• Organizational skills, including the ability to prioritize, multi-task, adapt to changing priorities, and manage workload to meet specific deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Strong managerial and interpersonal skills.
• Maintain excellent professional and interpersonal skills and relationships in addition to the ability to take on multiple tasks on a wide variety of complex issues under multiple deadlines.
• Experience working in or with Medicaid, healthcare, or disability-related programs is preferred.
• Experience writing and revising contracts involving public entities is preferred.

Pursuant to the State of Tennessee's Workplace Discrimination and Harassment policy, the State is firmly committed to the principle of fair and equal employment opportunities for its citizens and strives to protect the rights and opportunities of all people to seek, obtain, and hold employment without being subjected to illegal discrimination and harassment in the workplace. It is the State's policy to provide an environment free of discrimination and harassment of an individual because of that person's race, color, national origin, age (40 and over), sex, pregnancy, religion, creed, disability, veteran's status or any other category protected by state and/or federal civil rights laws.