THE ORGANIZATION

 

“The California Building Industry Association (CBIA) is dedicated to advocating for policies that enhance housing production of all types, ensuring “Housing for All” while driving economic growth in the construction sector. We recognize the vital role our industry plays in California’s economic strength, contributing over $65 billion in activity and supporting more than 900,000 jobs. Committed to overcoming challenges such as regulatory barriers to home construction, limited access to insurance, and the transition to a cost-effective sustainable energy program, we strive to create a balanced environment that meets housing demand and climate goals at a price consumers can afford. In response to the ongoing housing policy crisis, we are focused on facilitating the development of over 2.5 million homes by 2030 to alleviate the current housing shortage and improve the quality of life for all Californians.”

 

Our client, the California Building Industry Association (cbia.org), is seeking a dynamic new Senior Vice President and General Counsel upon the upcoming retirement of their long-time, esteemed SVP & General Counsel, Mr. Nick Cammarota.   

 

The California Building Industry Association (CBIA) is a statewide trade association, based in Sacramento, representing more than 2,700 member companies including homebuilders, landowners and developers, trade contractors, architects, engineers, designers, suppliers, and industry professionals in the homebuilding, multi-family, and mixed-use development markets. CBIA’s annual budget is $10 million. The nineteen-member staff is effective and long-tenured. Thirteen of the Board’s 51 members sit on the Executive Committee.  

 

CBIA was established in 1943 and is the recognized voice of the homebuilding and land development industry in California. CBIA focuses on all three branches of state government while local building industry associations advocate at city and county governments and the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) covers federal issues in Washington DC. Members of CBIA are also members of local affiliates and the NAHB. CBIA also coordinates very closely with Leading Builders of America, the top 21 largest builders in the U.S., on key state legislative and regulatory policy issues.     

 

CBIA has extensive legislative, technical, and legal programs. In addition to its government affairs department, CBIA provides industry communications, membership services, and a trade show, the Pacific Coast Builders Conference (PCBC), that covers all segments of the industry including suppliers, designers, salespersons, infrastructure, political, environmental, and risk management professionals. The PCBC features an extensive display of product innovations from hundreds of the leading manufacturers and suppliers and a full educational conference with topical keynotes, seminars, and workshops in fields ranging from business strategies to regulatory compliance, marketing, product design, and applied technology.  

 

CBIA established the California Homebuilding Foundation (CHF) in 1978 as an independent 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, representing the state’s homebuilding industry. CHF’s mission is to ensure the continued success of the homebuilding industry through the development of its current and future workforce, funding pertinent research, and honoring exemplary industry leaders. The Foundation (mychf.org) hosts California’s top industry award, the Hall of Fame.  

 

CBIA has been instrumental in furthering state policies that:  

  

* Simplify or eliminate restrictive, costly building regulations and introduce more flexibility into land use decisions.  

 

* Balance the concern for the environment and energy conservation with the need for more attainable for-sale housing, more affordable rental housing, and removing impediments to building legally-defined affordable housing.  

  

* Ensure that reasonable growth and development is both planned for and encouraged.  

  

* Bolster the state's economic growth.   

In recent years, CBIA’s successes have included defeating efforts to impose costly, overly burdensome, inclusionary housing mandates, persuading the California Energy Commission to decrease new energy efficiency standards costs by 70 percent while maintaining a high standard for California housing and launching a coordinated strategic effort to pass a $10 billion school construction bond.  

  

In the future, CBIA will continue to focus on advocating for logical, balanced CEQA reform and strategic, regulatory relief that will continue to spur California’s economic growth and relieve the state’s housing shortage. For 2026, CBIA’s top three issue areas are CEQA, land use, and Prevailing Wage law.

 

THE POSITION

 

CBIA’s Senior Vice President and General Counsel supports CBIA’s lobbying team by drafting, analyzing, providing policy arguments for or against legislation, lobbying, and testifying in committees.  Additionally, this position oversees CBIA’s activities in the courts and state regulatory agencies and staffs CBIA’s General Counsels’ Roundtable.

 

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

 

* Review and analyze bills and their amendments and make position recommendations on them.

* Draft and provide arguments for amendments to bills.

* Provide leadership, analysis, and management to CBIA’s Legal Action Committee.

* (1) Oversee CBIA’s activities in the courts by presenting legal challenges to laws or regulations with statewide impact; (2) seek publication of favorable, or de-publication of unfavorable, court of appeal decisions, or (3) file friend-of-the-court briefs to educate the court on the potential impacts of its decisions on housing consumers and homebuilders. 

* Manage outside counsel within CBIA’s budgetary constraints.

* Provide leadership and direction for CBIA’s General Counsels’ Roundtable. The Roundtable is comprised of homebuilder and land developer in-house counsel and addresses risk management, insurance, labor, construction defect, indemnity, and multi-employer worksite safety and liability issues.

* Plan, organize, and host CBIA’s Select Conference on Industry Litigation (SCIL) conferences. The conferences are tailored to litigators who spend 60% of their time representing developers in land use, environmental, prevailing wage, property rights, development impact fees, development mitigation, exactions, climate change, water quality and supply, air quality, wetlands, protected species, CEQA, initiative and referendum, and similar issues. 

* Oversee CBIA’s engagement with California’s agencies that regulate land use approvals and construction and sale of new homes. Some activities are conducted directly by this position, and some are carried out by CBIA’s consultants who are managed by this position.  Some of the agencies frequently engaged with are the Air Resources Board, the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, CAL FIRE, the Natural Resources Agency, the State Allocation Board, the Contractors State License Board, the Bureau of Real Estate, the State Water Resources Control Board, California Department of Fish & Wildlife, the California Department of Housing and Community Development, the Office of Administrative Law, the Building Standards Commission, the California Energy Commission, the California State Transportation Agency, and the California Transportation Commission, among others.

* Provide policy direction consistent with historical positions to the government affairs team in the broad categories of land use, environmental, tort reform, and labor issues.

* Combine knowledge of current practices in the industry, the causes of those trends, and existing law with an understanding of the political feasibility of the desired goal before choosing which branch of government may be the most appropriate to seek a remedy.

* Advise CBIA on legal issues including contract review, bylaws, amendments, and insurance policies, among others, on an as needed basis.

* Provide legal advice to Primary Members.

 

This is a rare opportunity to assume a leadership position in an influential, statewide, 83-year-old trade organization, representing an industry that plays a significant role in California’s economy. CBIA takes pride in advocating on behalf of people who need housing, of all types, and those who provide housing.  

CBIA is committed to providing “Housing for All” and being advocates for the most cost effective, environmentally friendly housing production techniques while still building attainable housing for middle-class Californians. CBIA leads the state, the nation, and the world in these key policy areas and has fun doing it.

 

EXPECTATIONS FOR THE FIRST YEAR 

 

Major Expectations

* Master the legal, regulatory, and policy landscape affecting California’s building industry

* Establish internal trust and external credibility with stakeholders

* Ensure continuity and stability during transition from outgoing General Counsel

* Develop strategic priorities for litigation, compliance, and advocacy

* Strengthen organizational processes, governance, and risk management

 

30 / 60 / 90 Day Milestones

First 30 Days — Orientation & Immersion

* Shadow outgoing GC extensively to understand active litigation, regulatory matters, legislative priorities, the function and works of the Legal Action GC Roundtable and DRE Committees, CEQA issues, impact fee disputes, labor & employment exposures, and association governance.

* Review all current legal files, contracts, MOUs, Board policies, bylaws, and high-risk matters.

* Map key external stakeholders: member builders, local associations, state agencies (HCD, CARB, SWRCB), legislators, coalition partners, and outside counsel.

* Build internal relationships with senior leadership, policy staff, and communications team to understand CBIA’s strategic direction and current pressures.

* Conduct an initial risk assessment identifying urgent deadlines, pending litigation, and vulnerabilities that require immediate attention.

 

60 Days — Relationship Building & Strategic Assessment

* Meet individually with Board members and major builder members to understand expectations and concerns.

* Evaluate the legal and compliance processes for gaps as needed (e.g., contract management, document retention, conflict-of-interest procedures, governance training).

* Map the annual legislative/regulatory cycle, identifying touchpoints where GC legal strategy must support policy advocacy.

* Recommend refinements to outside counsel usage, legal spending tracking, and litigation strategy.

 

 

120 Days — Transition of Responsibility & Priority Setting

* Assume responsibility for most day-to-day legal operations with outgoing GC shifting to an oversight role.

* Deliver a draft strategic legal roadmap for the next 12–18 months—including litigation strategy, advocacy/legal alignment, compliance priorities, governance upgrades, and risk management improvements.

* Initiate at least one process improvement, such as contract templates, a tracking dashboard, or a legal update cadence for leadership.

* Demonstrate independent leadership at policy meetings, member briefings, and external coalition discussions.

* Prepare transition plan detailing which functions will fully transfer by the six-month mark.

 

 

End of First Six Months — Completion of Transition

* Full handoff from outgoing GC who will transition to an oversight role through 2026, with all active legal matters completely transitioned.

* Established credibility with Board, executive leadership, members, and regulatory counterparts.

* Operational legal department stability with clear workflows, priorities, and communication practices.

* A refined and Board-aligned legal strategy that supports CBIA’s policy, litigation, and advocacy efforts.

 

End-of-Year Accomplishments

1. Strategic Legal Leadership Established

* Successfully executed the legal strategy roadmap.

* Provided clear guidance on CEQA litigation, environmental regulations, land-use challenges, housing-policy impacts, and any high-profile disputes.

2. Improved Governance & Compliance Infrastructure

* Updated bylaws or governance policies (as needed).

* Implemented improved contract management, record-keeping, and compliance processes.

* Delivered Board and staff training on legal and policy issues.

3. Strengthened CBIA Advocacy Efforts

* Aligned legal strategy with legislative and regulatory advocacy.

* Provided legal review of key bills, proposed regulations, and public comment letters.

* Supported coalition litigation or administrative actions advancing CBIA’s policy goals.

4. Effective Stakeholder & Member Relations

* Built trust with major builders, local associations, Board leadership, and external regulators.

* Established CBIA as a legally credible and strategic partner in statewide housing and land-use matters.

5. Risk Mitigation and Cost Management

* Reduced outstanding legal risks through proactive action, settlements (if appropriate), or improved compliance.

* Optimized the use of outside counsel, creating budget transparency and efficiency.

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE (in priority order)

* Eight to ten years of land use law and environmental matters

* Preferred:

o Experience in real estate development/knowledge of homebuilding

o Holistic understanding of the homebuilding process in California, including geographics and judicial differences

o Knowledge of prevailing wage law, environmental regulation, and construction defect law

o Practical knowledge of the legislative process

o Membership or trade association experience; could be as a member

* Will possess a growing understanding of how AI and emerging technologies will impact the building industry

 

COMPETENCIES (in priority order)

* Integrity and loyalty

* Intellectual vigor and curiosity

* Sound judgement

* Persuasive

* Open communicator: a seeker and sharer, ability to simplify legal topics and solicit competing views

* Ability to prioritize

* Ability to work in a small team-oriented environment with a high sense of urgency

* Seeks counsel, manages expectations, and solicits competing points of view

EDUCATION AND CREDENTIALS (in priority order)

* JD

* Active CA Bar license

* Registered Lobbyist (or the ability to become one)

* Preferred: admitted to practice at the US Supreme Court and all courts in California

* Preferred: Member, CA State Bar, Real Estate and Environmental Law Sections

* Preferred: Masters in Public Policy, Urban Planning or similar

 

CULTURE (in priority order)

* Laser-focused on the mission and value of home ownership

* Of service to and inclusive of the members

* Highly professional

* Calm and steady

 

THE COMMUNITY

This position is located in Sacramento, the capital of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. Sacramento is located at the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers and is connected to the San Francisco Bay by a channel through the Sacramento River Delta. The Mediterranean climate is characterized by damp, mild winters and hot, dry summers.  

 

The city of Sacramento is the cultural and economic center of the Sacramento metropolitan area, the fourth largest in California, and the 26th largest in the U.S. Local universities include California State University, University of the Pacific's McGeorge School of Law, and the University of California, in nearby Davis. The UC Davis Medical Center, a world-renowned research hospital, is one of 19 hospitals in the Sacramento region. University of the Pacific is expanding their schools to train dentists and physician assistants, and the California Northstate University Hospital and Medical Center is planning to open north of town. 

 

Sacramento was named in 2024 by Forbes Magazine as the best place to live in California, based on a number of work-life quality measures. As part of the agriculturally rich Central Valley, Sacramento is considered at the forefront of the Farm-to-Fork food movement and is home to more than a dozen certified farmers’ markets. Sacramento is also home to a growing technology startup community, whose innovative nature is being quickly embraced by businesses and nonprofits alike.  

 

The city hosts the NBA Sacramento Kings (CBIA maintains a suite), the Sacramento River Cats, San Francisco’s AAA baseball team, and the Sacramento Republic FC, a USL Professional soccer team. Downtown, the Golden 1 Center, a basketball and entertainment arena, is considered the most technologically advanced stadium in the NBA. And a new 12,000-seat soccer stadium is slated to open in 2027. The Crocker Art Museum was the first public art museum founded in the Western United States and is now one of the leading art museums in California. The metropolitan area boasts more than 200 parks and four public golf courses.  

San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and more than a dozen ski resorts are less than a two-hour drive from Sacramento and the world-renowned Napa Valley is less than an hour away. Sacramento International Airport handles non-stop flights to and from more than thirty, North American destinations, including Hawaii and Mexico. 

For more information, visit the Greater Sacramento Economic Council’s website www.greatersacramento.com.

 

COMPENSATION AND INTERVIEW PROCESS

 

The competitive compensation package includes a base salary of $300,000-$350,000, depending upon experience, plus excellent benefits. Pre-screened, selected candidates will be invited to interview in Sacramento, CA with the Search Committee on Monday, February 23rd, 2026, with second interviews for finalists the following morning.

 

PROCEDURE FOR CANDIDACY

 

For confidential consideration, at your earliest convenience and no later than Friday, February 6th, 2026, please email your chronological resume (to include description and size of current/prior organizations and responsibilities) and compensation expectations to: CBIA-GC@wilcoxcareer.com