DIRECTOR OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

Code: 03685 State Competitive Range: S29 (FY 2027)

Salary: $95,955.4 - $141,386.2/year FY 2027 schedule (last updated 2026-07-27)

Official job specification

The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.

Definition

Directs the occupational therapy program at a state hospital or institution and supervises an intern training program; does other related duties.

Examples of work

• Plans, and directs the occupational therapy program.
• Prepares work schedules and an intern-training course for students of occupational therapy.
• Provides assignments, instructions and supervision to the therapy staff.
• Plans and administers the occupational therapy course for Psychiatric Technicians and other student groups.
• Trains Therapy staff.
• Plans for the effective utilization of available funds, personnel, equipment, materials, supplies, and space.
• Discusses the needs and progress of individual patients with the medical and psychiatric staffs; ensures that staff administer prescriptions for courses of occupational therapy.
• Speaks with patients to determine their interests and abilities and prepares individual schedules of therapy work.
• Supervises the arrangements for exhibits and sales of articles made by patients.
• Manages the work operations and/or functional programs and has responsibility for employee evaluations and for effectively recommending the hiring, firing, promoting, demoting and/or disciplining of employees.
• Monitors funds used for occupational therapy activities.
• Coordinates the programs and activities of the occupational therapy unit with other units of the hospital.
• Visits occupational therapy classes.
• Confers with unit staff concerning patients' progress.
• Plans and conducts meetings and participates in conferences about occupational therapy.
• Prepares correspondence.
• Prepares and supervises the preparation of reports containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
• Directs the maintenance of records and files. May be required to engage in lifting clients when working in a setting that provides direct services to clients who are non- ambulant, semi-ambulant and/or have severe physical handicaps.
• Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and computerized information system used by the agency, office, or related units.

Experience

Four (4) years of experience in occupational therapy, one (1) year of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity.

License

Applicants must possess a license as an Occupational Therapist issued by the Occupational Therapy Advisory Council, Department of Law and Public Safety.

Appointee will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the duties of the position.

Appointees to positions in day training centers and education facilities identified by the New Jersey Department of Education will be required to possess the appropriate education certification issued by the New Jersey Department of Education.

SPECIAL

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques, of large- scale professional occupational therapy.
• Knowledge of the more common mental illnesses, maladjustments and developmental disabilities, and of the types of occupational therapy best suited to each.
• Knowledge of the problems encountered in the administration of an occupational therapy program.
• Knowledge of occupational therapy materials and equipment.
• Knowledge of the approved standards, methods, and techniques used to administer an intern-training course.
• Ability to direct a large scale program of modern occupational therapy using a variety of specialized equipment in an institution setting.
• Ability to plan and direct an intern training course for occupational therapy students, student nurses, and psychiatric Technicians.
• Ability to train therapy staff.
• Ability to assign, instruct, and supervise therapy staff.
• Ability to efficiently utilize available personnel, funds, equipment, materials, supplies, and space.
• Ability to confer with professional staff and to develop individual programs of therapy for patients according to their prescriptions.
• Ability to identify patients' progress.
• Ability to address lay and professional groups on the subject of occupational therapy.
• Ability to explain the basic objectives of the occupational therapy program to medical and psychiatric interns, student nurses, and other student groups.
• Ability to plan exhibits and sales.
• Ability to prepare detailed correspondence.
• Ability to prepare and supervise the preparation of reports.
• Ability to direct the establishment and maintenance of records and files.
• Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
• Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
• Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform the essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
• CODE: 28/S29 - MCK 9/23/00

Note

The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.

Ability to physically lift, move and position clients as needed.