CHIEF STATE OFFICE OF POVERTY AND THE LAW (M31)
Career Family: CHIEF
As an unclassified state title, Chief State Office of Poverty and the Law is filled by appointment, and its published pay band is more of a guide than a fixed grade.
It asks for 3 years of relevant experience. The published schedule for this title runs $68,455 to $95,846, but it is frozen at an older rate and these titles are typically paid off-schedule, so actual pay is often higher.
How to apply
This title is not filled by examination — agencies appoint directly.
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See where to apply for this title →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.
Examples of work
- Supervises and gives direction to the work of the Legal Services staff engaged in providing technical assistance to local projects.
- Maintains a working contact with all State agencies and officials whose responsibility lies with the poor and underprivileged.
- Presents publicly the position of Legal Services attorneys in the State on significant issues relating to the poor.
- Administers State aid funds designated for the support of local Legal Services projects.
- Is responsible for coordinating appeals from the State Legal Service Project.
- Analyzes all bills introduced in current legislative sessions to determine which bills might have a special impact on the poverty population.
- Recommends and coordinates the Project Director's appearances at public hearings conducted by relevant commissions or on proposed regulations affecting the poverty communities.
- Directs the preparation of memoranda, pleadings, briefs, subpoenas, arguments and other legal documents.
- Directs pre-trial preparation, the investigation of reports, the taking of dispositions of witnesses, and the conduct of research into cases, opinions and decisions.
- Directs the preparation of abstracts and legal summaries, the preparation of contracts, the disposition of claims and other legal work,
- Supervises the work operations and/or functional programs and has responsibility for effectively recommending the hiring, firing, promoting, demoting and/or disciplining of employees.
- Solicits and drafts legislation relevant to the poverty population.
- Provides a perspective to the Regional Office on the activities and direction of individual projects, which are the subject of Federal evaluations.
- Prepares extensive correspondence in the course of official duties.
- Prepares and supervises the preparation of clear, technically sound, accurate and informative reports of Legal Services matters,
- Supervises the maintenance of the essential records and files.
- Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office or related units.
Experience
Three (3) years of legal experience in a field relevant to the problems of the poverty community, one year of which shall have involved administrative duties
License
Admission to practice as an attorney at law in the State of New Jersey.
Appointees 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 essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
- Knowledge of the State government of New Jersey and of the New Jersey laws pertaining specifically to the Program and its objectives.
- Knowledge of and familiarity with current governmental and problems in New Jersey.
- Knowledge of State and Federal programs relating to the poverty community.
- Ability to assign, instruct and supervise the work of the Legal Services attorney and other staff.
- Ability to prepare drafts of proposed legislation, rules, regulations and opinions concerned with the poverty community.
- Ability to organize, analyze and coordinate legislation affecting the poverty population.
- Ability to establish and maintain liaison with other State department officers, representatives of relevant Commissions, the Governor's Office, and the New Jersey Bar Association.
- Ability to draft extensive correspondence in the course of official duties.
- Ability to prepare and direct staff in the preparation of clear, legally sound, accurate and informative reports containing findings, conclusions and recommendations.
- Ability to maintain the essential Legal Services reports, records and files.
- Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording 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.
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.