CHIEF OF BUSINESS SERVICES
Career Family: CHIEF
To land Chief of Business Services in New Jersey you go through the competitive route: you sit an announced exam and the score puts you on the eligible list agencies hire from.
A master's degree is the listed credential, and extra years on the job can be traded for it. The FY2026 range lands between $106,547 and $157,363, and state payroll lists a single employee in the title, at Labor.
How to apply
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Exam
This is an application to sit an exam and be placed on an eligible list for this title, not an application for a specific job. A $35 application fee applies to Non-Public-Safety announcements issued on or after 2026-02-01. There may be no current vacancy behind it, and the list it produces may not be certified for months or years.
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Exam
Open to permanent employees in the competitive division who hold a qualifying lower title in the same unit. A $35 application fee applies to Non-Public-Safety announcements issued on or after 2026-02-01. Like the open competitive exam, this places you on a list; it is not itself a job offer.
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Agency posting
Department of Labor and Workforce Development's employment page may require a click-through to see specific openings. Provisional appointment against a posted vacancy is how most people are actually hired into this kind of title.
Who employs this title
State payroll records show 1 person working under this title. The median actual salary is $131,955. The agencies employing the most are:
- Labor (1)
Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.
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.
Definition
Under the general direction of an Assistant Director in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, oversees the development and administration of activities of the Business Services Program conducted by the Supervising Business Representative and Business Representatives in such areas as business/human resources management, workforce utilization and development, customized training, school construction and English as a second language and literacy grants, assistance to workers affected by mass layoffs/plant closings, youth and workplace apprenticeships; marketing of business services to employers; and coordination of services among various government and community resources to serve employers total business needs in accordance with the Workforce New Jersey One Stop concept of customer service; manages staff and work activities; prepares and signs official performance evaluations for subordinate staff; does other related duties as required.
Examples of work
Directs the work of Supervising Business Representatives and others who supervise lower-level staff to ensure appropriate and timely delivery of business services; assigns work or reviews work assignments and work schedules. Manages activities of supervisors engaged in marketing the workforce development and business services of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development to meet the recruitment and training needs of businesses; provides guidance to staff for the promotion of Workforce New Jersey programs, including the One Stop Center system, and the Business Resource Center. Participates in the planning and development of policies of new and ongoing business services program activities. Manages the grant application process for one or more federal or state funded workforce development grants; reviews applications for compliance with grant requirements and recommends approval/disapproval. Manages the review and analysis of customized training, English as a second language, workplace literacy, school construction, and other workforce development grants and training plans to determine whether they are consistent with federal and state regulations and guidelines; provides recommendations for departmental action. Manages and provides recommendations to the Director and Assistant Director for improving the application process for workforce development grant funds. Represents the Director and Assistant Director at meetings with corporate level personnel and other high-level government officials to promote grants that contribute to the economic vitality of New Jersey. Oversees the review and interpretation of new legislation, regulations, appropriations, and supervises the analysis of potential impact on business services program operations. Develops or provides input to the Assistant Director and Director to develop policy for business services programs. Prepares or reviews and edits complex correspondence, reports, position and policy papers, proposals, requests for proposal, budgets, program activity summaries, and special studies relevant to the states' business services and workforce development initiatives. Represents the Director and Assistant Director at interdepartmental meetings, seminars, conferences, and with high-level business management and organized labor representatives. Negotiates with education authorities to incorporate successful training programs into established curricula in the educational institutions. Manages the work operations and/or functional programs and has responsibility for effectively recommending the hiring, firing, promoting, demoting, and/or disciplining of employees. Provides recommendations and participates in selection of professional and clerical personnel in promotional situations. Hears employee grievances and renders determinations. Manages the preparation of statistical and other reports of program activities. Prepares correspondence. Keeps current with literature, legislation, and other informative material pertaining to programs, functions, objectives, responsibilities, standards, and new developments in employee development and human resources/business management. Delivers speeches and program presentations before various business and industry groups to publicize and explain business services programs. Will be required to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
License
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 the essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
Knowledge of available training facilities and training programs. Knowledge of principles and current developments in the fields of industrial psychology and human resources/business management. Knowledge of principles and techniques of job analysis and job restructuring. Knowledge of the methods used to measure and control employee turnover and absenteeism. Knowledge of varied sources of occupational, industrial, and labor market information and methods of collecting such information. Knowledge of training principles, and the methods used to prepare training materials. Knowledge of the types and sources of economic and human resources data and of methods used to effectively utilize such data. Knowledge of research methodology and statistics. Knowledge of survey techniques and other methods of program evaluation including statistical analysis and presentation. Knowledge of group dynamics and principles and techniques of influencing/persuading others to a point of view. Knowledge of interviewing techniques. Knowledge of occupational and industrial classification systems. Ability to prioritize workload, taking into consideration time factors, resources available, urgency of need, and other factors as appropriate. Ability to plan and supervise projects, studies, and program activities involving multiple variables, frequent troubleshooting, and collaboration of efforts among several entities. Ability to supervise, train, motivate, and coordinate the activities of individuals and demonstrate leadership traits. Ability to manage staff and plan, organize, and implement projects within the unit. Ability to develop and recommend new and revised operational standards for the Department. Ability to handle dissimilar assignments, adapting the approach to the objective at hand. Ability to effectively market all available business services to employers. Ability to interpret federal and state laws, rules, and regulations and apply them to specific situations. Ability to prepare news releases, brochures, and other promotional materials. Ability to provide guidance and recommendations to the Director and Assistant Director. Ability to understand laws and regulations pertaining to labor union activities and operations. Ability to read and interpret complex statistical and technical data. Ability to review and prepare complex training budgets. Ability to prepare detailed instructional procedures for use in meeting Department objectives. Ability to effectively communicate and articulate the objectives of business services programs with officials from companies, governments, and educational and training institutions. Ability to develop questions, take notes, recall details, and organize facts in logical sequence. Ability to write clearly, concisely, and in an organized manner when preparing complex correspondence, grant proposals, and reports. Ability to prepare testimony for presentation at state and federal committees, court-directed hearings, or other fact-finding proceedings. Ability to chair and work with committees at various levels. Ability to speak clearly and effectively to individuals and groups. Ability to research, organize, write, and deliver speeches to various groups. Ability to recognize employer personnel management problems and arrive at possible solutions. Ability to develop or integrate data into new formulations and to draw inferences from them. Ability to solve problems encountered by staff administering Department programs. Ability to oversee the review, monitoring, and evaluation of training programs. Ability to cultivate business relationships and inspire confidence and gain cooperation of customers and others. Ability to keep current with literature, legislation, and other informative material pertaining to programs, functions, objectives, responsibilities, standards, and new developments in employee development and human resources/business management. Ability to direct the establishment and maintenance of records and files. Ability to learn how 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, and 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 if they can perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible. CODES: 32/M32 - MCK 01/24/2024
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. Applicants must meet one of the following or a combination of both experience and education. Thirty (30) semester-hour credits are equal to one (1) year of relevant experience. Ten (10) years of professional experience in the implementation, coordination, or marketing of an employment and training or business services program in a public or private agency, three (3) years of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity. OR Possession of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university; and six (6) years of the above-mentioned professional experience, three (3) years of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity. OR Possession of a master's degree from an accredited college or university in political science, education, economics, psychology, sociology, public administration, business administration, marketing, communications, personnel, human resources management, or related fields; and five (5) years of the above-mentioned professional experience, three (3) years of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity. "Professional experience" refers to work that is creative, analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range and depth of specialized knowledge of the profession's principles, concepts, theories, and practices; and is performed with the authority to act according to one's own judgment and make accurate and informed decisions.
Study guides for this exam
- Management Test Battery (MTB) National Learning Corporation · $52.95
- Manager/Administrator Test National Learning Corporation · $49.95 · general prep, not specific to this title
The Civil Service Commission does not publish official study guides or release past tests. These are independent equivalency guides.