DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF APPELLATE PRACTICES AND LABOR RELATIONS

Code: 63694 State Competitive Range: M35 (FY 2027) Work week NL: FLSA exemptOvertime table (4A:3, Appx. A)

Salary: $83,210.1 - $116,476.58/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.

Examples of work

• Supervises the development of rules, regulations and orders that may be required to implement the statutory authority powers and duties of the Civil Service Commission and Civil Service Department.
• Assists in formulating policies and procedures; plans, organizes and directs departmental activities related to appeals of every nature coming before the Civil Service Commission or the President of the Civil Service Commission. This includes plenary hearing appeals arising from discipline by State or local appointing authorities, examination reviews, classification appeals, sick leave injury appeals, affirmative action appeals, grievances and general administrative appeals.
• Assists in formulating related policy and procedure and the hearing program of the Civil Service Commission. This includes responsibility for the administrative support functions of the Commission and the overall supervision of professional and clerical staff responsible for the preparation of Commission meetings and public hearings.
• Reviews hearing reports and decision drafts before submission to the Civil Service Commission and supervises completion of assignments from the Civil Service Commission.
• Reviews formal decisions, orders and reports to assure their compliance with appropriate laws as they affect the administrative and regulatory functions of the Commission to assure that they conform to the established Commission policy and precedents.
• Assists the Director of Appellate Practices and Labor Relations in all activities with respect to labor relations, including: attendance at negotiations or the supervision of staff attending such negotiations; preparation of policy statements and assistance in the formulation of policy by the President or the Commission; and preparation of advisory memoranda to the Department and outside the Departments or agencies with respect to labor relations activities where merit principles are involved.
• Assists in the formulation of legislative policy; coordinates, supervises and revises legislation.
• Assists in planning, organizing and directing all department activity with respect to the drafting of legislation, and implementing rules and policy statements which are issued to State or local agencies by the President of the Commission or the Civil Service Commission.
• Assists the Director of Appellate Practices and Labor Relations in the Director's role as liaison with the Legislature in all matters relating to legislation.
• Prepares advisory replies Interpreting application of Civil Service rules and regulatory matters to guide the Commission and the President of the Civil Service Commission, and departmental divisions In their administrative decisions. Gives verbal advice and holds meetings for that purpose.
• Assists the Director of Appellate Practices and Labor Relations in the Director's role as liaison with the Office of the Attorney General and disposes of requests from that office to this Department. and the Commission. Prepares requests for advice from the President or the Commission to the Attorney General and all other correspondence related thereto. Coordinates litigation with the Deputy Attorneys General assigned to the Department.
• Assists in formulating policy and procedures governing all investigations conducted by the Commission or the President.
• Prepares formal reports; establishes and supervises maintenance of essential records and files.
• As assigned, plans, develops, and supervises the execution of various programs and projects to accomplish the Commission's and Department's immediate and long-term goals; and to satisfy requirements imposed by applicable mandates.
• Coordinates and/or supervises the work activities of an assigned staff to provide optimum outputs. Evaluates outputs to determine levels and quality of productivity; and modifies or directs modification or operating procedures as required.
• Supervises, as assigned, the work operations and/or functional programs and has responsibility for effectively recommending the hiring, firing, promoting, demoting and/or disciplining of employees.
• Acts for the Director on highly complex and sensitive inquiries from the public and State, county, and municipal employees on a variety of issues and problems concerning Civil Service rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Represents the director as well as the Commissioner and top management at various meetings, conferences, etc.
• Acts as interface between the Director and the Office of Administrative Law on complex and sensitive procedures, appeals, litigations, and resolutions.
• 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

Four (4) years of experience in work involving the review, interpretation or drafting of laws, rules and regulations. Three (3) years of such experience shall have included full-time responsibilities as a legal counsel and/or an executive employee in a management position of a public employment merit system agency.

License

Admitted and licensed to the practice of law as an Attorney-at-Law in the State of New Jersey for a minimum of four (4) years.

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 New Jersey Civil Service Act, rules and regulations and their interpretation and application, including cases used as precedents.
• Knowledge of administrative law theory.
• Knowledge of the review, analysis and reporting upon the potential effect of legislation, actual or proposed, upon Department policies.
• Knowledge of the procedures and techniques used in the preparation of advisory opinions based upon the Civil Service Act, related statutes, or Civil Service Rules and Regulations as requested by Department staff and State and local appointing authorities.
• Knowledge of developments in public labor law which may have an effect upon Department policy or labor negotiations, as well as the law, rules, theories, principles and practices of public sector labor relations.
• Knowledge of the formulation and preparation of information and technically correct reports and correspondence.
• Ability to organize assigned work relating to Civil Service law, regulations, hearings and appeals, analyze the varied problems arising therein, and develop appropriate work methods.
• Ability to provide accurate advice to the President, Civil Service Commission regarding existing interpretation of Civil Service law and regulations and related law and their effect upon Department policy.
• Ability to prepare position papers and advisory memoranda pertaining to Civil Service law or related statutes and Civil Service Rules and Regulations as required, including advisory correspondence.
• Ability to direct the reviews of hearing transcripts and exceptions or briefs by parties or attorneys and prepare technical comments thereon.
• Ability to assign and instruct technical and other staff and supervise the performance of their work.
• Ability to meet with the Governor's Council on proposed or pending legislation, direct the monitoring of State and Federal legislation and provide information to legislators regarding bills proposed or of interest to the Department.
• Ability to schedule technical and clerical support for Hearing Officers and the Civil Service Commissioners
• Ability to maintain statistics and collate pertinent legal documents.
• Ability to prepare extensive correspondence in the course of official duties.
• Ability to prepare clear, legally sound, accurate and informative reports of legal and related Department and Commission matters.
• Ability to supervise the maintenance of essential records, reports 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.