SUPERVISOR OF ENFORCEMENT
Career Family: SUPERVISOR
To land Supervisor of Enforcement 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 doctoral degree is the listed credential, and extra years on the job can be traded for it. The FY2027 range lands between $100,498 and $148,187, and state payroll currently lists 9 people in the title, most of them at Community Affairs.
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 Community Affairs posts its own vacancies directly, often before (or instead of) any civil service exam announcement. 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 9 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $129,353. The agencies employing the most are:
- Community Affairs (9)
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 general direction of a supervisory officer within the Department of Community Affairs, is responsible for administrative enforcement remedies aimed at securing abatement of violations of the regulations, codes, and standards; does other related duties as required.
Examples of work
Directs activities of staff in an enforcement section in the implementation of administrative penalty and injunctive relief pursuant to rules/regulations governing enforcement of the various codes overseen by the department. Establishes and supervises assessment of civil penalties to ensure that they are consistent with the gravity of the particular violations. Meets with owners, operators, contractors, and municipal officials and/or their representatives for the purpose of reviewing the situation, establishing abatement schedules, setting penalties, and/or providing advice. Oversees inspections involved in making determinations as to compliance or violations of codes based on visual or other specific inspection techniques of the obvious physical conditions of the premises. Conducts and/or supervises the conduct of onsite inspections to assess compliance with applicable codes and investigates to substantiate alleged or suspected instances or patterns of noncompliance. Establishes and supervises the operations of procedures designed to make accurate/prompt estimates of the time required to complete abatement of code violations. Establishes and supervises operations of procedures designed to identify and penalize owners found to be in continuing violation of law and regulations. Ensures that assessed penalties are reduced to judgment by supervising preparation of necessary court papers and scheduling court workload in conjunction with the Attorney General's Office. Attends formal hearings and appears as a witness on behalf of the department. Provides technical assistance to officials to ensure corrective measures are taken where ordinances authorizing code enforcement activities are not in compliance with established laws/regulations. Establishes guidelines for preparation of complex/comprehensive investigative reports to ensure that alleged violations are supported by appropriate evidence and that all legal requirements for presentation in court and administrative hearings have been met. Coordinates development of procedures required to facilitate the investigative process with other department supervisors. Prepares regulations, amendments to regulations, and proposed legislation resulting from changes in federal/state laws, rules, and regulations. Interprets regulations, laws, and rules to interested parties in the event of particularly difficult or complex problems. Supervises work operations and/or functional programs and has responsibility for employee evaluations and for effectively recommending the hiring, firing, promotion, demoting, and/or disciplining of employees. Prepares or supervises preparation of clear, technically sound, accurate, and informative reports of inspections/investigations containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations. Supervises establishment and maintenance of compliance related records, reports, 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.
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. SPECIAL TRAINING: Appointees may be required to complete specialized training courses for licensure as an Asbestos Safety Technician and/or Inspector/Risk Assessor.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
Knowledge of documents, methods, and procedures involved in development and operation of corporations and partnerships. Knowledge of documents, methods, and procedures involved in the development, sale, and operation of real estate. Knowledge of rules of evidence and court rules. Knowledge of the Penalty Enforcement Law, lien procedures, and related procedures. Knowledge of pertinent housing laws. Knowledge of the uses and applicability of search warrants, subpoenas, imminent hazard orders, vacate orders, and court orders pertinent to housing and construction code enforcement. Knowledge of management techniques, planning practices/procedures, program analysis, organization principles, and administrative practices. Knowledge of receivership procedures. Knowledge of the organization of state/county/local government and of New Jersey law. Knowledge of methods/procedures to adopt, amend, or repeal ordinances, codes, rules, and/or regulations. Knowledge of relocation laws and regulations. Knowledge of pertinent corporation and partnership law and practices in New Jersey. Knowledge of pertinent public welfare statutes after a period of training. Knowledge of building, housing, and life safety code requirements to ensure health safety and welfare of boarding home residents. Knowledge of time and expense involved to abate violations. Ability to analyze law enforcement problems and develop methods/procedures required to ensure compliance with the law. Ability to comprehend, analyze, and interpret basic law, regulations, and procedures. Ability to prepare and supervise preparation of material for hearings, reviews, determinations, and for use in court. Ability to prepare valid/effective subpoenas and penalty orders and other relevant orders. Ability to analyze and determine significance of complex documents involving all phases of rooming and boarding home enforcement. Ability to develop and maintain a close working relationship with the administration and legal staff of other state agencies involved in regulation of rooming and boarding homes. Ability to organize assigned supervisory, technical, legal, and other work and develop effective work methods in accord with established policies, regulations, and procedures. Ability to prepare and supervise preparation of clear, legally sound, accurate, and informative reports containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations. Ability to estimate time and expense involved in abatement of violations and to establish realistic deadlines by which owners must complete abatement of violations. Ability to review boarding code violation cases and determine appropriate administrative penalties. Ability to organize and carry through legal research studies/projects. Ability to locate and brief court decisions, precedents, opinions, legal citations, and other legal materials. Ability 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 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 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.
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. Nine (9) years of professional experience in the interpretation and enforcement of regulations which deal with construction or housing codes, two (2) years of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity. OR Possession of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university; and five (5) years of the above-mentioned professional experience; two (2) years of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity. OR Graduation from an accredited law school; and three (3) years of the above-mentioned professional experience, two (2) 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
- Supervisory Test Battery (STB) National Learning Corporation · $56.99
- General Supervisor National Learning Corporation · $49.90 · 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.