Introduction

Are you admitted to practice law in the State of CT and looking for an exciting new opportunity to serve your state?

Join us as an Agency Legal Director and positively impact the lives of others!

The State of Connecticut, Department of Public Health (DPH) is seeking a qualified candidate for the position of Agency Legal Director to head the Legal Office which includes a team of 25 attorneys and support staff and will serve as the Legal advisor to the Commissioner, and Deputy Commissioners on statutory authority, regulatory interpretation, risk management and policy development. This is an appointed position and is critical to the Department's ability to comply with federal and state statutes and regulations thereby protecting and promoting public health. Please note you must be a current State of CT employee to be considered for this position (see Selection Plan for additional details).

POSITION HIGHLIGHTS:

• Location: 410 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday
• Work Shift: Full-time, First Shift
• Work Hours: 40 hours per week
  • Depending on agency needs there is an opportunity for a flex and telework schedule after successful completion of the probationary period

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU:

• Visit our new State Employee Benefits Overview page!
• Professional growth and development opportunities
• A healthy work/life balance to all employees

This role will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following:

• Lead other staff attorneys in supporting agency projects and initiatives;
• Perform advanced and complex legal work for the agency;
• Provide input to agency leadership for policy formation;
• Research, interpret, analyze and apply complex and conflicting laws and regulations, case law and legal principles;
• Oversee the agency's contracting and procurement processes; negotiate and draft contracts, data use agreements, memoranda of understand/agreement, and other legal instruments as may be needed;
• Review regulatory decisions and agreements and other related documents for legal sufficiency;
• Consult with the Office of the Attorney General on legal issues;
• Review and edit advisory opinions, rulings, recommendations, legislation, statutes, regulations, publications and other related legal documents;
• Oversee and provide guidance concerning Freedom of Information Act compliance; and
• Provide support and guidance to agency staff for data management and privacy issues.

MORE ABOUT THE AGENCY:

The Mission of the Department of Public Health (DPH) is to protect and improve the health and safety of the people of Connecticut by:

• Assuring the conditions in which people can be healthy
• Preventing disease, injury, and disability
• Promoting the equal enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, which is a human right and a priority of the state.

DPH accomplishes this through the implementation of its Strategic Plan which outlines the actions that DPH is taking to accomplish its Mission.

Selection Plan

This position will be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 5-198 (29) of the Connecticut General Statutes.

Please Note: In order to be considered for this job opening, you must be a current State of CT employee, who has worked for the state for at least six (6) months of full-time service or full-time equivalent service, absent any applicable collective bargaining language, and meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.

FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING:

Check out our Applicant Tips on How to Apply! Need more resources? Visit our Applicant Toolkit for additional support throughout the recruitment process.

BEFORE YOU APPLY:

• Meet Minimum Qualifications: Ensure you meet the Minimum Qualifications listed on the job opening by the job closing date. You must specify your qualifications on your application. The minimum experience and training requirements listed must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
• Educational Credits: List your earned credits and degrees from accredited institutions accurately on your application. To receive educational credits towards qualification, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the contact listed below by the closing date listed on the job posting.
• Resume Policy: Per Public Act 21-69, resumes are not accepted during the initial application process. As the recruitment process progresses, candidates may be required to submit additional documentation to support their qualification(s) for this position. This documentation may include: a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the request and discretion of the hiring agency.
• Preferred Shift/Location: Select all location(s) and shift(s) you are willing to work on your application. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for vacancies in that specific location or shift.
• Timely Submission: All application materials must be received by the job posting deadline. You will be unable to make revisions once you officially submit your application to the State. Late submissions are rarely accepted, with exceptions only for documented events that incapacitate individuals during the entire duration of the job posting. Request exceptions by emailing [email protected].
• Salary Calculations: For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.

• Note: The only way to apply to this posting is via the 'Apply' or 'Apply Online' buttons on the official State of Connecticut Online Employment Center job posting.

AFTER YOU APPLY:

• Some email providers may experience delays or issues delivering messages. To avoid missing important updates-such as referral questionnaires or interview scheduling links-please check your Personal Status Board regularly.
• For added convenience, you can also enable text (SMS) notifications. To do this, log in to your Personal Status Board and select "Update My Contact Information."
• Referral Questions: This posting may require completion of additional Referral Questions (RQs), which must be completed by the questionnaire's expiration date. If requested, RQs can be accessed via an email sent to you after the job close date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section).

• Prepare For An Interview: Interviews are limited to those whose experience and training are most aligned with the role. To prepare, review this helpful Interview Preparation Guide to make the best impression!
• Stay connected! Log in daily to your JobAps Personal Status Board to track your status and check email (including spam/junk folders) for updates and tasks.
• The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
• Note: This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules. Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State employees, available at www.ct.gov/ethics.

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In a state agency this class is accountable for directing the legal staff of the agency and acting as legal advisor to the Commissioner in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General on complex legal issues.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience improving the efficiency of legal operations and managing legal staff
• Experience writing and reviewing legal documents (e.g., legal briefs, memorandums of understanding, agreements, contracts)
• Experience interpreting and applying state and federal laws and regulations
• Experience with legal principles, practices and procedures in Connecticut
• Experience with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act (UAPA)
• Experience with the state legislative process, including drafting legislation

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Incumbents in this class must be admitted to practice law in the State of Connecticut OR meet the qualifications and requirements for admission in accordance with Section 2-13 of the Connecticut Practice Book and obtain membership in the Connecticut Bar within six (6) months of appointment.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.