Description
DEPARTMENT: SOCIAL SERVICES
TITLE OF POSITION: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES- OFFICE OF COUNSEL
LOCATION: RATH BUILIDING-95 FRANKLIN ST.
JOB GROUP: JG 17 (STARTING ANNUAL SALARY RANGE –$103,530-$134,453)
The work involves the directing of the legal and quasi-legal operations of the Department of Social Services. Working under the direction of the Commissioner of Social Services the incumbent directs and manages the legal affairs of the Department, including the division performing legal or quasi-legal functions or investigative functions. The incumbent has the authority to act for the Commissioner in his/her absence in all legal matters. Direct supervision is exercised over professional and administrative employees. Does related work as required.
TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES:
- Directs the planning, organization and implementation of the legal affairs of a large, complex social services agency, including the formulation of operating policies, legal opinions; plans to assure compliance with applicable laws and regulations; and analyses of strategies involving the legal affairs of the department.
- Directs and administers as assigned the functioning of the following: Office of Counsel, Child Support Enforcement, Fair Hearings and Appeals, Medicaid Enforcement and Client Resource, Youth Services and Youth Detention, and the Special Investigation, Fraud, Legal Advocacy for the Disabled, Abuse and Neglect, and Contract Compliance Units; Provides direct legal counsel to the Commissioner in all matters of law, rule, regulation, policy and procedure which effect the department.
- Assists in the development of policy and procedures regulating the interdepartmental implementation of laws, rules and regulations.
- Oversees the preparation of legal documents and related activities for all court cases.
- Develops, promulgates and assists in developing and promulgating policies and standards of the department for all institutions, vendors, professional providers and agents.
- Oversees, assists in developing, negotiating and executing all contracts involving the department.
- Oversees the legal aspects of the recoveries of monies (child support, fraud, medical, etc.).
- Interprets Federal and State policies, evaluates collection procedures and establishes methods for the collection of all claims, recoveries, and client assets.
- Coordinates all legal actions of the department in its efforts to prevent fraud, over utilization and abuse of the Public Assistance and Medicaid Programs.
- Acts as liaison between the Department and Federal, State and County legal and quasi-legal agencies having a similar responsibility to deter misuse of such programs. These agencies include, but are not limited to the following: Office of the Erie County Attorney, Office of the District Attorney of Erie County, Western Regional Office of Audit and Quality Control of the New York State Department of Social Services, Office of Medicaid Fraud Control of the New York State Attorney General’s Office, and Office of the New York State Medicaid Inspector General.
- Provides legal counsel to and writes legal opinions for the Commissioner and/or the Commissioner’s designees at their direction.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Admission to the Bar of the State of New York and
L.L.B. or J.D. in law from a recognized law school and a total of eight (8) years of legal practice, which includes five (5) years of practice in the area of Family Court Law, and also which included or is supplemented by three (3) years administrative or supervisory experience.
NOTE: Verifiable part-time and/or volunteer experience will be pro-rated toward meeting full time experience requirements
This notice will be posted for the period March 25, 2024 through and including April 3, 2024.
If interested and meet the above qualifications, please send resume to:
Jill Rodriguez
Principal Confidential Aide-Social Services
95 Franklin Street, Room 811
Buffalo NY 14202
Jill.Rodriguez@erie.gov
Erie County is an Equal Opportunity Employer and committed to workplace diversity.
