State Program Manager- Appellate Subdivision Attorney (Manager)

State of Connecticut - Department of Revenue Services; Hartford (CT); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The State of Connecticut, Department of Revenue Services (DRS), seeks an experienced attorney to serve as State Program Manager for the Appellate Subdivision. The Manager will oversee daily operations, guide policy, and supervise staff under the Tax Litigation Director and General Counsel.

Hybrid schedule, full-time position based in Hartford. The role requires a Juris Doctor, admission to the CT Bar, and at least nine years of legal practice plus experience leading attorneys and handling

Qualifications

• Nine years of professional legal experience.
• Five years of experience in the practice of law.
• Graduate of an accredited law school.
• Admission to the Connecticut State Bar.
• Experience overseeing and training attorneys and paraprofessional staff.
• Experience in tax law and civil litigation is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Directs staff and operations of the Appellate Subdivision.
• Coordinates, plans and manages program and/or project activities.
• Formulates goals and objectives; develops related policy.
• Interprets and administers pertinent laws; maintains contact with stakeholders.
• Prepares memoranda of law and recommendations on complex protests and legal matters.

Skills

Legal leadership

Tax law

Civil litigation

Legal research

Staff development

Policy formulation

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Job description

Introduction

The State of Connecticut, Department of Revenue Services (DRS), is seeking to hire an experienced attorney to serve as State Program Manager- Appellate Subdivision Attorney (Manager), responsible for managing the day to day operations of the Appellate Subdivision of the Legal Services Bureau under the direction of the DRS Tax Litigation Director and DRS General Counsel.

What We Can Offer You

• Professional growth and development opportunities
• A healthy work/life balance for all employees
• The State of Connecticut is an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer, meaning you may be eligible to have qualifying student loans forgiven after 10 years of service. Click here for more information.
• Visit our NEW State Employee Benefits Overview page!

Position highlights

This position will work under the direction of, and have an opportunity to learn from, the DRS Tax Litigation Director and the DRS General Counsel. The attorney hired to fill this State Program Manager- Appellate Subdivision Attorney (Manager) position will be responsible for managing the daily operations of the Appellate Subdivision.

As a State Program Manager- Appellate Subdivision Attorney (Manager) in the Appellate Subdivision the successful candidate will:

• Manage assigned staff and operations of the Appellate Subdivision;
• Manage the daily operations of the Appellate Subdivision with all aspects of administrative protests;
• Ensure the timely, efficient and orderly progression of administrative protests;
• Conduct ongoing evaluation of Appellate Subdivision goals and objectives to determine compliance with the Appellate Subdivision's charge to timely and equitably review administrative protests;
• Develop policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the Appellate Subdivision objectives;
• Prepare memoranda of law and recommendations regarding the most complex protests and administrative matters.

In this position, you will be exposed to all aspects of Connecticut tax law and associated collections law across all 40+ of Connecticut's state taxes.�

Important: Applicants must be a graduate of an accredited law school, have five years of experience practicing law and be admitted to the Connecticut State Bar.�

This is a full‑time position, 9:00AM-5:30PM, Monday-Friday, located at our office in Hartford, with a hybrid schedule available.

About us

The mission of DRS is to instill public confidence in the integrity and fairness of tax collection; achieve the highest level of voluntary taxpayer compliance; continuously improve agency performance; contribute to the fiscal and economic well‑being of the state; and provide a positive and professional workplace.

The Appellate Subdivision is responsible for reviewing protests filed by taxpayers. Protests allow taxpayers who disagree with decisions of the Department (generally, decisions to assess a taxpayer or decisions to deny a claim for refund) to receive additional administrative review of these decisions. Upon issuance of a final determination by the Appellate Subdivision, taxpayers have the ability to seek review of the Department’s actions by filing an appeal to the Tax Session of the Connecticut Superior Court. As such, the Appellate Subdivision is the first stage of tax litigation in the State of Connecticut.

Selection Plan

All applicants, including rehires and transfers, applying for a position of employment with DRS must:

1. Complete a written statement disclosing whether such applicant has ever been convicted of a crime or whether criminal charges are pending against such applicant. If any charges are pending, the statement must identify the charges and the court in which such charges are pending.
2. Complete and sign an 'Authorization to Conduct Criminal History Record Check'.
3. Be fingerprinted and submit to a background check including a citizenship/residency check to validate eligibility to legally work in the United States.

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In a state agency this class is accountable for planning, organizing and directing an agency program and/or project or directing the development and administration of programs within a division.��

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Receives administrative direction from an administrative official of higher grade.��

SUPERVISION EXERCISED

Directs staff as assigned.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

• Directs staff and/or operations of an agency program and/or project or division;
• Coordinates, plans and manages program and/or project activities;
• Formulates goals and objectives;
• Develops or assists in development of related policy;
• Interprets and administers pertinent laws;
• Provides input or evaluates staff;
• Prepares or assists in preparation of budget;
• Maintains contact with individuals within and outside of agency who might impact on program and/or project activities;
• Serves on committees and/or task forces as required;
• Speaks before professional and lay groups on subjects related to the agency mission;
• Leads the recruitment and hiring of staff, including outreach, interview and selection;
• Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

• Considerable knowledge of
• and ability to apply management principles and practices;
• relevant state and federal laws, statutes and regulations;
• project management;
• principles and practices of business and public administration with emphasis on effective organization, administration and management
• Considerable
• interpersonal skills;
• oral and written communication skills;
• Considerable ability to analyze organizational problems and determine effective solutions.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Nine (9) years of professional experience.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SPECIAL EXPERIENCE

One (1) year of the General Experience must have been in the specific area of assignment.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

• College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
• A Master's degree in business administration, public administration or a closely related field may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.
• Department of Labor: Two (2) years of experience as an Apprenticeship and Training Program Manager may be substituted for the General and Special Experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Must be a graduate of an accredited law school;
• Five (5) years of experience in the practice of law;
• Experience overseeing and training attorneys and paraprofessional staff;
• Experience in tax law, through course work, internship, volunteering, or work experience;
• Experience in civil litigation, through course work, internship, volunteering, or work experience;
• Experience conducting complex legal research and in drafting legal briefs and memoranda.

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

JOIN THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT

Join the State of Connecticut and take your next career step with confidence!

QUESTIONS?

WE’RE HERE TO HELP

Due to high volume, we are unable to confirm receipt or provide status updates directly. For recruitment updates, please check your Personal Status Board and review our Frequently Asked Questions. If you have additional questions about the recruitment process, reach out to Mackenzie Robinson at [e-mail].

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.