Job Specification Details

The Director coordinates and directs all functions and strategic planning for the Office of Professional Regulation (OPR), a division of the Secretary of State responsible for protecting the public from incompetent or unethical practitioners through a system of licensure and/or registration, including the investigation and discipline of unprofessional conduct. OPR oversees licensure and/or registration of 50 professions and approximately 80,000 licensees.  
The Director oversees all aspects of OPR’s operations including licensing, investigations (criminal and civil), inspections, board and advisor administration, rulemaking, policymaking, legislative relations, and administrative operations such as budgeting, staffing, facilities, and information technology. In addition to managing the daily operations of OPR, the incumbent engages regularly with external stakeholders, including the General Assembly and other state agencies. Duties are performed with significant independence under the general direction of the Secretary of State and Deputy Secretary of State. The incumbent directly supervises senior level staff including the chief investigator, chief prosecutor, general counsel, and the deputy director. As Director, the incumbent is part of the Secretary of State’s executive team and represents the Office in leadership initiatives.

Establishes, implements, and maintains an overarching strategic plan and administration for Vermont’s system of professional licensure to ensure that applicants are qualified, complaints of unprofessional conduct are investigated and prosecuted, and standards of practice are well defined, in accordance with 3 V.S.A. § 122. 
Major job duties related to licensing include overseeing the administration of license issuance and renewal; working closely with professional boards to establish and maintain appropriate standard for licensure and professional conduct, directly regulating advisor professions, responding to public inquiries and complaints, maintaining relationships with professionals affected; directing information technology priorities related to the licensing software system, overseeing the inspections program, and effectively communicating with staff and administration.
Major job duties related to enforcement include overseeing the complaint, investigation and prosecution process for an enforcement unit that receives over 800 unprofessional conduct complaints each year. Examples of work include administration of the complaint process; oversight over both criminal and civil investigations, some of which result in the arrest of a licensed professional, oversight over prosecution and discipline, including case management; docket administration and management of administrative hearings, including oversight of contracted administrative law officers; direct regulation of advisor professions concerning qualifications, standards of practice,and enforcement issues; ensuring that staff are adequately and appropriately trained, and strategic planning for efficient operations of the enforcement unit. 
Major job duties related to legal and policy include oversight over the general counsel’s office, including compliance with administrative law, open meeting law and public records law; rulemaking; legislative support; parliamentary and administrative operations of board and advisor meetings; legal and policy support for all OPR units; policy research and report writing; and identification of trends in professional regulation and application to furthering the office mission.
Major job duties related to office administration include human resource management including recruitment, onboarding, discipline and performance evaluations; facilities, including coordination with building management and the Department for Buildings and General Services; information technology, including administration of the proprietary licensing software system, website design and equipment and software management; budget responsibilities including working with administrative services to develop and monitor OPR’s budget including board and advisor budgets, managing OPR operations to keep expenses and revenue within budget, consult with boards annually on their budgets and fees, management of federal grants, presentation of the annual fee bill to the Legislature and implementation of fee changes; setting office-wide goals and strategies for OPR; creating measurable benchmarks for monitoring success; and identifying inefficiencies and improving processes.

Duties are performed largely in a standard hybrid office setting, but occasional travel will require private means of transportation. Some work outside of normal work schedule may be anticipated during the non-legislative session, however, the incumbent is expected to work outside of the normal work schedule during the legislative session (January – May). Appearances at legislative hearings, administrative hearings and meetings with other agencies can be expected. Encounters with licensees, complainants and their representatives may produce stressful situations and strong differences of opinion.

Considerable ability to manage an office of 40 employees, including the ability to manage different types of professionals such as criminal and civil law enforcement agents, prosecutors, docket clerks, case managers, administrative law officers, drafters, research and policy analysts, licensing administrators and administrative personnel. 
Considerable ability to supervise staff, assign work, and ensure adequate performance and completion of work under all areas of programmatic responsibility.
Considerable ability to deal effectively with licensees, employers, and others with a wide variety of different backgrounds, in a courteous and knowledgeable manner through written communication or telephone contact.
Ability to communicate effectively, with staff and the public, both orally and in writing.
Strong inductive, analytical, and deductive reasoning skills.
Understands technological systems and programs; ability to integrate technology into the workplace in an efficient and cost-effective manner to improve office, department, or agency performance.
Ability to understand and apply the statutes, regulations and union contracts governing administrative processes and organizational unit programs.
Knowledge and proficiency in the interpretation of state and federal law, specifically, professional regulation or other administrative licensing functions in state government.
Knowledge of administrative law and disciplinary hearings. 
Considerable knowledge of the legislative process and government operations. 
Ability to work under pressure with a high degree of independence; set and adhere to time constraints.
Ability to determine and establish operating needs, priorities, policies, and procedures.
Ability to plan, direct and coordinate the work of others and to lead groups to consensus, both internally and externally. 
Ability to analyze situations accurately, including transactional and policy problems, to develop, recommend and implement solutions, prepare comprehensive reports, and persuade others to take action.
Ability to conduct investigations into sensitive or controversial issues and render objective findings and recommendations.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships among a variety of professional disciplines, governmental bodies, and the public.
Considerable knowledge of the principles and practices of project management, business analysis, program development and evaluation.
Considerable knowledge of continuous improvement principles and techniques.
Working knowledge of the principles, practices and procedures of business administration including budget development, financial management (financial control/accounting), human resources management, control and inventory, procurement of goods and services, facility management, principles of department organization and theories of organizational development and grant/contract administration.
Working knowledge of reporting and administrative control procedures.

Bachelor's degree AND six (6) years or more of experience at a professional level in the field of law, public policy, or governmental regulation and experience performing, supervising, and managing administrative functions for a moderate-sized office, department, or agency. 

OR

Master’s degree and 3 (three) years or more of experience at a professional level in the field of law, public policy, or governmental regulation and experience performing, supervising, and managing administrative functions for a moderate-sized office, department, or agency.

OR

Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree AND five (5) years or more of professional level experience performing, supervising, and managing administrative functions for a moderate sized office, department, or agency.
 

Experience in licensing, project management, business analysis, business administration, IT, or delivery of other related government services.