What are the responsibilities and job description for the Acting Consumer Advocate position at Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General?
Section: Office of Consumer Advocate
Class: Acting Consumer Advocate
Location: Harrisburg
Telework: This position will report to the headquartered location a minimum of 2 days per week. You may have the opportunity to telework the remainder of the week, if desired and based on business need.
Position Type: Full-time, Non-civil service, Non-Union
Work Hours: 8:30 – 5:00
Salary Range: Commensurate with experience
Basic Function
The Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA) seeks a highly advanced professional, legal and administrative individual to serve as an Acting Consumer Advocate. This position will perform a variety of legal work in the utility law sector by participating in several forums and boards such as the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Energy Department Authority and Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Sustainable Energy Board. The individual in this position will work to develop legal opinions and strategies that protect Pennsylvania utility consumers while strengthening multi-disciplinary skills in accounting, engineering, and consumer protection work.
- Achieves the statutory mission of the OCA to serve as the consumer voice in matters involving the regulation of the utility industry
- Establishes Office policies to further the consumer interest in the utility industries
- Initiates Office participation in matters before the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, similar federal agencies, and state and federal courts
- Reviews and approves legal and policy documents filed by the Office
- Monitors legal case management and completion of the work of the Office
- Develops and presents testimony on topics impacting utility consumers before various committees of the General Assembly
- Responds to consumer, legislative, and press inquiries
- Participates in education forums and other forums regarding utility issues
- Participates by statute on the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority
- Participates by Public Utility Commission Order on the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Sustainable Energy Board
- Participates as the consumer representative on various stakeholder groups at the state, regional, and national level
- Develops and presents the annual OCA budget
- Hires and supervises attorney, management, and administrative staff
- General office administration
- Graduation from an accredited school of law, admission to the Bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, and an unquantifiable degree of progressively responsible legal experience which affords the employee the necessary knowledge
- Knowledge of the regulation of public utilities (electric, natural gas, water, wastewater, and telecommunications) including the legal, policy, and regulatory framework of such regulation as well as the consumer interest
- Ability to work independently in a fast-paced and challenging legal environment
- Strong oral and written communication skills
- Experience in consumer protection, administrative law and policy, or public interest field
