Director of Government and Public Affairs - Career Executive

Are you seeking a rewarding and challenging career? Bring your leadership skills to the Wisconsin State Public Defenders Office (SPD) and make a difference in the lives of Wisconsin residents! OSPD is currently recruiting to fill one full-time Director of Government and Public Affairs (Legislative Liaison classification) to work in our Madison Administrative headquarters.

SPD's mission is to enhance the quality of justice throughout Wisconsin by providing high-quality, cost-effective representation to indigent clients, protecting the rights of accused individuals, and by serving as advocates for effective defense services and a rational criminal justice system. At SPD, we are committed to diversity in hiring, retention, and career development. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status. To learn more, visit our website at http://wispd.gov.

What We Offer: This is an excellent opportunity to develop a meaningful and rewarding career with the SPD. Our employees have access to an excellent comprehensive benefit and compensation package, including access to the region's best health plans, and generous paid time off starting with 3.5 weeks of vacation, 9 paid holidays, and ample sick leave so that you can truly have work/life balance! SPD employees also enjoy participation is one of the nation's top-rated pension plans. Additionally, if you have student loans, you may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. To learn more about the value of SPD's total compensation package, please visit our Total Rewards Calculator.

Why Work With Us? At SPD, we pride ourselves on fostering an inclusive, human-centered and family-friendly culture, where everyone is encouraged to bring their "whole self" to work. Professional development is encouraged and supported, and we offer a wide variety of training opportunities to help you grow in your career. Our leadership's goal is to provide a work environment dedicated to ensuring that each and every staff member is treated with respect and dignity, recognizing each individual's contributions to the team.

Who We Are: SPD provides legal representation for persons who are accused of crimes or are defendants in certain specified civil matters, and who meet statutory financial eligibility criteria. The mission of the SPD is to zealously represent clients, protect constitutional rights, and advocate for an effective and fair criminal justice system. Our commitment is to treat our clients with dignity and compassion, as they are at the center of everything we do.

Under the direction and general supervision of the State Public Defender, this position serves as the Director of Government and Public Affairs for the Office of the State Public Defender (SPD). The Director is expected to develop and maintain effective working relationships with the Governor's Office, legislators, public officials, Supreme Court Justices, judges, state and federal agencies, interest groups, members of the media and the general public. The Director advises the State Public Defender on external relations with policy makers, media, and the public, helping to set the strategic direction and promote the goals, mission, and public image of the agency. This position is also responsible for reviewing proposed legislation, and advocating for the SPD's best interests, and develops the agency's legislative and budget strategies.

Here is a copy of the position description.

The salary for this position is between $31.44 and $51.85 per hour ($65,395 to $107,848 per year). Pay on appointment for current or former state employees may vary based on the applicable provisions in the State Compensation Plan. This position is in Pay Schedule/Range 81-02, and is a Career Executive position. The selected candidate will have to serve a two-year trial period. Salary offered will depend on experience and qualifications. Additionally, salary for current State of Wisconsin employees will be based on rules that apply in the current Compensation Plan.

Permanent classified state employees who are eligible for consideration (transfer, voluntary demotion, or reinstatement) for a position assigned to the stated pay range or counter-part pay range, should complete the application process as described above by the stated deadline.

Final selected candidates may be eligible for moving expense reimbursement to relocate to the place of employment.

Background Check: We consider all qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. A criminal background check will be done prior to an offer of employment.

Eligibility to work in the US: The SPD does not sponsor work visas at the time of hire or anytime during employment. All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete the required Employment Eligibility Form I-9.

Equal Opportunity Employer: The State of Wisconsin is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants from all backgrounds. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.

Veterans: The State of Wisconsin salutes veterans and is grateful for their service to our country. We are committed to helping veterans find employment, and offer a special program for qualified veterans with a 30% or greater service-connected disability through the Veteran's Non-Competitive Appointment process.

COVER LETTER & RESUME: You must submit both documents in order to be considered. It is important that you clearly explain and elaborate on your experience and/or training in your cover letter and/or resume.

Minimum Qualifications (Required – Candidates must have experience and/or training relevant to these areas in order to be considered for this position):

• Legislative, statutory or administrative rule tracking, research and interpretation, including analysis of the impact of proposed legislation on an organization.
• Developing and lobbying for an organization’s position on proposed legislation, including experience with drafting written testimony for legislative presentations.
• Serving as an organization’s liaison on legislative issues with outside political entities and stakeholders, including experience reviewing and responding to congressional and legislative inquiries.
• Communicating orally and in writing with stakeholders with diverse backgrounds and needs (e.g., responding in writing or by phone/virtually to concerns, developing reports, writing policies, drafting talking points, presenting to groups, or similar).
• Ability to build successful working relationships with individuals and organizations with diverse perspectives, goals, and backgrounds. These could include executive leaders and/or executive offices, state or federal legislators and/or legislative offices, the Governor's office, county and judicial officials, or other executive leadership.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working within the legal and/or criminal legal system.
• Experience working with and/or serving as a resource for disadvantaged communities.
• Experience with drafting legislation at the state or federal level.
• Experience coordinating on state or federal legislation with multi-agency impact.
• Researching and analyzing programs, policies, and/or laws then developing policies accordingly.
• Knowledge of the budget process and experience advocating for an organization’s budget.

To apply, click "Apply for Job" to start the application process. That will prompt you to access your existing account or create a new account. You will be asked to attach a resume and a letter of qualifications as part of the application process. It is important that these materials clearly illustrate how your skills and experience relate to the qualifications required for this job. You can also reference the How to Apply to State Service document for more information.

If you encounter issues submitting your online application (e.g. signing in or uploading a resume), please contact the Wisc.Jobs Help Desk at (608) 267-1012 or wiscjobs@wisconsin.gov (Monday - Friday, 7:45am - 4:30pm). You can also reference the Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

Your letter of qualifications and resume are very important parts of your application and are used during our evaluation process to determine your qualifications as they relate to the job. If both of these documents are not submitted, you will not be eligible for consideration. Application materials will not be accepted if received in an email, as a hard copy or a fax.

Materials submitted by all applicants will be evaluated by one or more job experts. Candidates who are deemed eligible will be invited to participate in the next step of the selection process.

We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. If you require an accommodation to apply for this position, please reach out to the HR Specialist listed below.

If you have any questions on this recruitment or how to apply; please contact Monica Endres at endresm@opd.wi.gov

The deadline to apply is 11:59 pm on Tuesday, January 21, 2025.