Director of the Office of Worker Protection

Salary: $125,000 - $140,000, commensurate with experience

How To Apply

Applications are submitted online until the position is filled and/or the posting is closed. After reviewing this job announcement, please click on the link at the bottom of the page to apply online. A resume is required with the application. Further instructions on submission of documents are available in the online application. A resume may not be substituted for an application.

Minimum Requirements

Preferred Qualifications:

• Juris Doctorate Degree and three years of professional legal or managerial experience in human rights, civil rights, labor, employment, and/or social justice; or
• Bachelor’s degree and at least five years of managerial experience in fields related to human rights, civil rights, labor, employment, and/or social justice (Master's degree preferred); or
• An equivalent combination of experience and training.
  
  

Position Summary

Allegheny County is seeking a visionary and strategic leader to serve as the Director of the Office of Worker Protection (OWP). Reporting to the County Manager, this executive-level position is responsible for leading the County’s new worker protection agency, which is tasked with enforcing Allegheny County’s policies, laws, and mandates regarding anti-discrimination, worker protection, workplace benefits, and workplace safety.

Specifically, the Director is responsible for planning, developing, implementing, coordinating, and directing all operations and activities of the Allegheny Human Relations Commission and the enforcement of other worker protection laws in the County. This includes the timely and effective investigation, adjudication, and resolution of complaints (including, but not limited to, discrimination complaints); directing staff; allocating office resources; developing and implementing strategic plans and agency policies; coordinating funding with federal partners; and performing other related work as required. The Director will align these objectives with the County’s mission to deliver efficient, equitable, and citizen-focused services.

Overview

Duties:

Strategic Leadership & Governance

• Develop and implement a county-wide strategic plan to achieve the office’s goals and public service priorities.
• Serve as a strategic partner to elected officials, department directors, external agencies, labor organizations, community organizations, and businesses to advocate for worker protections.
• Develop proactive strategies to reach workers and industries where violations are likely high, but workers face barriers to filing complaints.
• Develop standards and procedures to conduct investigations of complaints, including discrimination complaints, and to monitor the progress of investigations.
  
  

Customer Service & Stakeholder Engagement

• Coordinate with relevant federal, state, county, and local agencies and businesses to ensure compliance with worker protections laws.
• Develop partnerships with labor organizations and community organizations that can reach the workers most likely to experience violations.
• Conduct outreach and education efforts that effectively reach those workers most likely unaware of their rights, as well as small and medium-sized businesses that may be unaware of their legal obligations.
• Create a consistent and rigorous investigatory process that uses all the enforcement tools at the County’s disposal.
• Implement a system for handling complaints to ensure efficient processing and prioritization aligned with the office’s mission.
  
  

Knowledge Of

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Deep understanding of local, state, and federal laws and regulations pertaining to worker protections, including but not limited to the legal and administrative requirements for investigating complaints.
  
  

Skill In

• Microsoft Office Suite.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to balance competing demands in a high-paced environment.
• Strong leadership and change management skills in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills with individuals from various socio-economic, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds.
  
  

Ability To

• Ability to foster innovation and manage competing priorities in a resource-constrained environment.
  
  

Residency: Allegheny County within 1 year.

Veterans' Preference

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER - M/F/V/D

Apply Online