Assistant Consumers' Counsel

Overview

The organization is seeking an Assistant Consumers’ Counsel to serve in its Legal Department. This position provides legal advice to management and the agency director (the Consumers’ Counsel) and supports the agency’s consumer protection role for Ohio residential utility customers.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice to management and the agency director for leading the agency’s consumer protection role
• Advocate for consumer protection issues by litigating and negotiating in forums including:
  • Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO)
  • Other forums may include the Ohio Supreme Court and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
• Support consumer protection efforts that may include legislative advocacy where utility regulation and consumer protection are set forth in Ohio law
• Develop and apply knowledge of utility regulations, including:
  • Rate-setting
  • Service quality issues
  • Policy matters related to effective competitive markets over monopolies for providing services to consumers
• Assist with retaining and functionally supervising consultants for related work
• Work effectively within agency teams and perform independent work requiring personal initiative to achieve agency objectives for consumers

Requirements

• License to practice law in the State of Ohio
• Minimum of three years (or equivalent experience) in public utility regulation, with a working knowledge of utility regulation and utility consumer issues
• Excellence in oral and written communications, including persuasive writing and making technical issues understandable
• Familiarity with work processing programs, online research, and other technology used in legal advocacy
• Willingness to work more than forty hours per week, as needed for consumer advocacy
• Commitment to public service

Compensation & Benefits

• Compensation: $90,000 - $110,000
• Schedule: Permanent - Full Time
• Work Hours: 8:30a - 5:30p M-F
• Classified indicator: Unclassified
• Union: Exempt from union

Benefits (eligibility dependent):

• Medical coverage through available Ohio Med plans
• Dental, vision, and basic life insurance premiums free after completed eligibility period (eligibility period length depends on union representation)
• Paid time off, including vacation, personal, and sick leave
• 11 paid holidays per year
• Childbirth/Adoption leave
• Employee Development Funds (varies based on union-exempt vs. union-represented status)
• Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS): employee contributes 10% of salary; employer contributes an amount equal to 14% of the employee’s salary
• Deferred Compensation: Ohio Deferred Compensation program is a 457(b) voluntary retirement savings plan

Location

• United States

Additional Information

• All job postings will expire at 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the application deadline.

ADA Statement

Ohio is a Disability Inclusion State and strives to be a model employer of individuals with disabilities. The State of Ohio is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.

Drug-Free Workplace

The State of Ohio is a drug-free workplace which prohibits the use of marijuana (recreational marijuana/non-medical cannabis). This position may be subject to additional restrictions pursuant to the State of Ohio Drug-Free Workplace Policy (HR-39), as outlined in the posting.