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Form of workGrow your career with the State of Indiana! With more than 50 executive branch agencies, the State of Indiana is a diverse workforce offering employees stimulating and challenging projects across a broad scope of career opportunities. As a State of Indiana employee, you impact the well-being of Indiana’s communities every day.
At the State of Indiana, we don’t just talk about diversity and inclusion - Our goal is to create a welcoming, accessible, and equitable workplace, with a workforce that is representative of the State of Indiana population. As a proud equal opportunity employer, reasonable accommodations may be available to enable individuals with disabilities to complete the application and interview process, as well as perform the essential functions of a role.
Next Level benefits at the State of Indiana are here! Be sure to review our expanded benefit package offerings below.
About the Department of Child Services:
Join a team that engages with families and children to improve lives in meaningful and significant ways. DCS engages authentically with children who are victims of abuse or neglect and strengthens families through services that focus on family support and preservation. The Department also administers family preservation and prevention services, foster care, and child support throughout the State of Indiana. You will relentlessly pursue permanency for children and families through reunification, guardianship, adoption or support youth in making a successful transition to adulthood. While this job is difficult and may have long and sometimes unconventional hours, this is more than a job—it is a calling to improve your community and neighbors. Will you join us in supporting our Mission, Vision, and Values?
Mission: The Indiana Department of Child Services leads the state’s response to allegations of child abuse and neglect and facilitates child support payments. We consider the needs and values of all we serve in our efforts to protect children while keeping families together whenever possible.
Vision: Children will live in safe, healthy and supportive families and communities.
Values: We at the Indiana Department of Child Services empower our team, in collaboration with state and local partners, to make decisions in the best interest of every child in our care by embracing:
• Child Safety
• Permanency
• Collaborative partnerships with foster and adoptive families
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• A culture of safety and transparency
• A commitment to continuous improvement
Salary:
This position traditionally starts at an annual salary of $93,002. Salary for this position may be commensurate with education and job experience.
Role Overview:
This position is in charge of the day-to-day legal operations for the legal staff within Region 18. The Region 18 Chief Counsel is the final responsible legal manager in the region, and shares responsibility with the Deputy Chief Counsel(s) for the legal supervision of a team of attorneys and legal assistants. The Chief Counsel duties include: monitoring of timely completion and submission of court orders; providing ongoing training and mentoring for attorneys and legal assistants; reviewing available data for regional output on key metrics; managing caseload assignments for attorneys; conducting court observation; co-chairing or attending contested matters with staff to observe and model appropriate trial skills; and a number of other tasks related to staff supervision. The Chief Counsel is also responsible for developing, and maintaining, positive relationship with courts and other external stakeholders.
The essential functions of this role are as follows:
- Display competency in all areas of litigation conducted at the local office level, including CHINS, TPR, CAPTA administrative appeals, foster care licensing hearings, subsidy matters, and ancillary matters such as guardianship, custody, and adoption.
- Serve as a liaison between Central Office legal management and direct reports.
- Monitor staff caseloads, delegate tasks, and supervise the work of the Deputy Chief Counsel and other direct reports.
- Assist with recruitment; select, onboard, and assist in training of employees to ensure expectations are met and to promote staff development; complete performance management tasks including appraisals and reviews; work with HR and supervision to address staff disciplinary issues as needed.
- Work closely with internal case management partners such as the Regional Manager to build strong legal/case management relationships and work toward mutual permanency goals; communicate with external partners such as Courts, CASA/GAL and public defenders to build relationships and share information which impacts DCS cases such as statutory, appellate or policy changes.
- Advise Department of Child Services staff on various program and legal areas as assigned.
- Identify goals and performance metrics, and monitor metrics identified by the agency to ensure best outcomes for cases on regional caseload.
- Participate in committees, groups, or events such as Continuous Improvement and Lean events.
- Provide input to the Office of the Attorney General regarding regional appeals and appellate briefs.
- Supervise work of contract attorneys if any are assigned within the region.
- Conduct legal trainings for Family Case Managers, attorneys and others as requested; advise and consult with local office attorneys and staff in trial preparation, evidentiary issues, problematic cases and administrative hearings.
- Litigate Child in Need of Services and Termination of Parental Rights matters at the trial court level as needed; handle administrative matters and hearings before OALP as assigned.
- Generate appropriate pleadings, motions and discovery, and responses as needed.
- Provide or organize coverage for any matters that subordinates are unavailable or unable to handle.
- Recruit, select, onboard, and train employees to ensure role responsibilities and expectations are clearly understood while providing opportunities to continue professional development.
- Set expectations, measure progress, provide ongoing feedback, and evaluate the performance of employees. Ensure work adheres to quality standards, deadlines, and proper procedures.
The job profile is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice.
You must meet the following requirement to be considered for employment:
- Doctorate of Jurisprudence and an active Indiana Bar license in good standing is required for this position.
- Thorough knowledge of federal, state, and local laws, rules and regulations related to agency functions and purposes and to assigned program areas.
- Thorough knowledge of Rules of Evidence and Indiana Rules of Court.
- Advanced Knowledge of state's court system and law enforcement agencies.
- Advanced Knowledge of legal resources and procedures.
- Advanced Knowledge of the Rules of Ethics and the Code of Professional Responsibility.
- Ability to communicate articulately for Court proceedings.
- Ability to use tact and empathy when dealing with people of diverse backgrounds.
- Ability to exercise sound judgment while managing crisis situations including those involving aggressive adults being investigated.
- Ability to delegate work, set clear direction, and manage workflow.
- Ability to effectively give feedback, provide guidance or corrective action, coach, and develop employee skillsets.
Benefits of Employment with the State of Indiana:
The State of Indiana offers a comprehensive benefit package for full-time employees which includes:
- Three (3) medical plan options (including RX coverage) as well as vision and dental plans
- Wellness Rewards Program: Complete wellness activities to earn gift card rewards
- Health savings account, which includes bi-weekly state contribution
- Flexible work scheduling options, including the potential for hybrid remote work for employees whose work may be performed outside state facilities
- Deferred compensation 457B account (similar to 401k plan) with employer match
- Two (2) fully-funded pension plan options
- A robust, comprehensive program of leave policies covering a variety of employee needs, including but not limited to:
- 150 hours of paid new parent leave
- Up to 15 hours of paid community service leave
- Combined 180 hours of paid vacation, personal, and sick leave time off
- 12 paid holidays, 14 on election years
- Education Reimbursement Program
- Group life insurance
- Referral Bonus program
- Employee assistance program that allows for covered behavioral health visits
- Qualified employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
- Free Parking for most positions
- Free LinkedIn Learning access
Equal Employment Opportunity:
The State of Indiana is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to recruit, select, develop, and promote employees based on individual ability and job performance. Our policy is to provide equal employment opportunity to all people in all aspects of employer-employee relations without discrimination because of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, or veteran status. We will comply with the spirit as well as the letter of all applicable state and federal laws.
If you are a qualified individual with a disability and require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, you can request assistance by contacting the Indiana State Personnel Department at jobs@spd.IN.gov.
The State of Indiana has established a culture that welcomes equity, inclusion, and opportunity for all employees and applicants. We encourage you to apply if you feel you have the transferrable skills to be successful in this position and we look forward to reviewing your application.
