* This position has a flexible work arrangement that may allow for Telework or a mixture of working in our office and Telework.

*This posting is used to fill multiple vacancies.

The incumbent in this role performs research and provides legal advice and strategies to assigned business units of the Department’s Office of Inspector General (OIG), Department staff and counsel whose work intersects with OIG, regulated providers and programs, and the general public regarding application of statutes and rules under the OIG’s jurisdiction. 

This posting covers two positions within the OIG Legal Counsel’s Office.  Each provides legal expertise in an area of focus. 

One position advises the Background Studies Division and other areas of DHS on state and federal requirements for background studies for child care, child foster care, adoption, and related program types. This position will also work closely with the Department of Children, Youth, and Families as issues overlap. 

The other position advises the Background Studies Division and other areas of DHS on legal issues associated with background study systems and vendors. This includes advising on data privacy, state and federal compliance, and related issues involving the NETStudy 2.0 system, fingerprinting vendor, and related processes.  This position will also have primary responsibility for drafting and editing all professional/technical contracts and other agreements related to background study systems and vendors. 

Minimum Qualifications

**To facilitate proper crediting, please ensure that your resume clearly describes your experience in the areas listed and indicates the beginning and ending month and year for each job held.**

• JD degree from an ABA accredited law school;
• Current license and in good standing to practice law in Minnesota;
• At least five (5) years’ experience as a practicing attorney background studies systems and vendors.  An area of law related to the position means the application of Minnesota Statutes Chapter 245C (Background Studies Act) to four or more of the following state and federal laws and regulations: 
  • Child Care Development Block Grant Act (CCDBG) 
  • Adam Walsh Act 
  • Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) 
  • Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA)
  • Native American Children’s Safety Act (NACSA) 
  • FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Security Policy 
  • Minnesota Statutes Chapter 609 (Criminal Code)
  • Minnesota Statutes Chapter 152 (Controlled Substances Act) 
  • Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13 (Government Data Practices Act) 

Experience must demonstrate the following: 

• Strong legal research, analysis, and writing skills;
• Building and maintaining good working relationships with internal and external stakeholders;
• Providing legal advice to executive leadership on diverse and complex human services and data privacy matters; and
• Experience in multiple areas of law.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience drafting and/or editing contracts. 
• Ability to advise on the development of legislation affecting the Background Studies Division and to identify OIG-wide and agency-wide implications.
• Facilitate conflict resolution and ensure competing interests are appropriately balanced.
• Introduce and implement business process changes that will streamline and improve processes.
• Ability to accomplish a range of complex work by maximizing skills and abilities. 
• Strong emotional intelligence, strategic leadership, change management, and diversity equity and inclusion skills.
• Possess analytical skills to assimilate information and apply it in strategic, decision-making processes.
• Analyze business and performance data to identify redundancies, gaps, and inefficiencies.
• Assist staff in developing and completing work plans consistent with the agency’s mission.
• Communicate effectively with a large and varied constituency, including other areas in Department of Human Services (DHS), legislators and legislative staff, the Attorney General’s Office, state local and federal agencies, professional and advocacy groups, as well as the general public.
• Variety of experiences working effectively with others from different backgrounds and cultures.