Assistant Consumers Counsel

State of Ohio•Columbus, OH

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel, the State’s voice for millions of Ohio residential utility consumers, seeks an employee with a passion for public service to serve as an Assistant Consumers’ Counsel in its Legal Department. This position is an opportunity to help consumers, including at-risk and low-income Ohioans, regarding justice for their electric, natural gas, telephone, and water utility services. Since the legislature created the agency in 1976, we have sought lower utility bills and reliable utility service for residential consumers. At OCC, we put Consumers First.

Requirements

Must have a license to practice law in the State of Ohio.
A minimum of three years or equivalent experience in public utility regulation, with a working knowledge of utility regulation and utility consumer issues is required.
Applicants should demonstrate 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 is expected.
Applicants should have a willingness to work more than forty hours per week, as needed for consumer advocacy, and a commitment to public service.

Nice To Haves

An understanding of utility regulations – that broadly involves rate-setting, service quality issues and policy matters such as the agency’s favoring of effective competitive markets over monopolies for providing services to consumers.

Responsibilities

Provide legal advice to management and the agency director (the Consumers’ Counsel) for leading the Agency’s consumer protection role.
Advocate (litigate and negotiate) the Agency’s consumer protection issues in forums that principally include the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO).
Other forums for consumer advocacy can include the Ohio Supreme Court, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
Services also can include legislative advocacy, where utility regulation and consumer protection are set forth in Ohio law.
Assist with retaining and functionally supervising consultants for this work.
Work well within agency teams and be adept at independent work requiring personal initiative to achieve agency objectives for consumers.

Benefits

Medical Coverage
Quality, affordable, and competitive medical benefits are offered through the available Ohio Med plans.
Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance
Dental, vision, and basic life insurance premiums are free after completed eligibility period.
Length of eligibility period is dependent on union representation.
Time Away From Work and Work/Life Balance
Paid time off, including vacation, personal, and sick leave
11 paid holidays per year
Childbirth/Adoption leave
Employee Development Funds
The State of Ohio offers a variety of educational and professional development funding that varies based on whether you are a union-exempt employee or a union-represented employee.
Ohio Public Employees Retirement System
OPERS is the retirement system for State of Ohio employees.
The employee contributes 10% of their salary towards their retirement.
The employer contributes an amount equal to 14% of the employee’s salary.
Deferred Compensation
The Ohio Deferred Compensation program is a 457(b) voluntary retirement savings plan.
Free Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance premiums after completion of eligibility period
Paid time off, including vacation, personal, sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year
Childbirth, Adoption, and Foster Care leave
Education and Development Opportunities (Employee Development Funds, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and more)
Public Retirement Systems ( such as OPERS, STRS, SERS, and HPRS ) & Optional Deferred Compensation ( Ohio Deferred Compensation )