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State of Connecticut Judicial Branch

Executive Director of External Affairs Date Posted: 03/28/2025
Posting Number: 25-8100-001
Application Deadline: 05/12/2025Employee Benefits

Location:
External Affairs: Hartford

Salary Range: $182,896 - $232,807/year – plus State of Connecticut benefits. New employees begin at the minimum. The starting salary for existing state employees may be higher than the minimum, in accordance with existing Judicial Branch policy.

Employee Benefits:

Top notch array of health and retirement benefits including but not limited to: paid holiday leave, paid vacation leave, paid sick leave, three paid personal leave days per calendar year, group life insurance, 457 Deferred Compensation, voluntary flexible spending account programs, discounted auto and home insurance policies, long term disability, short term disability and hybrid remote work may be available for certain job positions.

Executive Director of External Affairs

Seeking to fill the position of Executive Director of the External Affairs Division. This person oversees the Judicial Branch’s government relations, communications, and community outreach and directly or indirectly supervises 10 employees.

Preferred applicants will possess significant experience with the CT General Assembly, as the Executive Director supervises the Judicial Branch’s legislative liaisons, who are responsible for all legislation affecting the Judicial Branch, including but not limited to: advocating on the Judicial Branch’s behalf; reviewing all proposed legislation; monitoring and tracking proposals that may impact the Judicial Branch; drafting written and oral testimony to advise legislators of proposals that would impact the Branch; soliciting suggestions from judges and employees about possible legislation to enhance court operations; drafting the Judicial Branch’s legislative proposals; and closely monitoring the budget process to ensure that the Judicial Branch receives the funding it needs to meet its constitutional and statutory obligations. The Executive Director is also responsible for assisting judges throughout the reappointment process.

In addition, the Executive Director oversees the Judicial Branch’s communications functions including the primary spokesperson for the Branch, who coordinates and responds to media inquiries; the Judicial Branch’s X account and YouTube page; the drafting, design and coordination of the printing and distribution of resource materials and publications; the drafting of speeches for judges; and the production of the Calendar Call podcast to assist attorneys in meeting their minimum continuing legal education requirements.

The Executive Director also directs the Judicial Branch’s community outreach activities including various public education programs such as the Speakers Bureau, the Civics Academy, Read Across America, Supreme Court Tours and the Experiential Learning Program. This individual may also be called upon to plan and/or assist in coordinating internal and/or external events, such as swearing-in ceremonies.

Due to the nature of this position, the Executive Director primarily works in-office; very limited, situational remote work may be possible.

Preference will be given to those applicants that possess a law degree.

DIVISION: Office of the Chief Court Administrator

CLASS DEFINITION: This class is accountable for planning, coordinating and implementing the programs and operations of the External Affairs division.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED: Receives executive direction from the Chief Court Administrator.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED: Directs the staff of the External Affairs division.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES: Directs the planning, coordination and implementation of complex programs and functions including the Branch’s Website; coordinates Judicial Branch activities with the Executive Branch and other public and private agencies; assumes a central role in development and promulgation of related policies, procedures and goals; coordinates policy application to ensure consistency throughout operations; oversees strategic and operational planning initiatives and resource allocation including determining appropriate staffing levels; designs and implements performance review standards for staff; identifies problems or deficiencies in divisional operations and oversees the development and implementation of solutions; administers budget and directs the assignment of staff and resources as appropriate; prepares comprehensive reports on assigned operations; facilitates and coordinates training initiatives for assigned staff; identifies federal and private funding opportunities; performs related duties as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:
KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY: Considerable knowledge of and ability to apply management principles and techniques; considerable knowledge of relevant state and federal laws, statutes and regulations; considerable interpersonal skills; considerable oral and written communication skills; considerable computer skills; considerable problem solving skills; considerable motivational skills; considerable analytical ability; considerable ability to analyze problems and implement effective solutions.

EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING:
General Experience: A Law degree or a Master’s degree in Business Administration, Public Administration or a related field and ten years of experience in court administration, legal research and writing, legislative process, or research, planning and policy analysis.
Special Experience: Five years of the General Experience must have been in a managerial capacity.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT: Incumbents may be required to travel in the course of their daily work.