Overview

POSTING: 62-2024

OPENING DATE: DECEMBER 13, 2024

CLOSING DATE: DECEMBER 27, 2024

TITLE: PRESS SECRETARY – (COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER) WORKWEEK: 35 HOURS (NL)

EXISTING VACANCIES: 1

SALARY: $85,000.00   DIVISION/OFFICE: OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS

OPEN TO NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS
At the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (“Board”), you will be part of a highly effective and collaborative team working to
ensure that safe, adequate, and proper utility services are provided to all members of the public who desire such services.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Under the supervision of the Director of Communications, works closely with leadership and agency senior staff to promote the Board of Public Utilities’ mission, policy priorities, and accomplishments; particularly the state’s leading role when it comes to clean energy and climate change and as the State’s utility regulator. A successful candidate will have demonstrated excellent writing abilities with experience in media relations and/or speechwriting and a keen attention to detail.

  • WORK RESPONSIBILITIES
    Acts as technical advisor to assigned department officials on public information matters.
  • Maintains liaison with the press and public to determine reaction to state policies.
  • Reviews, evaluates, and writes speeches, news releases, and newspaper and magazine Articles.
  • Assists in the preparation of newsletters, brochures, magazines, Web pages, and publications.
  • Acts as BPU spokesperson in response to inquiries from the press for general news and/or emergencies.
  • Coordinates details; attendant to speaking engagements of the Board President and/or BPU staff.
  • Prepares correspondence related to public information matters.
  • Arranges press, radio, television, and magazine interviews and photographing of special events.
  • Serves as one of the liaisons to the Governor’s Office Communications leads.
  • Completes Daily Media Memo and other related work.
  • Maintains media list.
  • Takes proactive measures to gain the interest and secure the cooperation of civil, business, professional and other groups interested in the programs of the BPU.
  • Contributes to special events.

REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications, English,
Journalism or Public Relations or other related field.

EXPERIENCE: Three (3) to Five (5) years’ experience in communications or a public relations and/or public information program in a public or private agency or organization. Demonstrated expert knowledge in communications. Strong writing, editing, grammar and proofreading skills.

GENERAL INFORMATION

BENEFITS: For questions regarding health insurance and other job-related benefits, please direct inquiries to the Department’s
Human Resources Office at the email address provided below.

HOURS OF WORK: The hours of work for this position are Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. All No Limit (NL)
titles will be required to perform work beyond the stated hours of work as needed, in compliance with applicable collective
bargaining agreements and laws.

STATE AS A MODEL EMPLOYER (SAME) APPLICANTS If you are applying under the NJ “SAME” program, your supporting documents (Schedule A or B letter), must be submitted along with your resume by the closing date indicated above. The SAME program allows candidates, who identify as having a significant disability, to apply for non-competitive and unclassified positions through a fast track hiring process. For more information about the SAME program and the Fast Track Hiring program, please click here if you have any questions, please email, or call the contact as indicated on the job vacancy announcement.

TELEWORK: This position may be eligible to participate in the Department’s pilot Telework Program/Policy, which offers eligible employees the opportunity to work remotely up to two (2) days per week, if approved by Management per operational needs, subject to all requirements of the Department’s Telework Program/Policy. For questions regarding Telework eligibility, please ask during the interview process if selected for an interview.

WORK AUTHORIZATION: In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment verification forms upon hire. Selected candidates must be authorized to work in the United States according to the Department of Homeland Security, United States Citizenship, and Immigration Services Regulations. The State of New Jersey does not provide sponsorships for citizenships or Visas to the United States.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS: The “New Jersey First Act,” N.J.S.A. 52:14-7 (L. 2011, Chapter 70) effective September 1, 2011, contains new residency requirements for public officers and employees, unless exempted under the law. Current, new, or prospective employees should be aware of the following: Effective September 1, 2011, all employees of State and local government must reside in the State of New Jersey, unless exempted under the law. If you already work for State or local government as of September 1, 2011, and you do not live in New Jersey, you are not required to move to New Jersey. However, if you begin your office, position or employment on September 1, 2011, or later, you must reside in New Jersey. If you do not reside in New Jersey, you have one year after the date you take your office, position, or employment to relocate your residence to New Jersey. If you do not do so, you are subject to removal from your office, position, or employment.

For more information, visit:
https://www.nj.gov/labor/research-info/njfirst.shtml

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: Qualified candidates are welcome to submit a letter of interest, resume, writing sample, a completed State of NJ Employment Application and Personal Relationships Disclosure Form along with your best contact number and email address to: humanresources@bpu.nj.gov

(Subject line must include the specific job posting number)

If you would like to mail your application, you may send it to the following address:

NJ Board of Public Utilities
Office of Human Resources
44 S. Clinton Avenue
P.O. BOX 350
Trenton, NJ 08625

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

To apply for this job email your details to xaymara.castro2@bpu.nj.gov

About nj.gov/bpu/about/employment/

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities ("NJBPU" or “Board”) is the state agency with authority to oversee the regulated utilities, which provide critical services such as natural gas, electricity, water, telecommunications, and cable television. The law requires the Board to ensure safe, adequate, and proper utility services at reasonable rates for customers in New Jersey.

The Board addresses issues of consumer protection, energy reform, deregulation of energy, and telecommunications services and the restructuring of utility rates to encourage energy conservation and competitive pricing in the industry.
The Board is also responsible for monitoring utility service and responding to consumer complaints.

The Board is considered a quasi-judicial body, meaning that it functions similar to a court or judge. Anyone may file a petition (or a request for action) asking the Board to consider a matter within its jurisdiction. Most often petitions are filed by the utilities, ratepayers, or interested parties, but sometimes the Board will initiate a matter on its own.

Once a petition is filed, the Board decides if it will retain the matter (which will become a case) or send the petition to the Office of Administrative Law (OAL). If the case is sent to the OAL, a judge will make an initial decision that the Board will ultimately accept, reject, or change. Regardless of whether the case is sent to the OAL or retained by the Board, the case goes through a legal process that may involve public hearings, briefs, discovery, and testimony. The parties involved include the petitioner, the Board’s staff, and often the Division of Rate Counsel (the state entity charged with representing the ratepayers and consumers of New Jersey). Others may ask to be involved as an intervener or a participant, but those parties must meet certain standards provided in the regulations (N.J.A.C. 1:1-16.3) to be granted that status.

Members of the public are invited to voice their opinions at public hearings. Public hearings are listed on NJBPU's website and notices of these hearings appear in newspapers. All evidence, arguments, and comments provided at the public hearings are made part of the record to ensure that the OAL judge and/or the Board is making an informed and impartial decision based upon the facts as presented by both sides. It is important that the public provide its input at the public hearings to ensure these comments are included in the record of the case.

The Board then decides the case at one of its public agenda meetings, and will issue an order setting forth the reason for its decision. The Board’s decision may be appealed to the Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court.