Working Title: Manager of Appeals
Job Class: Staff Attorney Supervisor
Agency: Department of Employment and Economic Development
Job ID : 86081
Location : St. Paul
Telework Eligible : Yes, may be eligible for some telework
Full/Part Time : Full-Time
Regular/Temporary : Unlimited
Who May Apply : This vacancy is open for expressions of interest and for all qualified job seekers simultaneously. Expressions of interest should be submitted by 05/13/2025.
Date Posted : 05/07/2025
Closing Date : 05/20/2025
Hiring Agency/Seniority Unit : Department of Employment & Economic Development / MMA
Division/Unit : Paid Family & Medical Leave
Work Shift/Work Hours : Day Shift, 8:00AM - 4:30PM
Days of Work : Monday - Friday
Travel Required : No
Salary Range: $46.91 - $67.01 / hourly; $97,948 - $139,916 / annually
Classified Status : Classified
Bargaining Unit/Union : 216 - Middle Management Association (MMA)
FLSA Status : Exempt - Executive
Designated in Connect 700 Program for Applicants with Disabilities (https://mn.gov/mmb/careers/diverse-workforce/people-with-disabilities/connect700/) : Yes
The work you'll do is more than just a job.
At the State of Minnesota, employees play a critical role in developing policies, providing essential services, and working to improve the well-being and quality of life for all Minnesotans. The State of Minnesota is committed to equity and inclusion, and invests in employees by providing benefits, support resources, and training and development opportunities.
About the Paid Leave Division:
Paid Leave is a new program launching in 2026. The program will provide partial wage replacement to Minnesota workers who are out of work due to a qualifying condition, such as a severe health condition that prevents them from working, or when they need time to care for a family member or a new child.
We are building a program that will be easy for every Minnesotan to use. We are engaging the people who depend on us-workers, employers, caregivers, and insurers-to learn from them and build the program around their needs. We are using modern service delivery and product practices to deliver the program.
The Paid Leave team has high standards and an unrelenting commitment to serving Minnesotans. It is a start-up environment without legacy systems or preconceived ways of working, so we have a unique opportunity to create human-centric processes and systems to deliver this new benefit to Minnesotans.
Position Purpose:
This posting is for two (2) Appeals Manager positions for Paid Leave who will hold critical roles in our organization. Understanding that these roles will work in tandem and serve to back each other, please indicate whether you have a preference for a position.
Appeals Manager, Pre-Hearing Operations: This Appeals Manager will manage a team that performs first-look intake of appeals to determine jurisdiction, legal question, and complexity. This role manages the team in drafting and issuing orders, subpoenas, and manages the preparation of cases for scheduled hearings.
Appeals Manager, Hearing Operations: This Appeals Manager will manage a team of Paid Leave judges that hold de novo due process evidentiary hearings for Paid Leave applicants and employers. This role ensures high quality, prompt decision-making, legal accuracy, and makes sure participants receive a fair hearing experience.
These positions will collaborate dynamically with each other and understand that team cohesion is critical for success. As an Appeals Manager, you may personally handle sensitive cases for the unit (including holding hearings and issuing a decision based on the facts and the law). You will be assisting in the creation of the Appeals team and unit policies and procedures. The Appeals unit will deliver successful appeals capabilities that meet all statutory and legal requirements. Once live, you will manage the day-to-day activities of your team, ensuring timely decision-making with an eye towards efficiency, quality, and ensuring due process. You'll also play a key role in reviewing hearings and decisions for quality and legal accuracy. Reporting to the Senior Manager of Appeals, you're vital to the overall success of our division.
Key Responsibilities:
Lead with Integrity: Provide leadership and development to a team of twelve (12) to twenty-five (25) employees, including Paid Leave judges who are attorneys, legal analysts, and administrative staff.
Own and Develop Appeals Operations: We are building our division from the ground up. Design, build, and lead pre-hearing operations, including assessing incoming appeals for jurisdiction, analyzing cases for order decisions, preparation of case files for hearing, and scheduling hearings OR hearing operations, including training Paid Leave judges on how to conduct due process, evidentiary hearings, write cogent, legally correct decisions, and review reconsideration requests for performance integrity.
Legal Advice: Provide legal advice to Appeals unit team, supporting consistent interpretation of applicable statutes and rules related to Paid Leave.
Quality and Compliance: Review hearings and draft decisions to ensure quality, consistency, and compliance.
Start-up Spirit: We're a start-up within state government; you are excited to play a key role in developing the organization, processes, and systems required to deliver the appeals capabilities for Paid Leave.
This position is telework (https://mn.gov/mmb-stat/policies/1422-telework-2025.pdf) eligible. Staff are provided with the tools and equipment to be successful in a virtual work environment. Please note, the telework policy could change with notice based on business needs.
This posting may be used to fill multiple positions.
Minimum Qualifications
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. Only applicants whose resumes clearly demonstrate fulfillment of each of these minimum qualifications will be considered for this position.
Juris Doctorate from an ABA accredited law school and licensed to practice law in Minnesota in good standing (as of date of application for this position)
AND
Four (4) years of experience in a supervisory, managerial, or leadership capacity overseeing or executing administrative law processes in a law firm, legal nonprofit, or public sector setting; two (2) of those years must include experience conducting legal research, writing, and analysis in a law firm, legal nonprofit, or public sector setting
Applicants that meet the above minimum qualification will be further evaluated on the following:
Experience conducting hearings or inquiries as a neutral fact-finder in an administrative law setting, conducting investigations that result in a written report, or presiding over other matters in a legal or quasi-legal setting
Experience designing new business processes or improving existing processes
Experience coaching, mentoring, and developing staff while building strong, trusting relationships
Demonstrated ability to cultivate collaborative and supportive team relationships, including emotional intelligence
Ability to identify and solve root causes to eliminate recurring issues
Preferred Qualifications
Experience navigating complex statutes and rules
Demonstrated ability to measure and meet operational service level agreements
Knowledge of appeals processes and hearing requirements at scale
Ability to work in a start-up environment where roles will evolve over time based on the needs of the organization
Ability to make decisions with limited or changing information
Our employees are dedicated to ensuring cultural responsiveness. Preferred candidates will have a variety of experiences working effectively with others from different backgrounds and cultures.
Additional Requirements
A job offer will be contingent upon successfully passing a background check. The background check may consist of the following components:
Criminal Background Check
Employment Records Check (current and former State employees only)
Employment Reference Check
Conflict of Interest Review
Driver's License and Records Check
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development will not sponsor applicants for work visas. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the U.S.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is an Equal Opportunity employer/educator committed to the principles of diversity. We prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or membership in a local commission as defined by law. As an affirmative action employer, we actively seek and encourage applications from women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and individuals with protected veteran status.
Reasonable accommodations will be made to all qualified applicants with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability who needs assistance or cannot access the online job application system, please contact the job information line at 651-259-3637 or email careers@state.mn.us . Please indicate what assistance is needed.
