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Legal Counsel/Agency FOIA & Privacy Officer (PUBLIC SERVICE ADMINISTRATOR)

State of Illinois
1 hour ago
Full-time
On-site
Springfield, Illinois, United States
$102,000 - $120,000 USD yearly
Counsel

Job Requisition ID: 56159
Opening Date: 05/19/2026
Closing Date: 06/03/2026
Agency: Department of Early Childhood
Class Title: PUBLIC SERVICE ADMINISTRATOR - 37015 
Skill Option: Special License - Illinois Law License 
Bilingual Option: None
Salary: Anticipated Starting Salary $8,500 - $10,000 per month ($102,000 - $120,000 per year)
Job Type: Salaried
Category: Full Time 
County: Sangamon; Cook
Number of Vacancies: 1
Bargaining Unit Code: None
Merit Comp Code: Confidential (Management Bill) Exclusion from RC010 Collective Bargaining Coverage

 

A resume is highly encouraged to evaluate your qualifications and skills as part of your application.  Please attach a DETAILED Resume/Curriculum Vitae (CV) to the MY DOCUMENTS section of your application if you decide to provide one.

 

Position Overview:

Our agency is seeking an experienced and forward‑thinking FOIA and Privacy Legal Counsel to provide expert legal guidance on public records disclosure and the protection of sensitive information. This critical role ensures the agency’s full compliance with federal and state FOIA statutes, privacy regulations, and related legal standards. The Legal Counsel will lead the evaluation of complex records requests, advise leadership and staff on disclosure obligations and exemptions, and implement strategies that balance transparency with rigorous privacy safeguards. The ideal candidate will play a pivotal role in strengthening the agency’s legal integrity, enhancing public trust, and supporting our mission through sound, reliable, and proactive legal counsel.

           

Illinois Department of Early Childhood offers a robust benefit package including:

  • Monday-Friday schedule
  • Health, life, vision, and dental insurance
  • Paid Parental leave
  • Pension Plan
  • Deferred Compensation, and other pre-tax benefit programs
  • Employees earn (12) paid sick days annually
  • (10-25) paid vacation days (based on years of service)
  • Employees earn (3) paid personal days (pro-rated based on start date)
  • (13-14) paid state holidays annually

Work hours and schedule will be mutually agreed upon by supervisor during the onboarding process.

 

Why Work for Illinois?

Working with the State of Illinois is a testament to the values of compassion, equity, and dedication that define our state. Whether you’re helping to improve schools, protect our natural resources, or support families in need, you’re part of something bigger—something that touches the lives of every person who calls Illinois home.

No matter what state career you’re looking for, we offer jobs that fit your life and your schedule—flexible jobs that provide the gold standard of benefits. Our employees can take advantage of various avenues to advance their careers and realize their dreams. Our top-tier benefits and great retirement packages can help you build a rewarding career and lasting future with the State of Illinois.

Essential Functions

  • Serves as Legal Counsel & designated FOIA Officer for the Illinois Department of Early Childhood (IDEC).
  • Serves as the agency's Designated Privacy Officer.
  • Serves as the Open Meetings Act (OMA) Officer for IDEC.
  • Conducts special projects and assists other programmatic staff within IDEC's Legal Division at the direction and discretion of the Deputy General Counsel.
  • Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.

Minimum Qualifications

  • Requires graduation from an accredited law school.
  • Requires Illinois license to practice law.
  • Requires prior experience equivalent to three (3) years of progressively responsible administrative experience in the practice of law.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Prefers one (1) year of experience administering and overseeing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) protocols.
  • Prefers three (3) years of experience as an attorney conducting legal analysis and research.
  • Prefers one (1) year of professional experience as an attorney drafting and providing legal counsel regarding data privacy matters.
  • Prefers three (3) years of professional experience as an attorney working in collaboration with various internal and external entities.
  • Prefers three (3) years of substantive legal writing experience as an attorney.
  • Prefers an Internation Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP) Certificate.

Conditions of Employment

  • Requires a criminal history check through the Illinois State Police.  
  • Requires ability to travel in the performance of duties, with overnight stays as appropriate. Requires appropriate, valid driver’s license.
  • Requires the ability to utilize and maintain state-issued equipment, such as a cell phone, laptop, and other necessary equipment as required.
  • Overtime is a condition of employment, and you may be requested or required/mandated to work overtime including scheduled, unscheduled, or last-minute overtime. This may require the ability to work evenings and weekends.
  • Certain provisions of the revolving door restrictions contained in 5 ILCS 430/5-45 apply to this position. As a result, the employee should be aware that if offered non-State employment during state employment or within one year immediately after ending State employment, the employee shall, prior to accepting any such non-State employment offer, notify the Office of the Executive Inspector General for the Agencies of the Illinois Governor (OEIG) or may be subject to a fine.
  • This position has been found to meet the requirements in section 4A-101 of the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act requiring the occupant/employee to file a Statement of Economic Interest. The Illinois Governmental Ethics Act (5 ILCS 420/4A et seq.) requires certain state officials and employees to file annual Statements of Economic Interest with the Office of the Secretary of State that will be made available for examination and copying by the public. All employees required to file a Statement of Economic Interest are also required to file the Supplemental Statement of Economic Interest with the Executive Ethics Commission. (See Executive Order 15-09) Fines and penalties apply to untimely filings.

The conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description.  

About the Agency

The Illinois Department of Early Childhood (IDEC) was signed into law in June of 2024 with the focus of making early childhood education and care services simpler, better and fairer for families with young children across the state. During fiscal years FY25 and FY26, IDEC will be working through transitioning data, programs and services from three state agencies – the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), – to IDEC in order to be fully operational by July 2026. Illinois strives to be the best state in the nation to raise a family with young children and IDEC is committed to continue putting children and families center while reducing complexities and finding efficiencies in the system and advancing equity.

Work Hours: 8:30am-5pm
Headquarter Location: 313 S 6th St, Springfield, Illinois, 62701 OR 313 S 6th St. Springfield, Illinois 62701
Work County: Sangamon OR Sangamon
Agency Contact: Melissa Long
Email: dec.jobs@illinois.gov
Posting Group: Legal, Audit & Compliance

 

Term Appointment:
Candidates hired into a term position shall be appointed for a term of 4 years and are subject to a probationary period. The term may be renewed for successive four-year terms at the Secretary of the Illinois Department of Early Childhood’s discretion. 

 

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Use the “Apply” button at the top right or bottom right of this posting to begin the application process.

If you are not already signed in, you will be prompted to do so. 

State employees should sign in to the career portal for State of Illinois employees – a link is available at the top left of the Illinois.jobs2web.com homepage in the blue ribbon. 

Non-State employees should log in using the “View Profile” link at the top right of the Illinois.jobs2web.com homepage in the blue ribbon.  If you have never before signed in, you will be prompted to create an account.

If you have questions about how to apply, please see the following resources:

State employees: Log in to the career portal for State employees and review the Internal Candidate Application Job Aid.

Non-State employees: on Illinois.jobs2web.com – click “Application Procedures” in the footer of every page of the website.

State employees should include temporary assignment in the application profile. Temporary assignment verification forms can be uploaded to the Additional Documents section.

 

 

The main form of communication will be through email. Please check your “junk mail”, “spam”, or “other” folder for communication(s) regarding any submitted application(s). You may receive emails from the following addresses:

  • donotreply@SIL-P1.ns2cloud.com
  • systems@SIL-P1.ns2cloud.com