State of Connecticut Executive Branch

Leadership Associate (Confidential) (5989VR)

$0.01-$478.93 Hourly / $0.00-$0.00 BiWeekly /
$1.00-$999,999.00 Yearly

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In a state agency incumbents in this class participate in a formal development program designed to provide the necessary knowledge and skills to qualify for appointment to a designated managerial or professional confidential class assigned to the MP Pay Plan.

GUIDELINES FOR JOB CLASS USE

This class is to be used as a recruitment and development vehicle for a designated managerial or professional confidential class assigned to the MP Pay Plan. Upon successful completion of the required minimum working test period and development program, individuals should be reclassified to the designated managerial or professional confidential class assigned to the MP Pay Plan.

NOTE: The designated managerial or professional confidential class must be the first level in the managerial or professional confidential series.

This class should be used only in the following situations:
  • New hire to state service or a promotional or lateral opportunity for a current state employee.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Works under the immediate supervision of an employee of higher grade and general direction of a designated manager responsible for coordination and implementation of the development program.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

  • Participates in a formal development program designed to develop the knowledge and skills needed in order to qualify for appointment and advancement to a designated managerial or professional/confidential class; 
  • Performs/learns the duties of the designated function; 
  • Performs/learns leadership skills and develops leadership traits; 
  • Prepares program progress reports; 
  • Attends managerial meetings germane to designated function; 
  • Prepares and gives presentations; 
  • Assists in major projects; 
  • Participates in budget preparation and management; 
  • Attends formal training courses; 
  • May lead special projects; 
  • Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

  • Considerable
    • oral and written communication skills; 
    • interpersonal skills; 
  • Considerable ability to
    • understand and apply state and federal laws, statutes and regulations; 
    • analyze and solve problems; 
    • effect and manage change; 
    • plan for and implement excellent customer service; 
    • learn a new knowledge base in functional area; 
    • learn and apply policy and procedure; 
  • Managerial aptitude.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates must be able to meet the experience and training requirements of the designated class at the completion of the development program.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

  • Prior to appointment to this class there must be an approved managerial or professional confidential designated class identified to which the incumbent will be appointed upon successful completion of an approved development program. Incumbents in this class must meet the experience and training requirements of the identified designated class at the end of the development program.
  • The work schedule for this classification is full-time. Incumbents must work a full-time forty (40) hours per week schedule.
  • Incumbents in this class will be eligible for reclassification to the designated class without competitive examination upon successful completion of the development program and satisfactory service. The length of the development program should be designed around the requirements of the designated class and the prior experience of the incumbent but in no case should be less than one (1) year or exceed three (3) calendar years in accordance with C.G.S. 5-234.
  • All appointments to this class shall be under terms of an approved development program and in accordance with a time schedule approved by the Department of Administrative Services.
  • No additional working test period shall be required upon successful completion of the development program.

APPOINTMENT

If an incumbent in this class does not fulfill the terms of the approved development program and time schedule or fails to qualify for appointment to the designated class upon completion of the specified development program or within three (3) calendar years, the incumbent will be reassigned to an appropriate position, if available. If no appropriate position is available, the incumbent will be separated from state service. Reemployment rights will be determined by prior permanent status in the classified service or permanent status in bargaining unit unclassified titles with reemployment rights in accordance with C.G.S. 5-228(e).

JOB CLASS DESIGNATION

Classified/Non-Competitive

OCCUPATIONAL GROUP

(41)-Trainee Classes-many target occupational areas

BARGAINING UNIT

(03)-CONFIDENTIAL

EEO

(2)-Professional

SALARY INFORMATION

VR 99

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.

CANCELLATION CLAUSE

This replaces the existing specification for the class of Leadership Associate (Confidential) in Salary Group VR 99 approved effective February 12, 2021. (Reviewed in accordance with Connecticut General Statute § 5-200a. Revised to modify content, modernize format and add Acknowledgement section) Final No. 24-159

EFFECTIVE DATE

08/14/2024

ADDENDUM

REQUIRED DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ELEMENTS:

LENGTH OF PROGRAM:
  • This is determined by the experience and training requirements of the designated class and the prior experience of the incumbent. At the completion of the development program incumbents must meet the experience and training requirements of the designated class. The program cannot be less than one (1) year and cannot exceed three (3) calendar years in accordance with C.G.S. 5-234.

IDENTIFICATION:
  • Person(s) responsible for the training and training resources which will be required.

TRAINING PROGRAM OBJECTIVES: 
  • Objectives should list the knowledge, skills and abilities of the target class that the incumbent should have acquired upon completion of the development program. For example:
    • Knowledge of relevant laws, regulations and guidelines;
    • Ability to prepare a budget;
    • Ability to communicate effectively using written and verbal skills.

METHODS: 
  • Methods of achieving objectives should be identified for each knowledge, skill and ability stated in the development program objectives including timeframes to accomplish the objectives and the identification of the trainer. Methods might include any or all of the following:
    • On-the-job training: What specific duties are required to address the knowledge, skills and abilities;
    • In-service training courses: Identify course work and time frames for completion;
    • Professional conferences: Identify relevant professional conferences, anticipated conference dates, expected commitment to conference work activity and/or attendance of conference workshops;
    • College courses or degrees: Identify course work and time frames for completion reading materials; Identify reading assignments as well as time frames for completion;
    • Certifications and/or licenses: Identify relevant certifications and/or licenses.

PROGRAM MONITORING:
  • A statement regarding the frequency of checks on the progress of the Leadership Associate and the individual responsible for monitoring.

COMPENSATION AND OTHER GUIDELINES TO ESTABLISH POSITIONS:

1. SALARY CALCULATION: Appointments to this class shall be five (5) percent below the minimum of the designated class OR the salary of a current state employee, to include all branches of Connecticut state government, if it exceeds that amount up to the maximum of the salary grade of the designated class. 

NOTE: If a current employee is receiving longevity, the current annual salary shall include the annualized longevity prior to the salary calculation.

For appointments of individuals who are currently working a full-time schedule of less than forty (40) hours per week, the annual salary must first be adjusted for scheduled hours difference up to the maximum of the salary grade of the designated class. In circumstances involving the appointment of a part-time individual to this class, the rate of pay may be adjusted to reflect the full-time equivalent based on a forty (40) hour work week up to the maximum of the salary grade of the designated class.

NOTE: Adjustment of the scheduled hours difference, if applicable, must occur prior to adding annualized longevity, if applicable, to the annual salary.

For current state employees, compensation will be in accordance with guidelines for computing salary adjustments set forth by the Department of Administrative Services, Determining Salary Upon Change in Class Manual. When the calculation results in a salary less than the minimum rate of the target class, incumbents in this class shall receive a five (5) percent increase up to the maximum of the salary grade of the designated class between the time they enter the development program and the time they are promoted to the target managerial or professional confidential class. Distribution of this five (5) percent increase shall be at the discretion of the appointing authority and conform with successfully meeting milestones of the development program. However, the first increase cannot be given prior to the successful completion of the working test period and the final increase cannot be given prior to successful completion of the development program. In no case should an individual's salary exceed the maximum position rate of the designated class.

When the calculation results in a salary equal to or greater than the minimum rate of the target class, there will be no increase in compensation from the time they enter the development program, during the development program or upon appointment to the designated managerial or professional confidential class assigned to the MP Pay Plan.

2. Upon entry into this development program, incumbents become managers or professional confidential employees and receive all managerial rights, responsibilities and benefits accordingly.

3. The following managerial competencies may be used as a basis for the development and evaluation of managers or professional confidentials in the program:

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION: 
  • Expresses facts and ideas in writing in a succinct and organized manner.
ORAL COMMUNICATION:
  • Expresses ideas and facts to individuals or groups effectively; 
  • Makes clear and convincing oral presentations; 
  • Listens to others; 
  • Facilitates an open exchange of ideas.
PROBLEM SOLVING:
  • Identifies and analyzes problems; 
  • Uses sound reasoning to arrive at conclusions; 
  • Finds alternative solutions to complex problems; 
  • Distinguishes between relevant and irrelevant information to make logical judgments.
SUPERVISORY ABILITY:
  • Ability to successfully schedule, assign, oversee work of staff, establish performance standards for employee and take corrective measures for implementing those standards.
INTERPERSONAL SKILLS:
  • Considers and responds appropriately to the needs, feelings and capabilities of others; 
  • Adjusts approaches to suit different people and situations.

MANAGING DIVERSE WORKFORCE:
  • Sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender and other individual differences in the workforce; 
  • Manages workforce diversity.
VISION:
  • Takes a long term view and initiates organizational changes for the future; 
  • Builds the vision with others; 
  • Spots opportunities to move the organization toward the vision.
CREATIVE THINKING:
  • Develops new insights into situations and applies innovative solutions to make organizational improvements; 
  • Designs and implements new or cutting edge programs and/or processes.
FLEXIBILITY:
  • Open to change and new information; 
  • Adapts behavior and work methods in response to new information, changing conditions or unexpected obstacles; 
  • Effectively deals with pressure and ambiguity.
DECISIVENESS:
  • Makes sound and well-informed decisions; 
  • Perceives the impact and implications of decisions; 
  • Commits to action, even in uncertain situations in order to accomplish organizational goals, causes change.
LEADERSHIP:
  • Inspires, motivates and guides others toward goal accomplishment; 
  • Coaches, mentors and challenges subordinates; 
  • Adapts leadership styles to a variety of situations; 
  • Models high standards of honesty, integrity, trust, openness and respect for the individual by applying these values to daily behaviors.
CONFLICT MANAGEMENT:
  • Manages and resolves conflicts, confrontations and disagreements in a positive and constructive manner to minimize negative personal impact.
SELF-DIRECTION:
  • Demonstrates belief in own abilities and ideas; 
  • Self-motivated and results oriented; 
  • Recognizes own strengths and weaknesses; 
  • Seeks feedback from others an opportunities for self-learning and development.
INFLUENCING AND/OR NEGOTIATING:
  • Persuades others; 
  • Develops networks and coalitions; 
  • Gains cooperation from others to obtain information and accomplish goals; 
  • Negotiates to find mutually acceptable solutions; 
  • Builds consensus through give and take.
PLANNING AND EVALUATING:
  • Determines objectives and strategies; 
  • Coordinates with other parts of the organization to accomplish goals; 
  • Monitors and evaluates the progress and outcomes of operational plans; 
  • Anticipates potential threats or opportunities.
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT: 
  • Prepares, justifies and/or administers the budget for program area; 
  • Plans, administers and monitors expenditures to ensure cost-effect.

CLASS: 5989VR; EST: 4/24/1997; REV: 8/21/2024;