There is hereby established in the Kansas department for children and families, the state economic opportunity office, the director of which shall be responsible for providing technical assistance and coordination to local, regional and state organizations which operate programs under the provisions of the federal economic opportunity act. The head of such office shall be the director of economic opportunity. The director of economic opportunity shall be appointed by the secretary for children and families. The director shall be in the classified service of the Kansas civil service act and shall receive an annual salary to be fixed by the secretary with the approval of the governor. The person employed as director immediately prior to the effective date of this act shall continue as director and shall obtain permanent status in the classified position of director without examination and without a probationary period and shall retain all retirement benefits which such person had prior to the effective date of this act, and such person’s service shall be deemed to have been continuous.