The council shall engage a commissioner of coastal resources management who shall be an employee of the council and who shall not be a member of the council. The commissioner shall coordinate and liaison with the director of the department of environmental management, and his or her staff shall be at the same staff level as the other commissioners and shall work directly with the other commissioners. The commissioner of coastal resources management shall be in the unclassified service. The duties and powers of the commissioner of coastal resources management shall be determined by the council. The council shall not engage a commissioner of coastal resources management for more than five (5) years; provided, however, that the council may renew its contract with the commissioner of coastal resources management.