Job Title: Legal Administrator | WMS02
Location: Olympia, WA | This position is primarily remote, allowing the successful candidate to work from home 95-99% of the time. However, the role does require occasional in-person attendance at Headquarters and other designated locations for essential staff meetings and consultations with counsel. As this is a new position, the duties and responsibilities may evolve over time, and the in-person requirements may also change to best meet the needs of the agency and our clients. These in-person requirements are infrequent but are integral to maintaining effective team collaboration and ensuring compliance with legal and organizational standards.
Closes: July 7th, 2024
Salary: $95,520 - $115,400 Annually
If you're looking to make a make a difference, this expert level, lead staff position is assigned to major projects or management and business issues that have agency-wide and statewide impact. This position requires regulatory, litigation, risk, contracts and insurance expertise to analyze federal, state, and local government laws and regulations and to advise on or develop compliant agency programs. Such analysis and advice include making recommendations regarding highly complex, unprecedented issues involving organizational change, process improvement, and policy development. The work product of this position typically has a broad scope and significant impact on outside agencies, institutions, organizations, and businesses. For instance, improvements or newly developed programs may impact thousands of agency staff and businesses throughout the state. This position conducts research and offers expert advice and consultation to agency leadership concerning federal, state, and local regulations as well as guidance on how to develop, manage, or improve agency programs.
Click here to learn more about DCYF.
The Opportunity:
This position will specifically work on planning regulations, rules, DCYF Administrative policies, and division and office program policies. This includes directing staff on writing rules and policies to ensure state and federal requirements are met. This position provides expert advice and direction to department staff at all levels regarding department regulations, contracts, insurance, licensing, and early learning rules and policies. This position independently and actively develops and supports positive, collaborative working relationships with department leadership, headquarters and regional staff, and assistant attorney generals, stakeholders, legislators and legislative staff, and staff within other executive agencies, when needed.
Some of what you will get to do:

• Planning, managing, coordinating, and facilitating activities associated with agency-wide and program legal and regulatory issues and development, implementation, practice memoranda, legislative activities, and other projects. The incumbent is responsible for communicating, coordinating, and consulting with department leadership, headquarters and regional staff, the Attorney General’s Office, and stakeholders.
• Providing regulatory analysis and consultation at the request of program areas to support risk mitigation, agency needs and advance department goals.
• Developing, implementing, and executing special projects as directed by the Legal Officer, Litigation Administrator or Administrative Services Director.
• Providing general recommendations or drafting bills and amendments at the request of Legal Officer, Litigation Administrator, Administrative Services Director, or other department leadership.
• Supports administrative hearings, grievances related to the family childcare collective bargaining agreement, and ECEAP.
• Supports administrative hearings, and other administrative, regulatory and legal supports necessary to support the agencies goals.
• Provide expert legal analysis and recommendations on complex contracting, insurance and procurement issues:
  • Analyze routine and complex contracts, insurance, Memorandums of Understanding (MOU), and other procurement/agreement methods for clarity of language, internal consistency, technical requirements and cost factors to ensure the agency comply with applicable law, policies and procedures.
  • Advise DCYF staff on agency and statewide procurement methods, contract terms, insurance issues, risks, and procurement laws and policies. Participate in the implementation of state policies and laws related to contracts, insurance, risk, mou’s and procurements.
  • Exercise professional judgment and discretion in the use of contract provisions and the mitigation of contracting risk to the state.
  • Provide expertise in an area of focus and cultivate professional relationships within DCYF’s programs related to that area of focus.

Required Qualifications:

• Equivalent education and experience* totaling nine (9) years of progressively responsible, paid, professional experience in law or related fields AND Equivalent education and experience* totaling nine (9) years in in regulatory, contracting, insurance, licensing, or early learning related fields.

OR

• A Bachelor's Degree in law, social science, health, public administration, or related field AND Six (6) years of professional experience* handling regulation, rules, insurance, contracts, licensing and/or early learning AND Six (6) years of professional experience* in planning, administering, developing, or delivering programs in business, public administration, and conducting research and analyzing policies, laws, rules, or regulations.

OR

• A Master’s degree in business, public administration, law or doctor of jurisprudence (JD), or closely allied field AND Three (3) years of professional experience* handling discovery, claims and lawsuits AND Three (3) years of professional experience* in planning, administering, developing, or delivering programs in business, public administration, and conducting research and analyzing policies, laws, rules, or regulations AND Three (3) years progressively responsible experience* in supervision and directing the activities and performance of others.

NOTE*- Years of experience can be gained concurrently.
In addition to those required qualifications, our ideal applicant will also have some or all of the following:

• Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD) is preferred. Desired Experience: • Knowledge of Washington’s Administrative Procedure Act (WAC 34.05).
• Previous early learning, licensing, regulatory, contracts, insurance and/or civil, criminal, administrative hearings, and/or litigation experience preferred.
• Experience interviewing and prepping witnesses for trials/hearings.
• Ability to communicate legalese into layman terms.
• Ability to manage a heavy caseload.
• Excellent negotiation and mediation skills.
• Knowledge of DCYF’s Licensing and/or Early Learning programs.
• Knowledge of State and Federal Contracting, Insurance and Regulatory Frameworks.
• Ability to communicate clearly and succinctly with others.

How do I apply?
Complete your applicant profile and attach the following documents:

• Cover Letter
• Current Resume

Supplemental Information:
The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is committed to Washington’s children and youth growing up safe, healthy, and thriving. We invite all candidates to join us in our mission to create a diverse and equitable workplace that reflects the communities we serve. If you are excited about this role but you believe that your education and/or experience might not align perfectly with every qualification in the job posting, we encourage you to apply anyway.
The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained service animal by a person with a disability.
Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position.If you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment or if you would like to request an accommodation throughout the application/interview process, contact the Steven Loduha (Talent Acquisition Manager) atsteven.loduha@dcyf.wa.govIf you're experiencing technical difficulties creating, accessing or completing your application, call NEOGOV toll-free at (855)524-5627 or email support@neogov.com.
Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may call (360) 902-2276 or the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at (800) 833-6388.