Program Specialist 2, Consumer Protection Division, WA State Office of the Attorney General

Description

Persons requiring reasonable accommodation in the application process or requiring information in an alternative format may contact the recruitment team at HREmployment@atg.wa.gov. Those with a hearing impairment in need of accommodation are encouraged to contact the Washington Relay Service at 1-800-676-3777 or www.washingtonrelay.com.

Position and Salary

The Attorney General’s Office is recruiting for a permanent full time Program Specialist 2 in the Consumer Protection Division, Consumer Services Unit. This position is located in Seattle, Washington, and is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).

Salary Range 42: $43,716 - $58,380

The base pay offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the preferred candidate’s job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

The following stipends may apply based on position requirements:

• Incumbents assigned to our Seattle office location receive an additional 5% King County Location Pay stipend.
• Incumbents assigned to a position designated as requiring dual language skills will receive a 5% Dual Language Requirement Pay stipend.

About the Consumer Protection Division:

The Consumer Protection Division enforces consumer protection laws to help keep the Washington marketplace free of unfair and deceptive practices. The Consumer Protection Division also administers the Washington State Lemon Law Program and the Manufactured Housing Dispute Resolution Program.

The Consumer Services Unit in the Consumer Protection Division answers calls and written inquiries from the public, provides information on how to access Program services, provides resource and referral information, and processes consumer complaints on a multitude of issues.

This position may be assigned to provide information and services to the public in support of all Consumer Services Unit Program. The Programs include: the Consumer Resource Center, Manufactured Housing Dispute Resolution Program, and Lemon Law Administration.

Each year, the Consumer Services Unit Programs return over $15 million dollars to Washington consumers by providing Program services.

Duties and Essential Functions of a Program Specialist 2:

This position performs the work of all unit Programs on a daily basis or as assigned and provides excellent customer service in the delivery of high-quality Program services.

This position answers calls from the public, responds to telephonic and written inquiries from the public, processes written complaints, and provides appropriate resources and referrals to assist the public.

The Consumer Services Unit receives approximately 35,000 phone calls and processes approximately 25,000 complaints each year.

Our ideal candidate is customer service driven with excellent analytical and communication skills; employs problem solving skills; and demonstrates a high attention to detail. They will show pride in their work and identify their success through the success of the entire team and through the delivery of high-quality services. The candidate must demonstrate proficiency in speaking, reading, writing, and translating in English and Spanish.

This position will provide services directly to the public in Spanish language and English language by phone, in-person, and through written communication. This position will translate written information from Spanish to English and from English to Spanish. In addition, the incumbent will provide services and information in languages other than English and Spanish through the use of a telephonic translation vendor.

This recruitment announcement may be used to fill multiple open positions for the same classification, in addition to the position(s) listed in this announcement.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Qualifications:

Option 1: An Associate’s Degree or technical degree/certification plus one year call center experience and two years’ experience providing services directly to consumers in the service industry

Option 2: A high school diploma or equivalent plus 5 years call center experience/or two years’ experience providing services directly to consumers in the service industry.

Option 3: A high school diploma or equivalent plus 1 year as a Program Coordinator in the CP Division, Consumer Services Unit.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Ability to effectively respond to individuals in crisis that may exhibit agitation and/or may be upset.
• Demonstrated skills in providing excellent customer service.
• Ability to effectively communicate with a variety of communication styles.
• Ability to adapt to changing business needs, conditions, and work responsibilities.
• Demonstrated ability to prevent escalated consumer interactions, and to de-escalate a consumer interaction that is escalating.
• Ability to balance quality of work with time constraints to deliver services that fully satisfy service delivery goals.
• Ability to manage a high-volume workload including multi-tasking throughout the day to successfully transition from one task to another as required to deliver high-quality services and provide excellent customer service.
• Ability to coordinate and organize service delivery, information, and administrative tasks to meet established Program metrics.
• Ability to effectively work in a busy office environment and call center.
• Ability to effectively use technology, office equipment, software, and databases necessary to perform assigned tasks.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

Position requires the ability to speak, read, write, and translate in English and Spanish languages proficiently.

About the Washington State Office of the Attorney General

Join an agency whose work impacts the lives of every resident of Washington State.

The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) touches the lives of every resident in this state. We serve more than 230 state agencies, boards, commissions, colleges and universities, as well as the Legislature and the Governor. The Office is comprised of nearly 700 attorneys and 800 professional staff, all working together to deliver the highest quality professional legal services to Washington state officials, agencies, and entities. This includes:

• Economic justice and consumer protections (safeguarding consumers, protecting youth, seniors, and other vulnerable populations)
• Social justice and civil rights (addressing discrimination, environmental protection, and veteran and military resources)
• Criminal justice and public safety (investigative and prosecutorial support, financial crimes)
• And much more!

Our agency also has national reach, representing the State of Washington before the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals and trial courts in all cases that involve the state’s interest. If you want to make a difference, we may be the perfect fit for you! Learn more about the AGO here.

Commitment to Diversity

Diversity is critical to the success of the mission of the AGO. This means recognizing, respecting, and appreciating all cultures and backgrounds- and fostering the inclusion of differences between people. Appreciating, valuing and implementing principles of diversity permits AGO employees to achieve their fullest potential in an inclusive, respectful environment. One recent measure of the AGO's commitment to diversity can be found in its nomination for Rainbow Alliance and Inclusion Network's "Outstanding Agency Award" in 2019. Our commitment to employee wellness is reflected in earning the 2021 Zo8 Washington Wellness Award.

Excellent benefits

Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation, including Medical/Dental/Vision for employees & dependent(s); Vacation, Sick, and Other Leave; 11 Paid Holidays per year; Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) plans; and Life Insurance. Beyond these traditional benefits, we offer Dependent Care Assistance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Deferred Compensation, Employee Recognition Leave, and more. With the goal of employee health and wellness, we also offer flexible schedules and telework options for most positions, a Wellness Program, the Employee Assistance Program, and numerous affinity groups to foster community and connection.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

In addition to completing the online application, applicants must attach the following documents to their profile in order to be considered for this position:

• A letter of interest, describing your specific qualifications for the position;
• A current resume detailing experience and education.

READ THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION COMPLETELY:

• Carefully review your application for accuracy, spelling and grammar before submitting.
• You may not reapply to this posting for 30 days.
• The initial screening of applications will be solely based on the contents and completeness of the “work experience” and “education” sections of your application in www.careers.wa.gov, completeness of the application material submitted, and responses to the supplemental questionnaire.
• A resume will not substitute for completing the “work experience” section of the application.
• All information may be verified and documentation may be required.

Honoring diversity, equity and inclusion means that as an agency, and as individuals, we are committed to ensuring that all employees and volunteers enjoy a respectful, safe and supportive working environment. Only by fostering the inclusion of people from all backgrounds, cultures and attributes, can AGO employees and volunteers achieve their fullest potential and best advance the goals and mission of the AGO.

The AGO is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation/gender identity, age, disability, honorably discharged veteran or military status, retaliation or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. Persons requiring reasonable accommodation in the application process or requiring information in an alternative format may contact the recruitment team at HREmployment@atg.wa.gov. Those with a hearing impairment in need of accommodation are encouraged to contact the Washington Relay Service at 1-800-676-3777 or www.washingtonrelay.com.

For questions regarding this recruitment or assistance with the application process, please contact Judith Vandergeest @ (360) 586-7691 or Judith.Vandergeest@atg.wa.gov.

If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or support@neogov.com.