Business and Employment Specialist (BES2) in the Hermiston WorkSource Office

Oregon Inc; Hermiston, Umatilla (OR, OR); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid holidays

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Carpool tool

Job summary

The Oregon Employment Department is seeking a Business and Employment Specialist (BES2) for the Hermiston WorkSource Office. This full‑time, on‑site role serves a diverse customer base, interviewing job seekers, guiding them through referrals and the application process, and helping identify potential eligibility issues.

No bilingual requirement is required, but Spanish/English skills are welcome and may earn a 5% bilingual differential.

Qualifications

• Two years of customer service experience.
• Two years of education or equivalent experience.
• 45‑quarter credits in related field may substitute for one year of experience.

Responsibilities

• Interview a high volume of job seekers to identify goals/needs, transferable skills, and interests.
• Provide referrals to job listings and guidance for the application process and interviewing techniques.
• Advise claimants of potential eligibility problems/issues to their claim.
• Provide progressive assessments to inform provision of services on an ongoing basis with other WorkSource staff.
• Travel extensively throughout the state.

Skills

Customer service

Interviewing

Referral guidance

Multitasking

Spanish language

Education

45-quarter credits in related field

Job description

Business and Employment Specialist (BES2) in the Hermiston WorkSource Office

Initial Posting Date: 11/10/2026 Application Deadline: 11/22/2026 Agency: Employment Department

Salary Range: $4,519 - $6,276

Position Type: Employee Position

Job Description

Although not required, do you have bilingual Spanish/English skills? Are you passionate about serving diverse populations? Are you looking to be a part of meaningful and impactful work? Are you committed to exceeding customer expectations? If so, please consider joining our WorkSource Oregon team! You do not need to have bilingual Spanish/English reading and speaking skills for this position. However, if you do have bilingual Spanish/English reading and speaking skills, we encourage you to apply! We serve diverse communities and recognize the importance of serving people in their preferred language. At the Oregon Employment Department, we actively support a workforce that is representative of the people we serve including people from various races, genders, abilities, cultures, language skills, geographic locations, and justice system involvement. We value your life experiences and encourage everyone to apply with your transferable skills and qualifications from your work, school, and volunteer experiences. Please let us know if you need a reasonable accommodation.

What you will do

• Interview a high volume of job seekers to identify goals/needs, transferable skills, and interests.
• Provide job seekers referrals for job listings, provide guidance for the application process, document writing, and interviewing techniques.
• Advise claimants of potential eligibility problems/issues to their claim.
• Provide progressive assessments to job seekers, as needed, to inform provision of services on an ongoing basis with other WorkSource staff.
• Assist claimants with training opportunities.
• Travel extensively throughout the state.

Required Minimum Qualifications

• Two years of experience providing customer service, which included requesting and reviewing information, documentation, and deciding an action based on the information. Examples of qualifying experience are eligibility interviewer, application examiner, unemployment insurance, examination proctor, information clerk, insurance aide, public counter intake person, employment and claims aide, employment services, job placement, recruiter, vocational guidance, or retail industry if it involved the above stated experience.
• Two years of education or experience; listed above are examples of acceptable experience.
• 45‑quarter (30‑semester) college‑level credits in Human Resources, Vocational or Career Counseling, Social Services, Psychology, Education, Business or Public Administration, Communication or related field substitute for one year of experience.

Desired Attributes

• Responsibility: Demonstrated responsibility for your own actions and committed to performing assigned tasks.
• Ability to comply with requirements regarding sensitive and confidential data.
• Multi‑tasking: Ability to attend to multiple tasks simultaneously and enthusiastically, deliver high‑quality work on time, and remain productive under pressure.
• Willingness to Learn: Demonstrated ability to being open to new experiences, seeking both positive and negative feedback, looking back on past experiences and considering alternate courses of action and finding patterns and order in complex information.
• Customer Focus: Ability to professionally interact with a high volume of diverse customers while providing exceptional service.
• Working with Information: Ability to use data, critical thinking, and analytical reasoning to gather information and apply laws, rules, and policies to solve problems and make decisions.
• Commitment to Valuing Diversity and Promoting Inclusion: Demonstrated ability to work effectively and respectfully with individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and identities. Commitment to fostering an inclusive environment where all customers and coworkers are treated with dignity and respect. Ability to recognize and address barriers to equitable access, services, and outcomes.
• Comfort in Working with Escalated Customers: Demonstrated ability to remain calm, professional, and solution-focused while interacting with upset, frustrated, or emotionally charged customers. Ability to use active listening, de‑escalation techniques, conflict resolution skills, and sound judgment to resolve concerns while maintaining compliance with policies and procedures.

What’s in it for you

• Work/life balance, 11 paid holidays a year, and a competitive benefits package.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness opportunity.
• Get There – Oregon’s easy‑to‑use carpool matching tool and trip planner.

A workplace that balances productivity with enjoyment and encourages learning and mentoring. Rewarding work in a dynamic and creative environment with colleagues who are passionate about public service.

Salary Determination

The information in your Workday profile will be used to complete an equal pay assessment to determine salary placement upon hire.

Bilingual Pay Differential

Employees assigned to use Spanish/English bilingual skills in the regular performance of their duties will receive a monthly pay differential of 5% over their base salary pay.

United States Employment Eligibility

The Oregon Employment Department does not offer visa sponsorship. Within three days of hire, all applicants will be required to complete the US Department of Homeland Security’s Form I‑9, confirming authorization to work in the United States. If your employment authorization and documentation is contingent on sponsorship now or in the future, you will not meet Agency employment eligibility standards. The Oregon Employment Department is an E‑Verify employer. If you are the successful candidate you must present your I‑9 acceptable documents (See page 2) for employment verification.

During the application process, the State of Oregon does not request nor require information regarding an applicant’s age, date of birth, or educational attendance or graduation dates. The use of outside resources such as Artificial Intelligence software during applicant skill assessments, examinations, and/or interviews is prohibited unless otherwise stated by the hiring agency. Unauthorized use of outside resources during the hiring process will result in disqualification.

This position is represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

This recruitment may be used to fill current and future Permanent, Limited Duration, Job Rotation and Temporary vacancies as they occur.

The salary listed is the non-PERS qualifying salary range. If the successful candidate is PERS‑qualifying, the salary range will reflect the additional 6.95%. Please review the Classification and Compensation page for more details.

Eligible veterans and Oregon National Guard servicemembers (current and former) who meet the qualifications of the position will be awarded candidate preference. For more information, please visit Veterans Resources.

Work Location Information

This position will report to the Hermiston WorkSource Office and is not suitable for remote or hybrid remote work.

Criminal Records Check

The Employment Department is committed to being a leader in providing its employees with fair and equal employment opportunities and recognizes that as a best practice in equity and inclusion, criminal background check policies shall be job related and consistent with business necessity. For positions with authorized access to FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) information, a separate criminal records check is conducted by the Oregon State Police. If you would like further information on how each criminal records check is conducted, please read our Criminal Record Check Policy or contact us at the number below with any questions. Note: To verify identification, the successful candidate will be subject to a criminal background check which may require a fingerprint‑based background check as a condition of employment.

Contact Information

Phone: 503‑947‑1289; Email: [e-mail]. Please be sure to include the job requisition ID number.

Helpful Links & Resources

• Reasonable Accommodations
• Veterans Resources
• How to Set Job Alerts
• Workday Applicant FAQ
• Interview Scoring Criteria used during recruitment
• What You Need to Know to Get the Job Guidance our hiring managers use: Equity and Inclusion Recruitment Question Guide for Managers and Gender Identity and Expression Procedure
• Come for a job. | Stay for a career. | Make a difference ... for a lifetime!

The Oregon Employment Department is an Equal Opportunity, Affirtiative Action Employer, committed to workforce diversity. At the Oregon Employment Department, we foster fairness, equity, and inclusion to maintain a workplace environment where everyone is treated with respect and dignity regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age, veteran status, disability, or status as a victim of domestic violence, harassment, sexual assault, or stalking. This applies to every aspect of our employment practices, including recruitment, hiring, retention, promotion, and training.

Oregon state government is a large organization by nearly any standard. With over 40,000 employees working all over the state, in small communities and large, we are proving that government can be innovative. We work as a team, challenging ourselves to be better, faster and more efficient with taxpayer dollars. After all, when every day we are responsible for caring for the needs of a diverse population and thriving business community, we simply must have the best and brightest workforce. If you take responsibility for your actions, are passionate about helping others succeed, and have a reputation for excellence and honesty, why not make Oregon state government your next career move? Joining our team means you open the door to many possibilities. From entry level to executive, outdoor work to policy setting, we have a role for nearly every calling, expertise and background. If you’re looking at us from across the country (or beyond!), know that Oregon is one of the most beautiful places on earth. Made up of seven diverse regions, Oregon has the ocean, mountains, valleys, high desert, cities, small towns, and almost everything in between. Oregon “flies with her own wings.”