Customer Service Specialist 2 (Non-Permanent) - Bilingual (Spanish) Preferred

State of Washington Office of Administrative Hearings; Olympia (WA); Hybrid; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

In-house training and professional dev

Healthy work/life balance, remote work

Comprehensive benefits package

Job summary

The Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) in Olympia, WA, seeks a non-permanent Customer Service Specialist 2 (CSS2). The role emphasizes bilingual English/Spanish communication and delivering direct customer service across multiple channels.

Responsibilities include handling calls, guiding users through OAH processes, and supporting adjudicative activities. Remote work is eligible with occasional onsite reports within Washington state.

Qualifications

• Option 1: Four (4) years of experience providing assistance to customers regarding inquiries, complaints or problems.
• Option 2: An Associate's degree AND two (2) years of experience providing assistance to customers regarding inquiries, complaints or problems.
• Option 3: A Bachelor's degree.
• If applying as a bilingual candidate, you must also be able to read, write, speak, and comprehend in both English and Spanish.

Responsibilities

• Act as the first point of contact for callers and help them access OAH services.
• Remain professional, empathetic, and neutral while handling high call volumes.
• De-escalate difficult interactions using active listening and calm communication.
• Respond to calls, emails, and other contacts within established timelines and standards.
• Record case notes in PRISM and complete required surveys.
• Provide guidance on OAH digital tools and external resources.

Skills

Customer service

Bilingual communication

Active listening

Written communication

Problem solving

Education

Associate's degree

Bachelor's degree

4 years customer support experience

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Outlook

Job description

Customer Service Specialist 2 - Bilingual (Spanish) Preferred

Office of Administrative Hearings HeadquartersOffice (Olympia, WA)

*First review of applications will occur on October 7, 2026. It is recommended that you apply before that date if you would like to be considered for our initial round of interviews.

NOTE: This appointment is anticipated to last up to twelve (12) months and may be extended based on budget and business needs.

NOTE: This position is eligible for full-time telework but may be required to report to an OAH facility on occasion. When working remotely, the alternate worksite must be located in Washington state.

NOTE: This position may be filled as either a bilingual (Spanish speaking) position or non-bilingual; however, bilingual candidates may be given preference. If applying as a bilingual candidate, you must be able to read, write, and speak fluently in both English and Spanish; therefore: bilingual candidates are required to provide a Cover Letter written entirely in Spanish.

The Opportunity

The Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) is currently looking to fill a non-permanent Customer Service Specialist 2 (CSS2) in the OAH Customer Service Center. If you have excellent customer service skills and would enjoy working in our fast-paced Adjudicative Support Center handling a large volume of calls and working with a team of hard-working Customer Service Specialists, then this is the opportunity for you! The CSS2 position is the face and voice of OAH and supports OAH's mission by providing direct customer service to those who contact the agency.

This is a represented position under the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE)-General Government collective bargaining agreement.

About the Agency

The 1981 Legislature created OAH to offer Washingtonians an independent, fair, and neutral forum to hold administrative hearings on disputed matters referred by state and local government agencies. Operating out of field offices in Olympia, Tacoma, and Spokane Valley there are currently 230 employees, including 120 Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) who preside over administrative hearings involving unemployment insurance benefits, child support, food assistance, medical benefits, business and professional licensing, and more.

OAH conducts hearings for more than 30 agencies and 160 programs. Our referring agencies include the Employment Security Department (ESD), Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), Health Care Authority (HCA), Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB), Department of Financial Institutions (DFI), the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), and others.

For more information about OAH, please visit our website at oah.wa.gov.

OAH Mission

To hear and independently resolve disputes between the public and state agencies with an impartial, quick, and easy to access process.

OAH Vision

All people of Washington can meaningfully participate in their hearing and understand the result.

OAH Values

• Fairness and independence
• Diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect
• Performance excellence
• Integrity

OAH Goals

• Performance Excellence: We deliver high quality, timely work.
• Convenience & Accessibility: We make it easy for people to do business with us.
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Respect: We promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect.
• Good Stewards: We are efficient, effective, and accountable.

OAH Offers

• Work that is important and makes a difference
• In-house training and professional development opportunities
• Healthy work/life balance, including remote work options
• Comprehensive benefits package

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

The CSS2 position is responsible for knowing and explaining the entire range of services provided by OAH. This includes possessing in-depth knowledge of varying appeal processes for more than 30 referring agencies and having a working knowledge of the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) and Revised Code of Washington (RCW) related to the administrative appeal practices.

The CSS2 provides assistance to other agencies, customers, claimants, employers, license holders, and Washington citizens enabling their access to fair and prompt resolutions for administrative disputes.

The CSS2 provides clear, neutral guidance on OAH services and procedures—without offering legal advice—to individuals who may have limited understanding of the process, ensuring equitable access and consistent support. This position helps individuals navigate hearings, forms, and online systems while ensuring professionalism, accuracy, and consistency. The CSS2 is required to demonstrate patience, superior attention to detail, impartiality, and the ability to remain effective under pressure.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Act as the first point of contact for callers contacting OAH and help them to understand and access OAH services.
• Remain professional, empathetic, and neutral while handling a high volume of inquiries.
• De-escalate difficult interactions using active listening and calm communication.
• Respond to calls, emails, and other contacts within established timelines, protocols, and performance standards.
• Resolve inquiries, issues, and related problems for individuals within proper scope of authority, achieving first-contact resolution whenever possible.
• Provide accurate, plain-language explanations of OAH processes and hearing requirements.
• Receive requests by phone and email and route them to the appropriate OAH staff.
• Record case notes on all actions and interactions that relate to specific docket(s) in the case management system (PRISM), and complete required surveys.
• Support ALJs, including but not limited to, assisting with call-backs, coverage requests, and other communication as needed.
• Provide guidance and assistance for OAH digital tools, such as the OAH Participant Portal, public website, online forms, secure email, and other online OAH resources and services.
• Provide guidance on external digital tools, such as Secure Access Washington (SAW), referring agency portals, and other external online resources and services.

The Bilingual CSS2 assists the agency’s Spanish speaking customers and provides customer service (both written and verbally) in Spanish. This includes, but is not limited to, translating written documents for customers as directed by supervisor, and completing calls backs and requests for interpretation of orders.

The Bilingual CSS2 must pass an agency-administered Spanish language test within the first 6 months of employment in order to begin serving our Spanish-speaking customers. This test is a requirement of the bilingual position and, once passed, the employee will receive an additional 5% Dual Language Assignment Pay on top of the base salary shown in this posting.

Qualifications

• Option 1: Four (4) years of experience providing assistance to customers regarding inquiries, complaints or problems.
• Option 2:An Associate's degree AND two (2) years of experience providing assistance to customers regarding inquiries, complaints or problems.
• Option 3: A Bachelor's degree.
• If applying as a bilingual candidate, you must also be able to read, write, speak, and comprehend in both English and Spanish.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, and Outlook.
• Experience answering telephones in a high call volume environment.
• Experience working in a legal environment with demonstrated knowledge of legal concepts and the ability to convey them concisely to others.
• Demonstrated ability to read, write, speak, and comprehend in both English and Spanish.

Statewide Equity Competencies

• Take action to learn and grow: Curious about self and others. Takes responsibility for knowing own strengths and weaknesses. Uses their learning to make government programs and processes more efficient and effective to serve all of Washington.
• Take action to meet the needs of others:Flexible, adaptable, and customer service focused. Willing and able to empathetically respond to the unique needs of the people they work with and serve.

OAH Core Competencies

• Accountability and dependability: Takes responsibility for actions and work quality. Meets deadlines, maintains accuracy, and works independently.
• Adaptability and flexibility: Adjusts to change and feedback, learns from experience, and seeks continuous improvement.
• Attention to detail: Ensures accuracy and thoroughness in work. Carefully reviews output to avoid errors.
• Communication effectiveness: Clearly conveys and receives information through speaking and writing and adapts to the audience.
• Ethics and integrity: Acts honestly, maintains confidentiality, follows rules, and responsibly and appropriately uses public resources.
• Relationship and team building: Develops and fosters trust, respect, and collaboration to support team members and team goals. Resolves disagreements constructively.
• Self-awareness and commitment to growth: Recognizes personal biases and how they impact communication and decisions. Seeks growth through reflection and learning.

Position-Specific Competencies

• Active listening skills:Listens attentively, asks clarifying questions, confirms understanding, and responds with empathy.
• Analytical: Identifies key information, analyzes and verifies data, and applies appropriate solutions based on guidelines.
• Customer focus:Provides services that meet or exceed customer expectations.
• Dual language:Reads, writes, and speaks fluently a language other than English. Translates, interprets, and/or communicates effectively.
• Initiative:Proactively addresses tasks and problems with sound judgment and minimal supervision.
• Interpersonal effectiveness:Builds positive relationships and works effectively with diverse perspectives and teams.
• Knowledge retention:Effectively learns, retains, and applies new or updated information and procedures.
• Organization:Maintains a structured and orderly approach to managing tasks, information, and materials to ensure efficiency, accuracy, and timely completion of work. Efficiently maintains accurate records and effectively manages documents and schedules.
• Prioritization:Organizes tasks effectively to handle competing demands and ensure timely results.
• Proofreading:Consistently identifies and corrects grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Ensures content accuracy and clarity.
• Reliable attendance:Maintains consistent attendance with minimal unplanned absences.
• Stress tolerance:Remains calm and effective under pressure or in difficult situations
• Tact and diplomacy:Handles sensitive situations respectfully, reducing conflict and maintaining relationships.
• Technology effectiveness:Uses technology accurately and effectively for communication, documentation, and workload management. Uses state-owned technology resources appropriately and ethically.
• Workload management:Handles tasks efficiently and independently, maintaining high-quality output.

OAH 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 diversity, age, honorably discharged veteran, veteran status, genetic information, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal by a person with a disability.

For questions about this recruitment, or to request reasonable accommodation in the application process, please email us at [e-mail]. For TTY service, please call the Washington Relay Service at 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.