Employment Security Program Coordinator 2: Collector/Telework

State of Washington Employment Security Department; Washington; Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Telework opportunities

Flexible work schedules

Job summary

State of Washington Employment Security Department is seeking an adaptable Program Coordinator 2 – Collector to recover benefit program overpayments and delinquent employer balances. This role requires strong communication, critical thinking, and the ability to navigate sensitive situations with claimants and employers.

The ideal candidate will interpret laws, coordinate with internal partners, and guide individuals toward repayment solutions while maintaining professionalism in challenging

Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional or technical experience in employment and training or unemployment insurance programs.
• OR 1 year of experience as an Employment Security Program Coordinator 1
• OR 1 year of experience as a WorkSource Specialist 3 or equivalent
• OR Associate's degree in public or business administration, political science, or closely related field AND 5 years of professional or technical experience in employment and training or unemployment insurance programs
• OR a Bachelor's degree in public or business administration, political science, or closely related field AND 3 years of professional or technical experience in employment and training or unemployment insurance programs
• Required equity competencies: The ability to take action to learn and grow
• The ability to take action to meet the needs of others

Responsibilities

• Respond to inquiries from clients, employers, attorneys, escrow companies, bankruptcy trustees, Superior Court personnel, etc.
• Research and review accounts for continued collection actions.
• Investigate and respond to debt collection inquiries.
• Interview claimants and employers to gather financial information and relevant facts.
• Issue Bankruptcy Stipulation Requests to the Attorney General’s Office to contest the discharge of debt.
• Execute legal documents to enforce recovery by garnishing wages, levying bank accounts, and conducting other collection actions as authorized by law.
• Work with customers to determine their ability to pay, negotiate payment terms, and establish and maintain partial payment agreements.

Skills

Unemployment programs exp

Experience as Coord 1

WorkSource Specialist 3 exp

Analytical decision-making

Customer-facing skills

Education

Associate's degree in public or business administration, political science, or closely related field

Bachelor's degree in public or business administration, political science, or closely related field

Job description

This position has the opportunity to Telework.

The ideal candidate for the Employment Security Program Coordinator 2 – Collector role is a confident, solutions-oriented professional who excels at making sound financial decisions that directly support the integrity of Washington’s benefit funds.

They will demonstrate the ability to collaborate effectively within a team-oriented environment, while maintaining a strong commitment to continuous learning and remaining calm under pressure. The candidate should be highly self-motivated, detail-oriented, and an excellent communicator, capable of conveying complex information clearly and effectively. They should display compassionate professionalism, understanding that behind every debt is a person or business navigating life’s complexities. Flexibility in assuming a variety of responsibilities as organizational needs arise and workloads change is essential.

As an ES Program Coordinator-2, Collector within the Employment Security Department Collections Unit, you will perform journey-level debt collection duties in the recovery of benefit program overpayments owed by individuals, and delinquent taxes or other balances owed by employers.

This candidate thrives in a fast-paced, customer-facing environment where communication and resilience are essential. They are skilled at navigating difficult conversations, including interactions with frustrated or hostile customers, and they maintain professionalism while gathering financial information, explaining program requirements, and guiding individuals toward repayment solutions. They are adept at interpreting laws and policies, responding to inquiries from a wide range of stakeholders, and using tools such as skip tracing, legal documentation, and multiple systems to locate assets and recover debt.

They are also adaptable, thorough, and committed to continuous improvement. They manage a diverse workload, conduct research on bankruptcy and account status, and coordinate with internal partners to ensure appropriate actions are taken on each case. They demonstrate strong critical thinking, problem-solving, and public-facing communication skills, along with the ability to link daily work to the agency’s mission of supporting economic security. Their blend of financial recovery expertise, customer service strength, and operational versatility makes them a valuable contributor to the Financial Recovery Unit.

You will locate claimants, employers, and/or their assets to recover debt due, using skip tracing. You will interview claimants and employers to gather financial information and personal facts. Based on the information, you decide whether the debt is collectable or not and what actions to take. You will have written delegated authority to decide to write off accounts receivable or provide financial counselling.

Some of you'll be doing:

• Respond to inquiries from clients, employers, attorneys, escrow companies, bankruptcy trustees, Superior Court personnel, etc.


• Research and review accounts for continued collection actions.


• Investigate and respond to debt collection inquiries.


• Interview claimants and employers to gather financial information and relevant facts.


• Issue Bankruptcy Stipulation Requests to the Attorney General’s Office to contest the discharge of debt.


• Execute legal documents to enforce recovery by garnishing wages, levying bank accounts, and conducting other collection actions as authorized by law.


• Work with customers to determine their ability to pay, negotiate payment terms, and establish and maintain partial payment agreements.

• 7 years of professional or technical experience in employment and training or unemployment insurance programs


• OR 1 year of experience as an Employment Security Program Coordinator 1


• OR 1 year of experience as a WorkSource Specialist 3 or equivalent


• OR An associate's degree in public or business administration, political science, or closely related field AND5 years of professional or technical experience in employment and training or unemployment insurance programs


• OR A bachelor's degree in public or business administration, political science, or closely related field AND3 years of professional or technical experience in employment and training or unemployment insurance programs

Required equity competencies:

• The ability to take action to learn and grow


• The ability to take action to meet the needs of others

The required experience includes:

• Presentation & Public Relations Skills: Ability to communicate program details effectively to diverse audiences.


• Financial Recovery & Trust Fund Management: Skills in recovering funds and ensuring fiscal integrity


• Adaptability & Flexibility: Readiness to handle diverse tasks and emerging responsibilities


• Critical Thinking & Analysis: Ability to assess proposals and evaluate program operations; Decision-Making: Proficiency in recommending alternative courses of action.


• Flexibility & Adaptability: Ability to perform diverse tasks at various levels; Knowledge of Lower-Level Functions: Comprehensive expertise to support operations


• Versatility: Ability to take on additional tasks effectively; Problem-Solving: Skills to address unexpected challenges

Preferred Qualifications:

Demonstrated understanding and application of debt collection concepts, theories, and practices to include but not limited to:

• Skip tracing to locate people and assets, negotiating and settling debts due


• Investigating ability to pay


• Using motivational techniques to obtain payment


• Balancing a large workload of assigned accounts

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

• Must be able to pass an Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Paid Family Medical and Leave (PFML) claim and fraud check

Please submit only the required documents as noted below and ensure all Personal Identifying Information (PII) such as Social Security numbers etc. are edited out of your materials for privacy. Additionally, we ask that you not include photographs or external links within your documents.

Please submit your Cover Letter and Resume with your Online Application through the "Add Attachments" field. A resume will not substitute for the "work experience" section of the application or vice versa. Applications with blank fields, or supplemental question responses with comments such as "see attachments" may be considered incomplete.

Our agency’s mission and values drive every decision that we make, determine how we interact with others, and are at the core of who we are. We value Access, Love, Belonging, Equity, and Stewardship. We understand that a work environment that respects your work/life balance is key; that’s why many of our positions are eligible for flexible work schedules and teleworking opportunities. Through support, value, and trust, our employees are empowered to grow and develop into their best self.

Opportunity for All

We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, ethnic, racial, religious, sexual orientation, and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, people over 40 years of age, people with religious beliefs, veterans or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.

The Employment Security Department is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

If you are a person needing assistance in the application process, if you need this job announcement in an alternate format, or if you have general questions about this opportunity, please contact Caleb Baldwin or at 253-306-2999 or the Talent Acquisition Team, prior to the position closing. If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please contact [e-mail] or [phone] or toll free [phone], Washington Relay 711.

This recruitment may be used to fill additional agency-wide positions in accordance with Article 4 of the WFSE Collective Bargaining Agreement.

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