ES Benefit Specialist 3: LCD Quality Assurance/Internal Only-Dual Language-Spanish

State of Washington; Olympia (WA); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The State of Washington Employment Security Department is seeking a bilingual ES Benefits Specialist 3 – Quality Assurance Specialist. This role focuses on reviewing complex Paid Family and Medical Leave casework for accuracy and compliance, ensuring determinations reflect correct state and federal requirements.

The position emphasizes equity, customer-centered service, and collaborative problem solving.

Qualifications

• 6 years of equivalent education/experience or the required experience below.
• 1 year as an ES Benefits Specialist 2.
• 1 year of experience equivalent to ES Benefits Specialist 2 with another state that administers tax programs.
• Associate’s degree + 4 years of required experience.
• Bachelor’s degree + 2 years of required experience.
• Master’s degree + 1 year of required experience.

Responsibilities

• Analyzes and evaluates records of assigned cases for completeness and correctness.
• Coordinates, plans, and conducts quality assurance reviews of Leave and Care Specialist work and evaluates results for compliance with state laws, regulations, and policies.
• Makes definitive determination of program eligibility, timelines, accuracy, completeness, and compliance.
• Prepares comprehensive reports of findings and conclusions.
• Makes recommendations for strategies and changes to program and processes to maintain consistent compliance and to reduce the number of errors.
• Provides recommendations for training opportunities and identified knowledge gaps.
• Attends trainings, including unit meetings and all-staff meetings.
• Completes special projects and assignments as assigned.
• Provides assistance and/or backup to staff as needed and/or directed.

Skills

QA & review

Audit expertise

Reporting skills

Policy knowledge

Education

Associates degree in health/social science/public administration/business administration/accounting/law or related field

Bachelor’s degree in health/social science/public administration/business administration/accounting/law or related field

Master’s degree in health/social science/public administration/business administration/accounting/law or related field

Job description

This position is also only open to internal Employment Security Department employees. This is a Dual Language position. The incumbent must be able to communicate effectively in person, via telephone and in writing in Spanish. This position is mainly virtual; it may be required to come into the office for occasional trainings and meetings as requested. The ideal candidate for the ES Benefits Specialist 3 – Quality Assurance Specialist role is a detail-driven professional who brings strong analytical judgment and a deep commitment to equitable, customer-centered service. They excel at reviewing complex Paid Family and Medical Leave casework for accuracy, completeness, and compliance, ensuring that every determination reflects correct application of state and federal requirements. They are skilled at evaluating nuanced eligibility factors, validating evidence, and producing clear, well-supported conclusions that strengthen trust in the program and uphold ESD’s mission of improving economic security for Washington workers. This candidate thrives in a collaborative environment where quality, consistency, and continuous improvement are core values. They are adept at identifying trends, gaps, and error patterns, and they translate those insights into actionable recommendations for supervisors, trainers, and operational partners. They communicate findings clearly—both verbally and in writing, including in Spanish—and they contribute meaningfully to shared understanding of policies, procedures, and best practices across units such as Training, Policy, Appeals, and Compliance. Their ability to provide constructive feedback and propose strategic improvements helps elevate overall program performance.

Duties

• Analyzes and evaluates records of assigned cases for completeness and correctness
• Coordinates, plans, and conducts quality assurance reviews of Leave and Care Specialist work and evaluates results for compliance with state laws, regulations, and policies
• Makes definitive determination of program eligibility, timelines, accuracy, completeness, and compliance

Identifies Areas Of Improvement In Performance And/or Quality And Makes Recommendations To Managers, Operations Process Coordinators, Supervisors And Trainers. This Includes

• Prepares comprehensive reports of findings and conclusions
• Makes recommendations for strategies and changes to program and processes to maintain consistent compliance and to reduce the number of errors
• Provides recommendations for training opportunities and identified knowledge gaps

Training, Special Projects And Other Projects. This Includes

• Attends trainings, including unit meetings and all-staff meetings
• Completes special projects and assignments as assigned
• Provides assistance and/or backup to staff as needed and/or directed

Qualifications

• 6 years of equivalent education/experience of the required experience below
• OR 1 year as an ES Benefits Specialist 2
• OR 1 year of experience equivalent to the ES Benefits Specialist 2 with another state that administers tax programs
• OR An associate’s degree in a health, social science, public administration, business administration, accounting, law, or a related field AND 4 years of the required experience below
• OR Bachelor’s Degree in a health, social science, public administration, business administration, accounting, law, or a related field AND 2 years of the required experience below
• OR A Master’s degree in a health, social science, public administration, business administration, accounting, law, or a related field AND 1 year of the required experience below

Communication Requirements

• Must be able to communicate effectively in person, via telephone and in writing in Spanish.

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

• Quality Assurance & Review Skills: Ability to assess and ensure accuracy in casework
• Audit & Quality Assurance Expertise: Proficiency in conducting thorough evaluations of casework
• Reporting & Communication Skills: Ability to communicate audit findings effectively

Subject Matter Expertise: Proficiency in navigating intricate claim matters

Advisory & Strategic Planning Skills: Ability to recommend procedural improvements

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

Supplemental Information

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.

This Organization Participates in E-Verify.