L&I Bilingual Spanish Program Support Supervisor 2

State of Washington Dept. of Labor & Industries; Tumwater (WA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

State of Washington Department of Labor & Industries seeks a leader to supervise the Bilingual Translation Unit at Tumwater HQ. You will lead a team of six bilingual Spanish staff translating crucial agency materials and supporting Spanish-speaking customers across Washington.

This role advances language equity in public service, ensuring clear, timely, culturally appropriate communication for workers, employers, and health care providers, and you may cover the manager's duties when needed.

Qualifications

• Fluent in both Spanish and English, written and spoken.
• Pass bilingual Spanish exam.
• Three years of applicable experience in the program specialty or equivalent education/experience.
• Advanced Spanish translation and interpretation.
• Strong communication and customer service skills.
• Time and workload management in a fast-paced environment.
• Supervision, coaching, and performance management.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of six bilingual staff.
• Oversee daily operations, assign translation tasks, review work for quality assurance, and coach staff.
• Analyze workflows and improve call routing, translation templates, and customer support strategies.
• Translate or oversee translations of crucial documents, including legal orders and forms.
• Communicate with Spanish-speaking customers, ensuring understanding of rights and services in English and Spanish.
• Serve as acting Customer Service Manager when necessary.
• Lead compliance efforts tied to federal language access agreements.

Skills

Bilingual Spanish

Leadership

Supervision

Communication

Conflict resolution

Customer service

Time management

Attention to detail

Interpretation

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

Our Mission: Keep Washington Safe and Working! Our Values: Customer Focus, One L&I, Respect, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Learning and Growth, Reliability

Job Highlights

*****When hired as bilingual, our top applicant will be required to pass an assessment of your ability to write and speak Spanish fluently. We do not use translating software. Employees with bilingual responsibilities receive a 5% increase in pay.

Make a difference every day. Help keep Washington safe and working.

Are you a bilingual Spanish/English professional with a passion for leadership, customer service, and language access? Do you thrive in a fast-paced environment where your decisions directly impact lives? If so, the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) wants to hear from you!

We’re looking for a dedicated and experienced leader to supervise our Bilingual Translation Unit at our Tumwater headquarters. In this role, you’ll lead a team of six highly skilled bilingual Spanish staff members who are responsible for translating crucial agency materials and supporting Spanish-speaking customers across Washington.

This role is a great opportunity to lead language equity in public service. You'll be the driving force behind clear, timely, and culturally appropriate communication for workers, employers, and health care providers across the state. You’ll also provide coverage in the manager’s absence.

This position is an in-office position in our Tumwater, WA (HQ) location.

Some of what you’ll do

• Lead & Inspire : Plan, guide, and mentor a team of six bilingual staff, ensuring high-quality service and translation accuracy.
• Supervise With Impact : Oversee daily operations, assign translation tasks, review work for quality assurance, and help develop staff through coaching and training.
• Improve Processes : Analyze workflows and improve call routing systems, translation templates, and customer support strategies.
• Support Statewide Communication : Translate or oversee translations of crucial documents, including legal orders, forms, medical terms, and public materials.
• Serve as a Liaison : Communicate directly with Spanish-speaking customers, ensuring they understand their rights, services, and responsibilities in both English and Spanish.
• Step In As Needed : Serve as acting Customer Service Manager when necessary, leading teams to meet the agency’s mission.
• Uphold Equity : Lead compliance efforts tied to federal language access agreements, ensuring that Limited English Proficient (LEP) customers receive equal access to services.

Required

• High school graduation or equivalent
• AND
• Three years of applicable experience in the program specialty OR equivalent education/experience.
• This could include demonstrated skill in supervision, communication, multitasking, and problem solving.
• Supervision, coaching, and performance management
• Advanced Spanish translation and interpretation
• Effective conflict resolution and customer service
• Time and workload management in a fast-paced environment
• Professional communication – both written and verbal
• Attention to detail and strong decision-making skills
• Proven ability to read, write, and communicate fluently in both Spanish and English
• In addition to the base salary, the selected incumbent will receive 5% assignment pay for bilingual duties.
• To be considered for this position you will need to pass a verbal and/or written bilingual Spanish exam.
• The ability to take action to learn and grow.
• The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.

Desired

• One year of experience as a supervisor.
• Experience assisting customers in both English and Spanish regarding complaints or problems, will substitute year for year, for education.
• One year of experience in call center operations.

Things You Need To Know

State employees who meet the qualifications will become eligible for a generous retirement package at the end of the employee’s career.

At L&I, your voice matters. In addition, L&I is a diverse state agency dedicated to the safety and health and security of Washington's 3.3 million workers. Take a look at this brief video and learn more about why L&I is an employer of choice.

For this position, telework is not permitted. The assigned duty station for this position is Tumwater, Washington.

Background Check Notice

Prior to a placement in this position, a background check, including criminal history record will be conducted. Information from your background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining your eligibility to perform the requirements of the position.

Other information

• For positions requiring travel, you must have a valid unrestricted driver's license and have insurance if driving a privately owned vehicle on state business.
• This position is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).
• Candidates who are offered a job with L&I must possess work authorization that does not require sponsorship by the employer for a visa now or in the future.
• The Department of Labor & Industries complies with the employment eligibility verification requirements of the federal employment eligibility verification form, I-9. The selected candidate must be able to provide proof of identity and eligibility to work in the United States consistent with the requirements of that form on the first day of employment.
• Please note: L&I may use this announcement to fill multiple permanent and/or non-permanent positions.

Did You Know?

Washington is America's Top State to live, play, and work, according to U.S. News (2021). Join the L&I team and enjoy all the Evergreen State has to offer.

In addition to offering a positive balance between life and work, L&I provides one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation. We also believe your voice matters. We value our employees and their work-life balance by encouraging flexible schedules. L&I is a diverse state agency dedicated to the safety and health and security of Washington's 3 million workers.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Employer

L&I employees come from all walks of life. We strive to hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

We believe in the importance of recognizing the value each of us contribute to the success of the agency mission. Having a diverse workforce is this agency’s greatest resource of strength and knowledge. It is through the combination of talents and abilities that we can pursue finding effective measures to provide the best customer service. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace for everyone and we strongly mean everyone.

The State of Washington is an equal opportunity employer. Persons with a disability who need accommodation in the application process or testing process, or those needing this announcement in an alternative format, may call 360-902-5700. TTY users should first call 711 to access the Washington Relay Service.

You are welcome to include the name and pronoun you would like to be referred to in your materials and we will honor this as you interact with our award-winning diverse and inclusive organization.

For more Information

If you have any questions regarding this job posting, program, or the agency, please contact Haleigh Missildine (she/her/hers).