Recruitment and Classification Specialist
State of Washington
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
Office of Secretary of State in Olympia seeks a dynamic HR professional to lead full-cycle recruitment and HR classification/compensation activities. You will guide executives and managers, implement complex recruitment programs, and ensure compliant, inclusive hiring practices across the organization.
The role includes managing onboarding, coordinating with the Leadership Academy, and supporting strategic HR initiatives within the Washington State government.
Qualifications
- At least five years of experience providing support or consultation in more than one human resource discipline; expert level in at least one HR discipline is preferred.
- Experience with recruitment processes including job postings, candidate screening, and onboarding.
- Experience creating curriculum or training materials and delivering trainings.
- Ability to interpret and apply policies, CBAs, and HR laws to decisions.
Responsibilities
- Leads complex recruitment programs, advising leadership on sourcing and best practices.
- Oversees end-to-end recruitment including postings, screening, and onboarding with NEOGOV and OLRS.
- Develops and interprets classification and compensation policies for leadership.
- Provides HR consulting to executives and managers across multiple HR disciplines.
- Supports learning and development initiatives and leadership programs.
Skills
Tools
Job description
Description The Office of Secretary of State (OSOS) offers some of the most unique and diverse job opportunities in state government. Its critical responsibilities include: ensuring a fair and accurate elections process; connecting Washingtonians through the power of libraries; protecting our important government records; and registering corporations and charities. The Secretary of State also administers vital community programs that inspire giving, document our history, and assist crime survivors in avoiding further abuse. This independent office under the state Constitution operates from facilities in the Olympia area and statewide.
Description The Office of Secretary of State (OSOS) offers some of the most unique and diverse job opportunities in state government. Its critical responsibilities include: ensuring a fair and accurate elections process; connecting Washingtonians through the power of libraries; protecting our important government records; and registering corporations and charities. The Secretary of State also administers vital community programs that inspire giving, document our history, and assist crime survivors in avoiding further abuse. This independent office under the state Constitution operates from facilities in the Olympia area and statewide.
The OSOS is looking for top-performing employees who embody its core values of integrity, service excellence, visionary leadership, collaboration and teamwork. It is committed to both employee growth and work-life balance. The benefits of working in state government also include potential eligibility for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
Operations Division is the heart of the Office of Secretary of State, supporting the Executive Office and every division through the internal functions of Public Records, Financial Services, Budget, Facilities, and Human Resources. This division serves as a trusted and knowledgeable resource to both its internal and external customers. Its success depends on the expertise of employees who ensure public access to information, protect financial resources, and help develop our most valuable asset: people.
This position reports directly to the HR Manager and serves as an expert consultant across multiple human resources disciplines, including classification, compensation, benefits, employee and labor relations, recruitment, training, rule interpretation, FMLA, FLSA, reasonable accommodation, and payroll support for the Executive Team. The role is responsible for designing, implementing, and managing recruitment strategies for the Office, as well as performing comprehensive classification and compensation activities such as full-cycle position allocations and supporting new employee onboarding.
In addition, this position manages learning and development activities within the WA State Learning Center (TLC) and leads the creation, delivery, and continuous improvement of the Office’s customized leadership development program, the Leadership Academy.
This position has an option of a 12 month in-training at the Human Resources Consultant 3 level and can be filled at either the HRC 3 or HRC 4 level.
- Serves as the office’s technical expert on recruitment methodologies, advising executive leadership and hiring authorities on best practices, emerging trends, and innovative sourcing strategies.
- Oversees implementation of complex recruitment programs, including hard-to-fill and mission-critical classifications, by tailoring strategies that meet the Office’s specialized workforce needs.
- Leads the collaboration process with co-workers, customers, and stakeholders to build robust recruitment strategies with core components in each plan for various job classes, hard-to-fill positions, and other vacancies.
- Provides expert consultation to managers on complex recruitment situations, such as organizational restructuring, new program implementation, or classification redesign.
- Manages job postings using NeoGov including, but not limited to updating hiring documents, screening candidate applications and materials, and relied upon to be the subject matter expert on the Online Recruiting System (OLRS).
- Serves as the main contact for hiring managers and division leadership to develop application questionnaires.
- Builds relationships with hiring managers and supervisors across the office to ensure a seamless and efficient recruitment and onboarding process.
- Incorporates diversity, equity, and inclusion in all job postings.
- Attends career/job fairs representing the office and employment opportunities.
- Manages the end to end onboarding process of all new hires to include coordinating communication, preparing onboarding documentation, scheduling orientations (as needed), and input into HRMS.
- Ensures all appropriate recruitment records are stored and retained according to the State General Records Retention Schedule.
- Reviews interview questions to ensure they are in accordance with policies and RCWs.
- Determines and decides the appropriate allocation of positions independently including, but not limited to continuity of positions, ensuring adherence with classification specifications, and in accordance with Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs).
- Leads complex classification studies, including multi-position restructures, new program builds, and organization-wide reallocation projects, ensuring consistency, equity, and compliance with state classification frameworks.
- Develops and interprets classification and compensation policies, providing expert guidance to executives, managers, and HR partners on rule application, job family alignment, and long-term workforce planning implications.
- Manages and oversees classification and compensation processes including, but not limited to establishing uniform intake procedures, reviewing standard processes, and creating documentation templates to ensure consistent practices across the office.
- Applies current knowledge and expertise of Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and overtime laws, project employment, in-training employment, and other required actions in the administration of classification and compensation for the office.
- Provides guidance to executives, managers and supervisors when establishing, reallocating, or updating position descriptions to ensure consistency and alignment across the office.
- Reviews and analyzes management-initiated establishments and/or management/employee-initiated reallocations of Washington General Service positions.
- Provides expertise during audits, appeals, or classification review processes, representing the Office’s position and ensuring documentation and rationale support defensible decisions.
- Provides accurate interpretation and explanation of applicable WACs, RCS, CBA, agency policies and procedures related to classification and compensation, providing clarification when needed.
- Maintains electronic position files, ensuring all required documents are included.
- Serves as the office representative at statewide training manager meetings.
- Creates and updates training curriculum for classes.
- Serves as the liaison with Executive team to facilitate the OSOS Leadership Academy.
- Subject matter expert on The Learning Center (TLC), responsible for uploading training.
- Coordinates all internal and external training requested by office leadership, to include scheduling and administrative requirements.
- Serves as the HR consultant to the Executive team.
- Works on special projects as they arise to meet HR’s mission, goals, and deadlines, to include policy development.
- Assists in investigations as needed.
- Monitors shared email inbox; processes requests, responds to inquiries, and/or forwards to appropriate staff members as needed.
- Responds to routine employment verification inquiries.
- Runs monthly, quarterly, and annual reports.
- Supports the HR Operations Manager by scheduling and facilitating committee activities for the Washington Management Service (WMS) and Information Technology Professional Structure (ITPS), may represent HR on various committees.
- Performs as a member of the HR team, opens mail, orders supplies, and files.
- Other duties as assigned.
Incumbent would provide consultation and guidance, but not at the expert level for every HR discipline. Expert level consultation would be expected in at least 2 of the following subject areas: payroll, recruitment, reasonable accommodation, position description writing and allocation, and/or FMLA. In addition, incumbent would not be responsible for providing guidance to HR staff in the other HR disciplines that they are not considered to be an expert in.
- At least five years of experience providing support or consultation in more than one human resource discipline; Experience should include at least one year at expert level for at least one HR discipline and also include independently composing business communications, managing records, and responding to customer inquiries; Education may be substituted for up to 2 years of required experience
- Attention to detail and accuracy
- Ability to present training and speak in front of groups
- Ability to efficiently use a personal computer and applicable software to successfully perform the essential job functions of the position
- Experience within Washington State government recruiting.
- Experience with full-cycle recruitment.
- Experience using NEOGOV applicant tracking system.
- Experience creating curriculum and providing training.
- Experience allocating positions and working with position descriptions.
- At least four years of experience providing support or consultation in at least two human resource disciplines; experience should also include independently composing business communications, managing records, and responding to customer inquiries; Education may be substituted for up to 2 years of required experience.
- Ability to efficiently use a personal computer and applicable software to successfully perform the essential job functions of the position.
- Attention to detail and accuracy
PLEASE READ: If you have gotten this far and are thinking you do not qualify, consider again. Studies have shown that members of historically marginalized and underrepresented communities, specifically women and people of color, are less likely to apply to jobs unless they clearly meet every single qualification.
At the Office of the Secretary of State, we are dedicated to building a diverse and authentic work force with a foundation of belonging. If you are excited about this role and have relevant experience and skills, but question whether your experience aligns perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply regardless. You may just be the ideal candidate this office needs.
The incumbent will be working with a tightly knit team of established HR professionals. The majority of day will be spend working at a desk with standard office equipment: computer copier, scanner, fax and phone. Must be able to and maneuver boxes weight up to 30lbs. The standard business hours are Monday - Friday from 8am -5pm. The option to adjust work hours will be given. Depending on emergencies or natural disasters, the incumbent may be required to work outside normal business hours. Additionally, the incumbent will work with both internal and external customers by phone, email, and in person. Incumbent must have the ability to handle complaints and interact with difficult and impatient people/customers.
Employee benefits are not just about the kind of services you get, they are also about how much you may have to pay out of pocket. Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation.
We understand that your life revolves around more than just your career. Like everyone, your first priority is ensuring that you and your family will maintain health and financial security. That's why choice is a key component of our benefits package. We have a selection of health and retirement plans, paid leave, staff training and other compensation benefits that you can mix and match to meet your current and future needs.
The following information describes typical benefits available for full-time employees who are expected to work more than six months. Actual benefits may vary by appointment type or be prorated for other than full-time work (e.g. part-time); view the job posting for benefits details for job types other than full-time.
Employees and their families are covered by medical (including vision), dental and basic life insurance. There are multiple medical plans with affordable monthly premiums that offer coverage throughout the state.
Staff are eligible to enroll each year in a medical flexible spending account which enables them to use tax‑deferred dollars toward their health care expenses. Employees are also covered by basic life and long‑term disability insurance, with the option to purchase additional coverage amounts.
To view premium rates, coverage choice in your area and how to enroll, please visit the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) website. The Washington Wellness program from the Health Care Authority works with PEBB to support our workplace wellness programs.
Dependent care assistance allows the employee to save pre‑tax dollars for a child or elder care expenses.
Other insurance coverage for auto, boat, home, and renter insurance is available through payroll deduction.
The Washington State Employee Assistance Program promotes the health and well-being of employees.
State Employees are members of the Washington Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). New employees have the option of two employer contributed retirement programs. For additional information, check out the Department of Retirement Systems' web site.
Employees also have the ability to participate in the Deferred Compensation Program (DCP). This is a supplemental retirement savings program (similar to an IRA) that allows you control over the amount of pre‑tax salary dollars you defer as well as the flexibility to choose between multiple investment options.
All state employees are covered by the federal Social Security and Medicare systems. The state and the employee pay an equal amount into the system.
If you are employed by a government or not‑for‑profit organization, and meet the qualifying criteria, you may be eligible to receive student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.
Full‑time and part‑time employees are entitled to paid holidays and one paid personal holiday per calendar year.
Full‑time employees earn eight hours of sick leave per month. Overtime eligible employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month, earn a monthly proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full‑time employment. Overtime exempt employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month do not earn a monthly accrual of sick leave.
Sick leave accruals for part‑time employees will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full‑time employment. Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.
Full‑time employees accrue vacation leave at the rates specified in WAC 357‑31‑165(1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Full‑time employees who are in pay status for less than 80 non‑overtime hours in a month do not earn a monthly accrual of vacation leave.
Part‑time employees accrue vacation leave hours in accordance with WAC 357‑31‑165(1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA) on a pro rate basis. Vacation leave accrual will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full‑time employment.
Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.
As provided in WAC 357‑58‑175, an employer may authorize a lump‑sum accrual of vacation leave or accelerate the vacation leave accrual rate to support the recruitment and/or retention of a candidate or employee for a Washington Management Service position. Vacation leave accrual rates may only be accelerated using the rates established WAC 357‑31‑165.
Washington State supports members of the armed forces with 21 days paid military leave per year.
Most employees whose family member or household member dies, or for loss of pregnancy, are entitled to five (5) days of paid bereavement leave. In addition, the employer may approve other available leave types for the purpose of bereavement leave.
Please visit the State HR Website for more detailed information regarding benefits.
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