Regional Investigations Supervisor (INTERNAL ONLY)

State of Washington; Tumwater (WA); Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Office of the Independent Investigations (OII) in Washington invites experienced leaders to join as Regional Investigations Supervisors. You will guide a regional team conducting independent investigations into police use of deadly force, reporting to the Investigative Operations Manager, and collaborating with tribal and regional partners.

Hybrid work is available in Region 1; applicants must reside within 30 miles of the region.

Qualifications

• Experience supervising, coaching, and evaluating staff.
• Ability to build trusting, collaborative team relationships across backgrounds.
• Experience leading complex criminal investigations and crime scene management.
• Experience commanding or coordinating multi-agency investigations.
• Ability to assess investigative work products against quality standards and provide actionable feedback.
• Knowledge of Washington laws, policies, and procedures related to criminal investigations.
• Knowledge of the rules of evidence and chain of custody.
• Ability to recognize signs of stress and trauma exposure and refer to support resources.
• Ability to provide credible testimony in court or other legal proceedings if required.
• Demonstrated understanding of anti-racism and applying it to supervision, investigative practices, and decision-making.

Responsibilities

• Supervise regional investigations staff and set clear performance expectations.
• Provide coaching and feedback on casework and professional conduct.
• Maintain development plans and succession readiness for direct reports.
• Onboard new team members and mentor field development with senior investigators.
• Assign and monitor caseloads; balance workload across the region.
• Monitor staff wellness and connect with support resources.
• Foster an inclusive team culture across a dispersed region with an anti-racist lens.
• Participate in hiring panels and advise on candidate selection.
• Support strategic goals set by the OII leadership.
• Coordinate with law enforcement and partners to advance investigations.

Skills

Staff supervision

Coaching & feedback

Inclusive leadership

Investigations leadership

Crime scene management

Multi-agency coordination

Evidence and custody knowledge

Testimony in court

Anti-racism applying

Job description

This opportunity is open to current, internal OII employees only.

Who We Are

In response to deaths resulting from encounters with law enforcement and the community’s demand for change, the Washington State Legislature created a new, first-of-its-kind agency: the Office of Independent Investigations (OII). This new agency was formed in 2021 and operates under the requirements of the law in which investigations involving the use of deadly force must be truly independent of the involved law enforcement agency.

Our mission is to conduct fair, thorough, transparent, and competent investigations of incidents involving use of deadly force. This approach to investigations will remove conflicts of interest, improve accountability and transparency, and renew the public’s confidence. Through these efforts, we hope to strengthen the relationships between police and the community, build public trust, and promote effective policing. To help us carry out this mission, we are looking for Investigators of all levels to join our growing team.

As a Regional Investigations Supervisor on our diverse team, you will play an integral role in supporting OII by leading a team that conducts independent investigations into police use of deadly force under RCW 43.102. Reporting to the Investigative Operations Manager, you will lead, coach, and develop a regional team that may include Senior Investigators, Investigators, and Tribal and Family Liaisons. You will foster a trusting, collaborative, and inclusive team environment where people are supported, expectations are clear, and diverse perspectives and experiences are valued.

In this role, you will oversee team performance, workload, priorities, and wellness while providing leadership and support throughout complex and sensitive investigations. You will also provide on-scene supervision and incident command when needed, helping ensure each investigation is thorough, competent, objective, and independent. If you’re ready to lead with purpose, develop a strong and inclusive team, and help strengthen public trust through independent, high-quality investigations, we want to hear from you. Bring your leadership, experience, and commitment to public service to this important work.

This position is overtime eligible.

Location

This recruitment is specific to Region 1 in Western Washington. Applicants are not required to live in Region 1 but must reside within 30 miles of the designated region. A hybrid work environment is available; however, 100% remote work is not an option. For more information about OII’s regions and the counties they cover, please refer to OII’s regional map at https://oii.wa.gov/investigations.

What You’ll Do

People Leadership and Development

• Supervise assigned regional investigations staff; establish clear performance expectations aligned with OII policies, procedures, and quality standards; and evaluate employee performance.
• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings with each direct report; provide timely, specific coaching and feedback on casework, professional conduct, and growth.
• Maintain an individual development plan with each direct report, including career pathways and succession readiness, in coordination with OII training and development programs.
• Onboard new team members and guide their structured field development in partnership with senior investigators, who provide technical mentorship on use-of-force investigations.
• Assign and monitor caseloads and duty rotations; balance workload across the team; identify capacity opportunities and workload imbalances and take appropriate action to address them.
• Monitor the wellness of staff exposed to traumatic scenes and materials; connect employees with support resources; model and enforce health and safety procedures.
• Foster team cohesion, psychological safety, and an inclusive team environment across a geographically dispersed region, applying an anti-racist lens consistent with OII's mission, vision, and values.
• Hold staff accountable to established policies and performance standards; take or recommend corrective action as appropriate and approve leave, schedules, training, and travel requests.
• Participate in hiring panels and make recommendations regarding candidate selection.
• Support and implement the strategic goals, initiatives, and direction set by the OII Director and the Director of Investigations.

Operational Supervision and Incident Command

• Make critical response decisions when law enforcement agencies report incidents, as part of the notification rotation.
• Serve as, or assign, the Incident Commander at critical incident scenes; direct OII team operations on scene and ensure appropriate methods are followed to identify, collect, and preserve evidence and witness statements.
• Review and approve or return investigative reports for quality and completeness, using review as a coaching opportunity to develop investigator skill.
• Apprise the Investigative Operations Manager and Director of Investigations of case status, emerging issues, and lessons learned from regional investigations.
• Ensure staff comply with all requirements related to confidentiality, Criminal Justice Information, case management principles and protocols, and data management.
• Testify in legal proceedings as required.

Coordination and Partnership

• Build effective working relationships and coordinate with law enforcement, coroners and medical examiners, prosecutors, assistant attorneys general, and other local, state, tribal, and federal partners regarding active investigations.
• Coordinate with the Tribal and Family Liaison and ensure resources are deployed to support affected persons and witnesses.
• Coordinate with peer supervisors to ensure consistent application of investigative policies and procedures across regions.

Who You Are

Required Qualifications

Our initial selection is based on the information candidates provide. Candidates must meet all “Required / Minimum Qualifications” to be considered. Please ensure that your resume clearly describes your experience in the areas listed below to help facilitate proper evaluation.

• Demonstrated experience supervising, coaching, and developing staff, including setting clear expectations, providing constructive and difficult feedback, and evaluating performance.
• Demonstrated ability to build trusting, collaborative team relationships and foster an inclusive team climate in which staff of all backgrounds can raise concerns, contribute ideas, and do their best work.
• Demonstrated prior experience conducting or leading complex criminal investigations, including crime scene management and evidence collection.
• Experience commanding or coordinating critical incident scenes, including multi-agency or multi-jurisdictional efforts.
• Ability to assess investigative work products against quality standards and provide clear, actionable feedback; ability to write and review detailed investigative and legal-facing documents.
• Knowledge of Washington laws, policies, and procedures related to criminal law, criminal investigations, and policing. Significant knowledge of comparable practices outside Washington may substitute.
• Knowledge of the rules of evidence and chain of custody necessary to protect the integrity of evidence collected during an investigation.
• Ability to recognize signs of stress and trauma exposure in staff and to connect employees with appropriate support resources.
• Ability to provide credible testimony in court or other legal proceedings if required.
• Demonstrated understanding of anti-racism and the ability to apply an anti-racist lens to supervision, investigative practices, and decision‑making.

Desired Qualifications

• Formal training or certification in supervision, leadership, or coaching (e.g., first-line supervisor academies, leadership development programs).
• Experience supporting employee wellness in trauma-exposed work, such as peer support, critical incident stress management, or trauma-informed supervision.
• Advanced education, training, or industry certification(s) in criminal legal system or a related field.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and regulations, and experience working in quasi-judicial and judicial environments.
• Education, knowledge, or practical experience in behavioral health, youth cognitive development, trauma-informed interviewing, and de-escalation techniques.

Questions?

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

The Office of the Independent Investigations is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects diversity in culture, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, persons over 40 years of age, and disabled and Vietnam‑era veterans are encouraged to apply. If you need reasonable accommodation in applying, please call 1-800-833-6384 or dial 7-1-1 to reach the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf system.

Special Note: This position is exempt from civil service rules.

For more information, please see WAC 357-19-195.