UICS Claim Center Enterprise Manager (WMS2)

State of Washington Employment Security Department; Olympia (WA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

State of Washington Employment Security Department seeks a visionary Claims Center Enterprise Manager to lead unemployment insurance benefit operations, champion excellence, and drive enterprise-wide strategic plans ensuring lawful, efficient service delivery to claimants.

The role empowers and leads a team of operations managers across intake, adjudication, and appeals, shaping how we meet strategic goals while maintaining compliance with evolving state and federal laws.

Qualifications

• Five years or more of management experience.
• Five years or more of program delivery experience in unemployment insurance.
• Five years or more of experience designing, implementing, and managing programs.
• Five years or more of experience working with diverse groups and teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement short, mid, and long-term strategies to optimize claim centers.
• Coordinate interdependencies across claim centers, programs, and initiatives.
• Lead strategic initiatives including Human-Centered Design and Lean process improvements.
• Oversee service standards for intake and adjudication and staffing models.
• Conduct field visits to gather insights and improve the benefits experience for staff and claimants.
• Advise on UICS programs to achieve performance goals and outcomes.
• Build partnerships across divisions to leverage resources and expertise.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Public speaking

Budget management

Data analysis

Stakeholder collaboration

Project management

Risk management

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in public administration or related field

Tools

Telephony systems

Lean tools

Public sector IT systems

Job description

The ideal candidate possesses significant expertise in Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs and benefits. In addition, they are a skilled human-centered leader that models operational and strategic excellence.

We are seeking a visionary Claims Center Enterprise Manager to lead, transform, and oversee our comprehensive unemployment insurance (UI) benefit operations. In this pivotal role, they will champion an organizational culture of excellence while driving enterprise-wide strategic plans that ensure the lawful, efficient, and timely delivery of services to claimants. They will directly empower and lead a dedicated team of operations managers across vital benefit areas, including intake, adjudication, and appeals. By modeling our agency's core values, managing budgetary inputs, and instilling staff accountability, they will directly shape how we meet our high-level strategic goals and mission.

The ideal candidate brings deep knowledge in Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs, telephony systems, and strategic planning to navigate complex technological and customer service challenges. In this role, they will have full authority to implement operational policies across statewide claims centers, directly steering the modernization of a service delivery model that impacts millions of Washingtonians. As a vital advisor to senior leadership, executive teams, and the Commissioner, they will leverage high-level professional judgment, original thinking, and risk-mitigation strategies to design new initiatives, manage resources, and ensure strict compliance with evolving state and federal legislation.

As a key collaborative leader, they will partner closely with divisional managers, administrators, and local stakeholders to maintain top-tier service quality that satisfies both customer needs and Department of Labor (DOL) performance standards. This position is highly dynamic and requires an impactful communicator comfortable with extensive public speaking to both internal and external audiences. If you are a strategic thinker ready to travel statewide and nationally to represent our agency at conferences, centers, and events, we invite you to apply and help shape the future of our workforce services.

Some of what you will do:

• Develop and implement short term, mid-term and long term (5+ year) strategies that will optimize efficiencies in the claim centers by establishing and guiding an effective, collaborative planning process to balance the variety of needs within the division and arrive at desired outcomes.
• Identify and coordinate the interdependencies among claim centers, programs, projects, products, and other important strategic initiatives across the UICS.
• Lead Division strategic initiatives that have a direct impact on service delivery to customers, including the Human-Centered Design and Lean process improvement activities, cross-divisional initiatives aimed at customer value, and on-going system Lean problem-solving and standard work activities.
• Oversee service standards for claims intake and adjudication, making short and long-term decisions on staffing models used throughout the enterprise.
• Conduct regular field visits to listen, observe, learn and capture insights, promising practices and opportunities to improve the benefits experience for claims staff and customers.
• Provide input into UICS programs as they relate to the Agency and Division strategic outcomes to ensure the performance goals are achieved.
• Work with cross-divisional leaders to create new partnership opportunities to leverage resources and expertise to better serve customers.

Bachelor’s degree in public administration, business administration, organizational development, law, or other related field

Experience:

• Five years or more of management experience
• Five years or more of program experience in unemployment insurance requirements and delivery
• Five years or more of experience designing, implementing, and managing programs
• Five years or more of experience work with diverse groups and teams

A combination of education and experience may compensate for educational requirements.

Competencies:

• Must have strong professional skills in management, facilitation, operations, process improvement, data analysis, communications, strong supervision skills, strategic thinking, relationship building, conflict management, presentation skills, listening skills, project management skills, performance management, budget development and oversight
• Solid understanding of the Unemployment Insurance system
• Meet deadlines and performance standards
• Translate agency mission to day-to-day activities
• Use data and performance information to effectively manage system performance, meet performance outcomes and improve business functions
• Must support Agency culture in equity, diversity and inclusion efforts

Preferred/Desired Education, Experience, and Competencies.

Understanding of human-centered design principles

Demonstrated knowledge of:

• Lean methods and practice
• Human resources
• Collective bargaining agreements
• Fiscal management principles and procedures
• Detailed understanding of large-scale telephony systems

Demonstrated ability to:

• Work effectively with internal and external stakeholders
• Analyze and interpret data
• Communicate complex ideas and principles in a manner easily understood by lay audiencesMeet deadlines and performance standards
• Translate Agency mission to day-to-day activities
• Give public presentations
• Use data and performance information to effectively manage system performance, meet performance outcomes and improve business functions.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

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

Why work with us?

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 Katie Swanson (360-742-8208), the Talent Acquisition Team, or Washington Relay Service 711 prior to the recruitment 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.

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