Assistant Division Chief Administrative Law Judge

State of Washington•Multiple Locations Statewide, WA

6d•$154,008•Hybrid

About The Position

The Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) is seeking to fill a new Assistant Division Chief ALJ (ADC) position in its Social & Health Services (SHS) Division. This role is open exclusively to current OAH employees. The ADC is a key operational leader who partners with the Division Chief ALJ to advance divisional priorities, enhance operational effectiveness, and promote excellence in administrative adjudication. The position provides leadership through collaboration, influence, and delegated authority, rather than formal supervisory responsibility. The ADC works independently, exercising sound judgment to coordinate division-wide initiatives, lead continuous improvement efforts, develop operational resources and best practices, facilitate communication among stakeholders, and support the implementation of strategic organizational priorities. The ADC acts as a trusted advisor to the Division Chief, offering operational analysis, recommendations, and leadership to improve consistency, efficiency, innovation, and service delivery. In addition to managing a reduced judicial caseload, the ADC leads special projects, supports organizational change, and serves as the Division Chief's designee for operational responsibilities, thereby expanding leadership capacity and advancing OAH's mission. The division's caseloads include matters from the Division of Child Support, Department of Children, Youth & Families, Health Care Authority, Licensing, Modified Adjusted Gross Income, and Public Assistance, WA Cares.

Requirements

Active or judicial membership in good standing with the Washington State Bar Association
Comprehensive knowledge of administrative law principles, hearing procedures, judicial ethics, applicable statutes, administrative rules, and due process requirements necessary to conduct hearings and advise others on adjudicative practices (RCW 34.12.030(1))
Facilitating collaboration and leading organizational and/or divisional initiatives through influence
Analyzing issues, identifying root causes, evaluating alternatives, and developing practical recommendations
Building productive working relationships, fostering collaboration, and facilitating discussion on complex issues
Facilitating meetings, delivering presentations and training, communicating complex information, and adapting communication styles to diverse audiences
Ability to influence others, build trust, facilitate collaboration, and achieve organizational outcomes through expertise, credibility, and relationships rather than supervisory authority
Evaluate complex operational and judicial issues, exercise sound judgment, and make recommendations involving sensitive or high-impact matters
Develop resources, establish best practices, improve processes, facilitate learning, and strengthen organizational effectiveness across the division
Balance judicial responsibilities, operational leadership, strategic initiatives, stakeholder relationships, and changing organizational priorities while maintaining quality and timeliness
Accountability and dependability: Takes responsibility for actions and work quality. Meets deadlines, maintains accuracy, and works independently.
Adaptability and flexibility: Adjusts to change and feedback, learns from experience, and seeks continuous improvement.
Attention to detail: Ensures accuracy and thoroughness in work. Carefully reviews output to avoid errors.
Communication effectiveness: Clearly conveys and receives information through speaking and writing and adapts to the audience.
Ethics and integrity: Acts honestly, maintains confidentiality, follows rules, and responsibly and appropriately uses public resources.
Relationship and team building: Develops and fosters trust, respect, and collaboration to support team members and team goals. Resolves disagreements constructively.
Self-awareness and commitment to growth: Recognizes personal biases and how they impact communication and decisions. Seeks growth through reflection and learning.
Active listening: Listens attentively, asks clarifying questions, confirms understanding, and responds with empathy.
Administrative law and procedures: Learns, understands, and retains rules and procedures related to administrative law and case management.
Analytical: Identifies key information, analyzes and verifies data, and applies appropriate solutions based on guidelines.
Change management: Supports and/or leads change efforts with a focus on improvement and clear communication.
Decision-making and judgment: Makes timely, informed decisions using relevant data and standards, and demonstrates sound judgment through consistent, responsible, and thoughtful actions.
Deliver and drive results: Takes initiative and follows through to meet performance goals and improve processes.
Develop self and others: Pursues growth as a leader and supports development of others through feedback and coaching.
Foster collaboration: Works well with others, supports team decisions, and shares information openly.
Interpersonal effectiveness: Builds positive relationships and works effectively with diverse perspectives and teams.
Judicial demeanor: Demonstrates and upholds objectivity, impartiality, fairness, and respect in managing hearings. Ensures decisions and conduct align with the law and principles of equal justice.
Knowledge retention: Effectively learns, retains, and applies new or updated information and procedures.
Legal research methods: Effectively uses legal resources to find relevant laws, regulations, and cases.
Legal terms and citations: Understands and correctly uses legal terms, rules, and citation formats.
Model the way: Leads by example through consistency, humility, and integrity.
Proofreading: Consistently identifies and corrects grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Ensures content accuracy and clarity.
Stress tolerance: Remains calm and effective under pressure or in difficult situations.
Tact and diplomacy: Handles sensitive situations respectfully, reducing conflict and maintaining relationships.
Technology effectiveness: Uses technology accurately and effectively for communication, documentation, and workload management. Uses state-owned technology resources appropriately and ethically.
Valuing others: Respects diverse perspectives, is mindful of various backgrounds and lived experiences as a leader in the workplace, and leverages strengths across teams.
Workload management: Handles tasks efficiently and independently, maintaining high-quality output.
Writing effectiveness: Produces clear, concise, and well-organized written content for various audiences.

Nice To Haves

3 years as an administrative law judge
Leading, supervising, mentoring, and/or training attorneys or adjudicators
Facilitating case assignments and schedules
Subject matter expertise for divisional caseloads
Organizational change management principles
Lean, continuous improvement, or process improvement methodologies
Developing or delivering professional training
Creating operational guidance, templates, or knowledge resources
Representing leadership on committees or stakeholder groups
Coordinating operational priorities
Interpret organizational priorities and develop practical implementation plans that improve operations and achieve desired outcomes.

Responsibilities

Provide operational leadership in support of the Division Chief by coordinating division activities, facilitating communication, implementing organizational priorities, and promoting consistent operational practices across assigned caseloads.
Partner with the Division Chief to coordinate day-to-day operational activities and implement division priorities.
Monitor operational trends, identify emerging issues, and recommend solutions that improve efficiency, consistency, and service delivery.
Coordinate implementation of agency initiatives within the division and ensure effective communication of operational changes.
Represent the Division Chief in meetings, workgroups, and operational discussions as assigned.
Coordinate communication among ALJs, Legal Administrative Managers (LAMs), Headquarters staff, and other agency partners, as assigned.
Facilitate collaboration across divisions and business units to resolve operational issues and improve organizational effectiveness.
Analyze operational data and prepare reports, recommendations, and presentations supporting executive and divisional decision-making.
Serve as the Division Chief's designee for assigned operational and leadership responsibilities and as a trusted advisor.
Serve as Acting Division Chief for assigned operational responsibilities during absences or as delegated.
Research operational issues and prepare recommendations supporting executive decision-making.
Carry out delegated leadership assignments requiring sound judgment, tact and diplomacy, and discretion.
Support implementation of agency strategic priorities within the division.
Keep the Division Chief informed of significant operational issues, emerging risks, stakeholder concerns, and recommendations.
Lead and/or coordinate division-wide special projects assigned by the Division Chief.
Develop recommendations that improve operational processes, workflows, and administrative practices.
Coordinate development and maintenance of operational resources, guidance materials, templates, and reference tools supporting ALJs and professional staff.
Lead development of best practices in collaboration with Senior ALJs, Lead ALJs, LAMs, and other subject matter experts.
Coordinate development and maintenance of division resources available through Inside OAH and other organizational knowledge management systems.
Analyze data, identify trends, and develop recommendations supporting continuous improvement initiatives.
Support implementation of new technology, reporting tools, and operational systems that improve efficiency and consistency.
Coordinate development of reports, dashboards, and other operational metrics that support leadership decision-making.
Serve as a liaison with referring agencies, stakeholders, and partner organizations on assigned operational initiatives.
Participate in recurring stakeholder meetings and assist in identifying opportunities to improve collaboration and service delivery.
Coordinate with Headquarters staff regarding operational needs, technology improvements, reporting, facilities, and other agency initiatives.
Participate on agency committees, including the Safety Committee and other cross-functional workgroups, as assigned.
Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, respect, and continuous improvement throughout the division.
Facilitate development and delivery of ALJ training in collaboration with Senior ALJs, Lead ALJs, and subject matter experts.
Promote consistent application of statutes, regulations, agency policy, and adjudicative best practices.
Coordinate development of hearing templates, reference materials, and judicial resources supporting consistent decision-making.
Provide guidance and consultation regarding operational and procedural issues affecting assigned caseloads as delegated.
Support onboarding and integration of new ALJs through development of training resources and operational guidance in collaboration with Senior ALJs.
Assist with hearing coverage and operational continuity as assigned.
Conduct fair and impartial hearings.
Manage assigned caseload.
Issue timely, well-reasoned decisions.
Maintain legal knowledge.
Protect confidential information.
Demonstrate judicial demeanor.
Meet productivity and quality expectations.