Civil Rights Officer

State of Montana•Helena, MT

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Department of Labor & Industry is seeking a Civil Rights Officer to ensure Montanans can access programs, services, and workforce opportunities without discrimination or unnecessary barriers. This role involves developing practical systems for civil-rights requirements, expanding access, strengthening fairness, and improving public service across Montana. The position offers meaningful public-service work, broad collaboration, and the opportunity to build lasting expertise in accessibility, equal opportunity, and compliance. The Civil Rights Officer serves as the Department’s public-facing Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator and designated Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Equal Opportunity Officer. This position leads civil-rights compliance activities, including accessibility coordination, complaint oversight, program monitoring, training, and corrective-action processes. The role works closely with program staff, leadership, Human Resources, investigators, service providers, and state and federal partners to strengthen consistent, accessible, and equitable service delivery.

Requirements

Demonstrated experience in civil-rights compliance, accessibility, regulatory compliance, complaint resolution, investigations, policy development, program monitoring, workforce programs, public administration, legal operations, or closely related work.
Experience interpreting and applying laws, rules, policies, contracts, technical standards, grant requirements, or program requirements in a manner that balances compliance obligations with practical customer or public-service needs.
Experience communicating complex information clearly and respectfully to diverse audiences, including customers, members of the public, employees, program partners, service providers, or leadership.
Experience managing confidential records, sensitive concerns, complaints, investigations, or other matters requiring sound judgment, neutrality, discretion, and appropriate privacy practices.
Demonstrated ability to organize multiple priorities, maintain accurate documentation, use office and electronic-records systems, and follow projects, monitoring activities, or corrective actions through completion.
Ability to obtain and maintain any designation or authorization required to perform the WIOA Equal Opportunity Officer function.
Candidates must demonstrate the ability to: interpret and apply laws, rules, policies, technical standards, and program requirements to complex situations involving civil rights, accessibility, equal opportunity, or public-service delivery.
Candidates must demonstrate the ability to: assess jurisdiction, gather and evaluate relevant information, identify appropriate next steps, make sound referrals or findings, and handle sensitive matters with neutrality and discretion.
Candidates must demonstrate the ability to: listen carefully to concerns and explain processes, requirements, referrals, decisions, and outcomes clearly to complainants, staff, partners, leadership, and members of the public.
Candidates must demonstrate the ability to: develop practical compliance processes; conduct, document, and follow up on reviews; identify risks; and support corrective actions that improve services and reduce barriers.
Candidates must demonstrate the ability to: organize cyclical reporting, monitoring, training, planning, and complaint-management responsibilities while maintaining reliable records and meeting deadlines.
Candidates must demonstrate the ability to: use complaint, monitoring, and program data to identify trends, measure progress, communicate risks, and recommend improvements.
Candidates must demonstrate the ability to: translate complex requirements into understandable, practical guidance and deliver effective training or technical assistance to diverse audiences.
Candidates must demonstrate the ability to: build productive working relationships, take ownership of complex work, seek appropriate expertise, and use sound judgment when guidance is limited or evolving.

Nice To Haves

Experience with ADA Title II, WIOA Section 188, workforce services, apprenticeship programs, federally funded programs, civil-rights investigations, accessibility, language access, or compliance training is beneficial but not required when a candidate demonstrates transferable skills and the ability to learn the governing framework.
A degree in public administration, business administration, law, human resources, social services, education, disability studies, compliance, or a related field may supplement directly related professional experience but is not a substitute for demonstrated skills and competencies in the areas noted above.

Responsibilities

Coordinate accessible services: Addresses public-facing ADA, language-access, assistive-technology, effective-communication, accommodation, and online-accessibility needs across Department programs and services.
Lead equal-opportunity compliance: Serves as the Department’s designated WIOA Equal Opportunity Officer and oversees required notices, policies, data collection, annual monitoring, trackable training, and the biennial Nondiscrimination Plan.
Manage complaint processes: Receives concerns, determines jurisdiction, investigates matters when required, makes appropriate referrals, maintains case records, and communicates outcomes to involved parties, including matters involving the State Apprenticeship Agency.
Strengthen compliance systems: Reviews policies, procedures, and service-delivery practices to identify compliance risks, improve consistency, and support practical, sustainable solutions.
Monitor programs and providers: Conducts and documents monitoring activities involving Department programs, workforce services, and service providers; tracks corrective actions through completion.
Analyze trends and risks: Uses complaint, monitoring, and program data to identify patterns, measure progress, report risks, and support audit readiness and continuous improvement.
Provide training and guidance: Delivers technical assistance, training, and practical guidance to Department staff, leadership, service providers, and partners on civil-rights responsibilities and emerging compliance issues.
Build collaborative partnerships: Works with Legal Services, Human Resources, program teams, investigators, data professionals, peer equal-opportunity officers, and state and federal partners to resolve issues and strengthen public service.

Benefits

Work/life balance with hybrid schedules or partial telework may be available within the state of Montana.
38 paid days off a year including vacation, sick leave and holidays.
Military leave: You’ll get up to 15 days of military leave with full pay.
Longevity raises with continuous service, as well as any negotiated market increases and state statutory raises.
Health, dental, vision, life insurance coverage, flexible spending accounts, EAP
Free telehealth and access to free employee medical clinics through our medical plan
Choice between two retirement plans with an employer contribution between 8.73%25 - 9.07%25 of your annual salary. A third optional 457(b) deferred compensation plan is also available.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness- Employment with the State of Montana may qualify you to receive loan forgiveness
Career progression, training opportunities and room for professional growth.
State employee discounts at various businesses across the state.
This position may be covered by a Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA)