Investigations Specialist (Human Resource Consultant 4)

State of Washington•Thurston County – Olympia, WA

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Department of Enterprise Services (DES) provides centralized business services to state government agencies; to other public entities such as cities, counties and tribes; and to Washington residents. DES’ mission is to strengthen the business of government for a sustainable and just future. As an Investigations Specialist reporting directly to the Chief Human Resource Officer, you will serve as the agency’s senior-level authority overseeing the integrity and strategy of the investigative process for the Department of Enterprise Services (DES) and supported small agencies. In this role, you will lead complex, sensitive workplace investigations into personnel matters, ensuring all practices are objective, consistent, and legally defensible. Collaborating closely with HR Business Partners, the HR Labor Specialist, and agency executives, you will provide expert consultation on investigation strategy, policy interpretation, and discipline considerations. Ultimately, you will play a critical role in mitigating risk, ensuring compliance with employment laws and collective bargaining agreements, and aligning investigative approaches with broader operational and business needs.

Requirements

Advanced proficiency is typically developed through progressively complex investigative assignments and demonstrated success applying investigative practices fairly, consistently, and objectively across diverse workplaces, employee groups, and labor environments.
Leading complex workplace investigations into misconduct, harassment, and policy violations while managing sensitive, confidential data with strict discretion.
Gathering and analyzing evidence from diverse sources to reach objective, fact-based, and well-supported conclusions.
Applying employment laws, agency policies, collective bargaining agreements, and investigative best practices consistently to ensure fair and equitable outcomes.
Drafting clear, thorough, and legally defensible investigative reports, findings, and actionable recommendations.
Communicating and collaborating effectively with employees, labor representatives, attorneys, and leadership while managing multiple competing deadlines.
Able to learn and understand the language and concepts of our DES DEI culture and commit to being a part of creating and maintaining a diverse, equitable, respectful, and inclusive workplace.
Demonstrate a commitment to growth, learning and self-awareness when provided training and opportunities to participate in improving our work environment.
Participate and behave in a manner that creates trust and builds working relationships, promoting teamwork and collaboration in the work environment.
Demonstrate the understanding that all people are valued; contribute to an equitable, inclusive, and respectful environment when working with members of the group, team, organization, or community.
Commit to being an active participant in continually evaluating and improving strategies that promote equity and inclusion in our organization.

Nice To Haves

Seven (7) years of progressively responsible human resources experience and/or education with a focus on workplace investigations, employee relations, labor relations, and conflict resolution.
Education may substitute experience, year-for-year.
Experience working in public sector Human Resources.
Training in workplace investigations (e.g., EEO, Title VII, or comparable frameworks).
Experience testifying in administrative or legal proceedings.

Responsibilities

Lead and conduct complex, sensitive, and high-profile workplace investigations involving alleged misconduct, discrimination, and policy violations.
Define investigation scopes, develop comprehensive investigation plans, and determine appropriate methodologies.
Conduct interviews with complainants, respondents, and witnesses using effective and objective investigative techniques.
Gather, analyze, and evaluate evidence from multiple sources to determine relevant facts and accurately assess credibility.
Develop thorough, objective, and well-supported investigative reports containing clear findings and recommendations.
Ensure all investigations strictly align with legal requirements, collective bargaining agreements, agency policies, and required timelines.
Partner closely with HR Business Partners to develop investigative strategies and provide guidance on corrective and progressive discipline.
Establish, monitor, and enforce standardized investigative processes and documentation to ensure high-quality, consistent, and legally defensible practices across all agency divisions and small agency customers.
Ensure strict compliance with timelines, due process, agency policies, laws, and collective bargaining agreements while maintaining a clear separation of responsibilities from disciplinary decision-making.
Maintain confidential tracking systems to compile and analyze investigation data, reporting on trends and risks to provide leadership with actionable recommendations for equitable employment practices.
Provide expert consultation, policy interpretation, and training to leadership and supervisors on personnel investigations, while analyzing complex processes to recommend risk-mitigating courses of action.