Regional Investigations Supervisor (INTERNAL ONLY)

State of Washington•Thurston County – Tumwater, WA

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

This opportunity is open to current, internal OII employees only. The Office of Independent Investigations (OII) was created in 2021 by the Washington State Legislature in response to deaths resulting from encounters with law enforcement and the community’s demand for change. OII operates under the law requiring investigations involving the use of deadly force to 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 aims to remove conflicts of interest, improve accountability and transparency, and renew public confidence, thereby strengthening relationships between police and the community, building public trust, and promoting effective policing. As a Regional Investigations Supervisor, 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. This position is overtime eligible.

Requirements

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.

Nice To Haves

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.

Responsibilities

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.
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.
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.