Chief of Enforcement - EMS Band 4 - Exempt - 2026-03425

• Title -- **Chief of Enforcement
• Classification - **EMS Band 4
• Job Status - **Full-Time/Exempt
• WDFW Program - **Enforcement Program
• Duty Station -** 1111 Washington St SE, Olympia, WA 98502 -- Thurston County
• Posting Timeframe -** This recruitment is scheduled to be posted until May 13, 2026. Application review is ongoing, submit your application materials as soon as possible, this recruitment may be extended or closed at any time.
  
  

Learn more about being a member of [**Team WDFW**](https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/jobs){rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"}!

**Lead a statewide law enforcement program supporting Washington's fish, wildlife, and natural resource protection, serving over 200 staff.**

**As a member of the Executive Management Team, this role shapes agency direction by developing, implementing, and advising on enforcement policy, strategy, and legislation. **

**The Chief provides strategic and operational leadership across diverse field environments, overseeing the biennial budget, external contracts, and full appointing authority for the program, including labor relations and personnel decisions.**

**Partnering closely with agency leadership, the Commission, tribal governments, legislators, and external stakeholders, the Chief ensures coordinated, mission-aligned enforcement services while upholding the highest standards of integrity, accountability, and public trust.**

**Among the varied responsibilities of this role, the Chief of Enforcement provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for the agency's law enforcement program. **

Responsibilities include setting policy; overseeing budget, legislation, operations, and strategic planning; labor negotiations; and coordinating law enforcement activities across Fish, Wildlife, Habitat, IT, HR, and Financial Management programs, while building and maintaining strong relationships with Washington Tribes and interstate law enforcement partners.

Ensure that every officer is trained, equipped and ready for the hazards they face. The incumbent is expected to lead by example, be open minded, accessible, possess a high degree of integrity, and be accountable for accomplishing departmental and program assignments while allowing for a high degree of administration discretion in their execution.

**Examples of key duties include, but are not limited to:**

Develop and direct the implementation of goals, objectives, policies, procedures and work standards for the Enforcement Program.

Ensure that Enforcement policies comply with state, federal and other applicable laws and remain current with best policing standards, training and practices.

Decide on operational and budgetary ability to support incidents and requests from State Emergency Management Services (EMS) related to natural disasters and other emergencies.

Participate in Senior Leadership training and meetings.

Serve as the principal expert and advisor for enforcement related issues at WDFW and is a member of the Executive Management Team.

Build bridges with Program Leadership to achieve a 1DFW approach.

Prepare and administer the program budget, with assistance and support from central budget.

Recruit, train and manage work of commissioned and non-commissioned staff through direct subordinate levels of supervision.

Act as the appointing authority for the Enforcement Program and ensure that employees demonstrate WDFW values and officers uphold their oath of office.

Represent the agency and t