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State of Washington

Deputy Director

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Description

WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

Respect. Professionalism. Integrity. Accountability.

Help protect the consumers of Washington state!

Deputy Director, Policy Division

Salary Consideration: The starting salary offer will be determined based on the successful candidates’ qualifications within the salary range of $118,228 - $127,000 annually, Washington Management Service (WMS) - Band 3. However, there is the ability for growth and progression increases within approved budgetary resources.

This recruitment is open until December 10, 2025, at 11:59pm.

UTC reserves the right to make a hiring decision and/or choose to close or extend this recruitment at any given time. It is in your best interest to apply as soon as possible. Applications received for this recruitment may be used to fill comparable positions for 60 days after the position is filled.

The Opportunity:

The Deputy Director Positions play a crucial role within the policy division advancing the Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC)’s mission by providing top-tier leadership and guidance to a team of policy advisors, cultivating a culture of inclusion and belonging in collaboration with the division director.

UTC anticipates hiring for up to two positions, one focused on Rates and Data Analysis and one on Planning and Resource Analysis.

The Policy Division develops and communicates policy guidance, as well as technical information and strategic policy advice to the commissioners, policy director, administrative law judges, and executive director. The division also communicates and provides information to legislators, legislative staff, other state agencies, and industry groups and representatives.

Hybrid:

Although this is a hybrid opportunity, the successful incumbent must reside within Washington state and must be available to report to the Lacey, Washington headquarters building as business needs require.

The duty station for this position is the UTC’s Lacey headquarters. Employees are not compensated for travel time between their residence and the duty station.

Travel:

This position will require travel during and outside normal work hours throughout the state to meet business needs.

Our Mission:
To protect the people of Washington by ensuring that investor-owned utility and transportation services are safe, equitable, available, reliable, and fairly priced.

Vision:

We strive to achieve equitable and fair outcomes for both consumers and regulated companies. We prioritize inclusion and belonging in the workplace.

For more information about our benefits or working at UTC, please visit our website.

What We Offer Our Employees:

UTC fosters an environment of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, while striving to hire and retain a workforce from the communities we serve.
We place importance on a healthy balance between personal and professional lives; offering flexible work schedules, wellness programs, and mobile/telework opportunities.
Through the state, our employees (and their families) are offered options for medical, dental, vision and basic life insurance.
We offer enrollment into the state retirement programs and a deferred compensation plan.
Full-time and part-time employees are entitled to paid holidays and one paid personal holiday per calendar year.

Duties

Some of what you’ll do:

Participate in and support strategic planning exercises. Provide guidance and recommendations to agency leaders on proposed strategic direction and plans, change management, relationship of strategic plans to broader agency goals, key regulatory and industry trends, and the identification and implementation of the mission, purpose, and priorities of the Planning & Resource Analysis section.
Ensure work products and presentations are complete, correct, timely, and effective with specific emphasis on the clarity, conciseness, narrative flow, and visual representation of data. Reviews work products (such as memos, draft rules, or presentations) for accuracy of policy, legal, and regulatory foundations and context, and clear explanations of accounting, economic jargon, or other technical concepts.
Mentors, coaches, instructs, and trains staff on key duties and relevant core competencies.
Leads rulemaking teams or participates as a member of a rulemaking team drafting administrative rules to implement new legislation, to streamline or improve existing administrative procedures, or to eliminate or replace outdated processes. May be required to manage agency contracts to support the rulemaking team in compliance with state contracting laws and processes.
Leads or participates on teams for policy dockets.
Serves as a primary advisor to the commissioners, policy director, and administrative law judges providing expert recommendations for highly complex or politically sensitive issues.

Additional duties include, but aren’t limited to the following:

Recruit, interview, and make hiring recommendations as needed and as vacancies occur including updating position descriptions, working with relevant agency staff to fill vacancies, with an effective recruitment process.
Undertake independent research that is directly relevant to the regulation of public utilities in Washington.
Develop and implement strategies to coordinate policy development and implementation with other state agencies, the Governor’s office, and other states.
Participate in legislative activities and provide support to the Legislative Division.
Track bills assigned to the Planning & Resource Analysis section during legislative session and attend coordinating meetings with key players in the legislative process.
Independently completes bill analysis or reviews bill analyses completed by Planning & Resource Analysis section members.
May support the legislative program director during presentations; negotiations of bill content in meetings with legislators, the Governor’s office, industry or interest group lobbyists; or provide formal testimony to the legislature.

Qualifications

Required Education, Experience, and Competencies:

Demonstrated experience in leading teams of multi-disciplinary professionals and complex projects.
Skilled knowledge and experience in regulatory oversight of the utility and transportation industries.
Extensive experience crafting precise and persuasive written communications for decision makers or applying principles of legal or argumentative writing and advanced training in standards of writing.
Advanced knowledge and experience working with utilizing comprehensive proven application of research methodologies to gather, assess, utilize data effectively (e.g., quantitative, qualitative, case studies, focus groups).
Demonstrated experience in the ability to build relationships and maintaining cohesive internal and externally interested persons or groups.
Strong proven ability to analyze large amounts of text and data and assimilate new information quickly.
Exhibits strong public speaking skills, effectively communicating complex strategic initiatives to diverse internal and external audiences. Skilled in delivering compelling presentations that align with overall organizational goals. Successfully able to convey information orally and written to a broad range of audiences.
Possess advanced proficiency with experience in conducting comprehensive analysis and legal research.
Skilled in drafting clear, precise, and effective legislative documents, rules, or policies that support overall goals, objectives or strategies of the organization.

Position Specific Competencies:

Performance Management - Creates and nurtures a performance-based culture of continuous improvement in conjunction with the Organizational Management core competency.
Organizational Management – Manages limited amounts of resources and uses assigned staff efficiently by applying the Leadership core competency and demonstrating an ability to identify and mobilize resources and staff to fulfill key objectives.
Analytical Skills and Critical Thinking – Formulates judgments on complex issues, conclusions, and assertions through the identification, organization, and analysis of quantitative, qualitative, and anecdotal data, evidence and research. Reaches conclusions through the review of multiple forms of evidence and identifies connections, gaps, discrepancies, and key data necessary to reach an informed decision.
Fundamental Regulatory Skills – Applies economic theory, accounting standards and principles, commission policy and interpretive statements, legal precedents, administrative rules, and statutes in a manner consistent with the subject matter; examines issues to understand and discuss historical context; research general fields of study to understand implication on regulatory mechanisms and practices.
Writing and Communication – Writes clearly and concisely using the Analytical Skills and Critical Thinking core competency and reasoned arguments; Effectively translates complex technical concepts into messages non-technical audiences can readily understand.
Inclusive and Collaborative Conduct – Takes responsibility for actions; Works collaboratively as a part of a team; Respects the point of view of others and approaches disagreements about work matters with active listening and good will. Demonstrates UTC’s values at all times, through the lens of antiracism, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Leadership – Leads by example, demonstrating Inclusive and Collaborative Conduct at all times, exhibiting balance and fairhandedness in considering various perspectives, maintaining composure and level-headedness in difficult situations; Demonstrates emotional intelligence and intellectual humility; Pursues compromise and collaboration.
Project Management – Plans, designs, organizes, leads, and executes the work of an individual or team project, ensuring a high-quality work product within specific time constraints; Leads the development of project plans which includes, but is not limited to: establishing realistic timelines, identification of attainable project deliverables, articulating clear roles and responsibilities for team members, and specifies criteria for successful project completion. If applicable, is responsible for managing and facilitating internal and external feedback processes.
Mentorship – Explains and teaches a non-expert how to conduct analysis and reach a recommendation on an issue for which the employee is a technical expert; demonstrates the Inclusive and Collaborative Conduct and Writing and Communication core competencies.
Peer Review – Feedback is expected to: demonstrate Inclusive and Collaborative Conduct and Writing and Communication core competencies; Be completed within a reasonable timeframe with reasonable accommodations as necessary consistent with section guidelines; Be mindful of the personal, cultural, and linguistic preferences of the recipient.

Leadership Principles:

Challenge Systems of Inequity.
Set the Example.
Strengthen Others.
Recognize Contributions.
Foster Collaboration.
Envision the Future.
Manage Your Program.
Challenge Your Business Processes.

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Competencies (expected of all state employees):

The ability to take action to learn and grow.
The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.
EDI Knowledge, Understanding, & Commitment.
Cultivating Mutually Beneficial and Trusting Strategic Partnerships.
Inclusive Excellence & Allyship.

Demonstration of UTC Core Competencies (expected of all employees):

Accountability
Measuring Success and Improvement
Customer Focus
Results Focus
Communication Skills
Adaptability/Flexibility
Self-Development
Continuous Process Improvement

Preferred/Desired Education, Experience, and Competencies:

A bachelor’s degree or advanced degree in relevant field, such as business administration, economics, financial accounting, or law.
Two years of work experience in the public utility and/or transportation regulatory environment (e.g., federal regulatory agencies, other state regulatory commissions, consumer advocate organizations, energy research institutions).
Experience developing and applying regulatory and ratemaking policies and standards.
Knowledge of the legislative process.
Knowledge of commission policies, rules, procedures, goals, objectives, and strategies and the body of commission precedent.
Knowledge of the Administrative Procedure Act and quasi-judicial legal process.
Direct supervisory responsibilities for staff including hiring; setting performance expectations; accountability for day-to-day work assignment and oversight of deliverables; addressing performance concerns; and establishing positive team culture.

Supplemental Information

READ THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION COMPLETELY:

This position is subject to civil service rules – Washington Administrative Code (WAC) Chapter 357.
This position is overtime exempt from the requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
RCW 80.01.020 limits the UTC's ability to employ any person who owns stock in any company the UTC regulates or is otherwise financially interested in such company. Such interests include those of an employee's spouse.

How to Apply:

Interested in joining the UTC team? Click the Apply button at the top to begin! To be considered for further screening, ensure you attach the following documents to your completed application:

Letter of Interest – describing how you meet the position qualifications and why you believe you are the ideal candidate.
Resume – detailing your applicable experience and education.
References – At minimum, three (3) professional references with current telephone numbers and email addresses must be included with your application; one (1) contact MUST be your current or most recent supervisor.

The initial screening of candidates will be solely based on the contents and completeness of the application, including answers provided to the Supplemental Questionnaire, along with the required attachments - letter of interest, resume, and references submitted as part of the application process.

Please note: a resume will not substitute for completing the "work experience" section of the application or vice versa.

All information may be verified, and documentation may be required for verification. Candidates may be disqualified if the education and/or work experience does not include information used to meet the minimum qualifications of the job.

The UTC is an equal opportunity employer. We want to make sure you have an equal opportunity to join our team. Our commitment is making sure current and future employees are treated fairly and equally without regard to age, sex (including gender identity), race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status, or religious or political affiliation.

Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may contact humanresources@utc.wa.gov. For TTY service, please call the Washington Relay Service at 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.

For more information about the UTC, please visit:

www.utc.wa.gov, www.twitter.com/wautc and www.facebook.com/wautc

The State of Washington:
http://access.wa.gov

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