Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) & Strategic Planning Manager

Job Description

AGRICULTURE – A Cornerstone of Washington’s Economy

The Washington State Department of Agriculture has been serving the state for more than 100 years. Through service, regulation, and advocacy, we keep agriculture viable and vital in Washington State, while protecting consumers, public health, and the environment. We work extensively with farmers and ranchers, but our responsibilities – from ensuring food safety to environmental protection – touch the lives of millions of people locally, nationally, and abroad.

The agency includes 780 employees approximately and grows close to 1,000 employees at the peak of seasonal work. To learn more and view additional openings, please visit our Employment Page.

The Human Resources (HR) Office is responsible for ensuring WSDA is compliant with all state and federal labor laws and regulations, collective bargaining agreements, policies, and best practices. The staff within HR division provides direction and consultation to managers, supervisors, and staff regarding all facets of human resource administration. Exceptional customer service and continuous process and quality improvement are critical to the Department’s success.

WSDA strives to increase and promote workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion, by removing barriers to development and opportunity, enabling all employees to contribute their full potential, and developing the capacity to provide innovative, effective, and culturally relevant services to all of Washington’s citizens.

We are dedicated to hiring an individual who is ready to cultivate their career and elevate belonging in the workplace. The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) & Strategic Planning Manager plays a critical role in the shaping and sustaining of an inclusive and equitable culture within the agency. In this role, this position will drive forward HR strategic goals, objectives, and activities of DEI and agency initiatives.

What to Expect
Some of the various responsibilities within this role include:

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

• Develops a formal DEI workforce sustainability model and operationalizes the program and/or plan.
• Drives DEI goal attainment through program management and defined project plans; manage implementation activities, and develop processes, documentation and communications for program/process rollout and ongoing support.
• Develops and recommends policies that ensure compliance with all federal and state legal requirements.
• Leads and promotes cross-functional DEI initiatives with broad impact across WSDA and provides analysis of legislation related to equity diversity, and inclusion.
• Explores and expands the values of DEI through education, training, coaching, and broad engagement of leadership, appointing authorities, employees.

Strategic Planning

• Develops a system to create agency wide alignment between the strategic plan, budget, and legislative requests.
• Develops tools and criteria for evaluating and prioritizing strategic initiatives so that consensus is attainable, and plans do not exceed agency capacity.
• Integrates the goals and expectations of the Governor’s Lean Office and Results Washington into process leadership and coordination of agency process improvement activities.
• Develops and recommends effective strategies to build the capacity and culture for continuous process improvement.

Consulting

• Advises and consults with agency staff on the interpretation of and compliance with collective bargaining agreements, rules, laws, HR best practices, and agency policies and procedures to ensure consistency within the agency.
• Provides contract interpretation and practices that have intra and interagency impact.
• Identifies, collects, organizes, and analyzes data and information in preparation for representing the Department in multiple areas, to include grievance arbitration, PERC hearings, training delivery, dispute resolution, tort litigation, etc.

Qualifications
Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Public Administration, or closely related field. Professional-level human resources experience may be substituted for education on a year-for-year basis.
• Four (4) years of professional level human resource experience in at least three of the following: Performance measurement, DEI, strategic planning, administering classification and compensation, recruitment, screening, and selection; interpretation of civil service and collective bargaining rules and federal/state regulations, employee and labor relations, or corrective and disciplinary action.

An incumbent must possess the following Core Competences:

Accountability, Customer Focus, Ethics, and Integrity, Building and Maintaining Relationships, Interpersonal Skills, Stress Tolerance, and Safety.

In addition to the above qualifications, the following knowledge, skills, and abilities will make a candidate highly desirable:

SPHR preferred, or relevant functional certifications.
Experience with collective bargaining policies and procedures, labor relations, civil service laws and HR principles and practices.
Experience facilitating training on diversity awareness and racial equity and related topics.

Supplemental Information
Employee Benefits:

• WSDA provides an excellent benefits package beyond traditional benefits. State employment offers Dependent Care Assistance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Deferred Compensation, Employee Recognition Leave; click here for more information.
• 12 paid Holidays & Vacation and Leave Accruals.
• A healthy work/life balance, which may include flexible work schedules, and teleworking.
• All Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required will be provided by the agency.

Employees who voluntarily provide proof of up-to-date COVID-19 booster vaccination, which must include any recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) at the time proof is provided to the employer, between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023, will receive a one-time lump sum payment of $1,000.

How to apply:

You must complete your careers.wa.gov profile and answer the supplemental questions. In addition to completing the online application, and supplemental questions applicants must attach the following documents to their profile to be considered for this position:

· Current resume detailing experience and education

· A cover letter describing how you meet the specific qualifications for this position

· Three professional references

By submitting these materials, you are indicating that all information is true and correct. The state may verify information. Any untruthful or misleading information is cause for removal from the applicant pool or dismissal if employed.

Applications with comments “see attachments” will be considered incomplete.

If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627.

The initial screening will be solely based on the contents and completeness of your application and the materials submitted. All information may be verified, and documentation may be required. Applications received via e-mail will not be accepted in lieu of applying through the state’s on-line recruitment system.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Department of Agriculture celebrates our differences. We strive to hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds. We are committed to a workplace that supports equal opportunity employment and inclusion regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, status as a protected veteran, genetics, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We will also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

The agency believes in the importance of recognizing the value each of us contribute to the success of the agency mission. Having a diverse workforce is this agency’s greatest resource of strength and knowledge. It is through the combination of talents and abilities that we can pursue finding effective measures to provide the best customer service. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace for everyone.