Human Resource Business Partner (Human Resource Consultant 4) (In-Training)

  • Washington State Department of Ecology
  • Lacey, Washington
  • Mar 24, 2023
Full time Administrative Business Process HR Operations

Job Description

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Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

Are you a knowledgeable, creative problem solver who works well in a collaborative, professional, and responsive environment? Do you want to be part of proactive problem solving and help to create change, rather than reacting to issues as they come up? If so, become a part of an organization that is focused on being the leader in protecting, preserving and enhancing the environment for the people in our Evergreen State.
 
The Human Resources Office (HRO) at the Department of Ecology in Lacey, WA is looking to fill a Human Resource Business Partner (Human Resource Consultant 4) (In-Training) position. While this position is eligible for up to a 90% telework schedule, upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

 
The Department of Ecology is a medium sized agency with 1600+ employees and 10 environmental programs. We employ a large group of intelligent people who are passionate about the environment. Take your career to the next level. As an HR generalist, you have exposure to multiple areas of HR (compensation, classification, employee relations, and labor relations) and have an opportunity to work on state-wide issues within the Washington State HR community. Because of our size and structure, you have an opportunity to work collaboratively with all levels of our management and executive teams. We are able to have a strong influence on our leaders, and really make an impact at our agency. As an HR team, we value collaboration and inclusion, and promote opportunities for growth.
 
Note: This position offers a career path and on-the-job training. This position allows you to progress through the Human Resource Consultant field and achieve the goal class of a Human Resource Consultant 4. Candidates will be considered at the Human Resource Consultant 3 and the Human Resource Consultant 4 levels, depending on their qualifications. For salary levels for each, please see the qualifications section. 

Agency Mission: Ecology's mission is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington's environment and to promote the wise management of our air, land and water for the benefit of current and future generations.  

Human Resources Program Mission: The mission of the Human Resources Office (HRO) is to develop successful employees, promote healthy and productive relationships, ensure a safe work environment and recruit great talent to achieve Ecology's Mission.

Tele-work options for this position: This position will be eligible for up to 90% tele-work schedule. Applicants with questions about position location options, tele-work, and flexible or compressed schedules are encouraged to reach out to the contact person listed below in “other information.” Schedules are dependent upon position needs and is subject to change.

Application Timeline: This position will remain open until filled, we will review applications on April 10, 2023. In order to be considered, please submit an application on or before April 9, 2023. If your application isn't received by this date, it may not be considered. The agency reserves the right to make a Hire any time after the initial screening date.  

Ecology employees may be eligible for the following:
Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s)
Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)Vacation, Sick, and other Leave*, 11 Paid Holidays per year*, Public Service Loan ForgivenessTuition Waiver,  Long Term Disability & Life InsuranceDeferred Compensation ProgramsDependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP),  Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA)Employee Assistance ProgramCommute Trip Reduction Incentives (Download PDF reader)Combined Fund DriveSmartHealth *Click here for more information 

About the Department of Ecology

Protecting Washington State's environment for current and future generations is what we do every day at Ecology. We are a culture that is invested in making a difference. Join a team that is highly effective and collaborative, with leadership that embraces the value of people. To learn more, check out our Strategic PlanEcology cares deeply about employee wellness; we go beyond traditional benefits, proudly offering:

  • A healthy life/work balance by offering flexible schedules and telework options for most positions.
  • An Infants at Work Program that is based on the long-term health values of infant-parent bonding and breastfeeding newborns.
  • Continuous growth and development opportunities. 
  • Opportunities to serve your community and make an impact through meaningful work.

Our commitment to DEIR
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect (DEIR) 
are core values central to Ecology’s work. We strive to be a workplace where we are esteemed for sharing our authentic identities, while advancing our individual professional goals and collaborating to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations.

 Diversity: We celebrate and appreciate diversity; our unique perspectives and abilities enrich us all and lead to innovative approaches and solutions. Equity: We champion equity, recognizing that each of us need different things to thrive. Inclusion: We intentionally create and hold space so that we all have meaningful opportunities to participate and contribute to Ecology’s work. Respect: We treat each other with respect and dignity, acknowledging the inherent worth of our diverse perspectives and lived experiences, even in times of uncertainty and disagreement. 
We believe that DEIR is both a goal and an action. We are on a journey, honoring our shared humanity and taking steps to demonstrate our commitment to a vision where each of us is heard, seen, and valued. 

 

Duties



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What makes this role unique? 
 
In this role you will serve as the subject matter expert and HR lead in Performance Management, focusing on applying process improvement principles and methodologies to the performance planning and evaluation process You will develop supervisor and employee tools for proactive performance planning and feedback outside of the corrective action/discipline field. We also hope to transition the performance management process to the electronic format. This position will be instrumental in working with our IT partners to ensure HR is ready for this transition, and supporting stakeholders through this transition. This position is not transaction-focused, rather the focus is on consulting, creating, and improving.
 
 
What you will do:

  • Work with teammates to ensure Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Respect (DEIR) is integrated into position descriptions and the hiring process. We are working to ensure unnecessary barriers do not exist when seeking employment with Ecology, including updating our required minimum qualifications to account for alternative ways to be qualified, instead of always relying upon degrees, wherever possible. 
  • Collaborate with assigned programs to identify workforce issues, and be empowered to help resolve them. We encourage our HR Business Partners to identify creative solutions wherever possible, and not rely upon “the way we’ve always done it”. These opportunities may include working on classification & compensation proposals, modifying existing procedures, and stakeholder work to ensure proposed policy meets our customers’ needs. 
  • Become an expert in human resource management, and employee and labor relations; be the strategic partner and advocate to the executives, managers, and supervisors in assigned programs for workforce planning, employee performance management, labor relations, and all other human resource management and personnel functions. 
  • Provide accurate and research-based guidance on performance management, labor relations, and disciplinary processes to Ecology managers and supervisors so that actions align with Just Cause principles and stand up through the scrutiny of grievances and arbitrations. 
  • Work collaboratively to support the goals of the programs/offices and the mission of the agency by strategically partnering with program staff to manage issues related to Classification and Compensation in assigned programs. Provide expertise and consultation on job classifications, compensation and workforce planning. Analyze position descriptions and make allocation determinations. Represent agency in classification appeals and coordinate preparation. Perform Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) designation review and determinations. Serve as a member of the agency Washington Management Service (WMS) Banding Committee.  
  • Consult with employees and supervisors and provide assistance regarding state and federal employment laws, civil service rules, collective bargaining agreements, agency policies, career development opportunities, classification and pay and other issues. Investigate and analyze problems having broad potential impact, making recommendations, providing options, or suggesting necessary actions on matters.

The successful applicant for this position will be expected to accomplish the following: 

  • Commit to leaning into DEIR competencies both as an individual and in a support role for peers, customers, and leaders at Ecology; furthering understanding of DEIR principles and advancing knowledge and learning in this space.
  • Build and maintain strong business relationships and credibility with peers, customers, and the team. 
  • Identify and implement continuous problem improvement solutions to create more effective and efficient business practices.
  • Meet established and mutually agreed upon service deliveries or timelines associated with work product.
  • Quickly learn about assigned business areas to be able to be a trusted, strategic business partner.  

  
Opportunities to solve problems: 
 

  • This position has the opportunity to approach problems with the philosophy of providing risk-based advice with options. The conversation doesn't begin or end with "no."  We seek to understand and provide creative solutions when possible, utilizing our subject matter expertise to clearly communicate risk associated with each option. 
  • Classification and compensation challenges – true position planning from start to finish, including identifying workforce gaps that may lead to classification &compensation proposals.  
  • Performance management challenges – how to coach leaders to address issues appropriately to reach the best outcome, including opportunities to provide focused, individual training or broader training to groups of employees.  
  • Opportunity to identify gaps in our processes and work together to resolve those gaps. We empower our HR Business Partners to work closely with programs to provide specialized support and consultation.   

 
Culture of the team:   
 
We are a creative and productive team that appreciates the variety of personalities, perspectives, and communication styles of our teammates!  We are committed to each other’s success and are invested in maintaining a happy, healthy workplace. This is an incredible opportunity to join a team that is dedicated to Ecology's mission to protect, preserve and enhance Washington's environment for current and future generations. Our agency is comprised of passionate professionals who are focused on protecting our environment. We highly value providing employees opportunities to learn and grow, in both formal training opportunities and informal on the job training.  We are a strong team of HR professionals, who support our customers and each other, to provide the best service possible.
 

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

Experience for both required and desired qualifications can be gained through various combinations of formal professional employment, educational, volunteer and lived experience. See below for how you may qualify.

This is an In-Training position. The goal class for this position is a Human Resource Consultant 4. We will consider applicants who meet the requirements for the Human Resource Consultant 3 and 4 (HRC3 and HRC4) levels. If the finalist meets the requirements for the HRC3 level, then they will be placed into a training program to become an HRC4 within one year.


At the Human Resource Consultant 3 Level – Pay Range – 55 ($4,656- $6,260) Monthly (In-Training)
 
Six years of experience and/or education.

Experience: In broad-based professional human resources, including advising and consulting on human resource issues (professional development, organizational development, performance management, classification, investigations, reasonable accommodations, discipline/just cause, generalist functions). 

Education: Involving a major study in human resources, labor relations, organizational development, business administration, public administration, social or behavioral sciences or closely related field. 

All experience and education combinations that meet the requirements for this position at the Human Resource Consultant 3 level: 

Possible Combinations

College credit hours or degree

Years of required experience – as listed above.

Combination 1

No college credit hours or degree

6 years of experience

Combination 2

30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter credits

5 years of experience

Combination 3

60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter credits (AA degree)

4 years of experience

Combination 4

90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter credits

3 years of experience

Combination 5 

A Bachelor's Degree or higher.

2 years of experience


 
At the Human Resource Consultant 4 Level – Pay Range – 59 ($5,136 - $6,908) Monthly (Goal Class)
 
Seven years of experience and/or education.

Experience: In broad-based professional human resources, including advising and consulting on human resource issues (professional development, organizational development, performance management, classification, investigations, reasonable accommodations, discipline/just cause, generalist functions). 

Education: Involving a major study in human resources, labor relations, organizational development, business administration, public administration, social or behavioral sciences or closely related field. 

All experience and education combinations that meet the requirements for this position at the Human Resource Consultant 4 level: 

Possible Combinations

College credit hours or degree

Years of required experience – as listed above.

Combination 1

No college credit hours or degree

7 years of experience

Combination 2

30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter credits

6 years of experience

Combination 3

60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter credits (AA degree)

5 years of experience

Combination 4

90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter credits

4 years of experience

Combination 5 

A Bachelor's Degree or higher.

3 years of experience

 

Desired Qualifications:
We highly encourage you to apply even if you do not have some (or all) of the desired experience below.
 
At the Human Resource Consultant 3 level:

  • Experience or understanding of just cause investigations into allegations of employee misconduct, including writing clear, concise, and comprehensive investigation reports.

  • Experience or understanding of reviewing and allocating positions in the Washington State classification system.

  • Prior professional human resource experience in public sector and/or unionized workplace.

  • Prior experience consulting on performance management. 

  • Prior experience transitioning HR business processes from paper-based to digitized and or electronic processes.

  • PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, or CLRP certification.


At the Human Resource Consultant 4 level:

  • At least 6 months experience advising and facilitating reasonable accommodation processes and advising management and employees on Family Medical Leave in accordance with federal and state laws.
  • At least 6 months experience conducting just cause investigations into allegations of employee misconduct, including writing clear, concise, and comprehensive investigative reports.
  • At least 6 months experience reviewing and allocating positions in the Washington State classification system.
  • Prior professional human resource experience in public sector and/or unionized workplace.
  • Prior experience consulting on performance management.
  • Prior experience transitioning HR business processes from paper-based to digitized and or electronic processes. CDP, CDE, PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, or CLRP certification.

Note: Having some (or all) of this desired experience may make your application more competitive in a highly competitive applicant pool.

Supplemental Information


Ecology seeks diverse applicants: We view diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect through a broad lens including race, ethnicity, class, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, military background, language, education, life experience, physical disability, neurodiversity, and intersectional identities. Qualified candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.


Need an Accommodation in the application and/or screening process or this job announcement in an alternative format?

  • Please call: (360) 407-6186 or email: careers@ecy.wa.gov and we will be happy to assist.
  • If you are deaf or hard of hearing you can reach the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.
  • If you need assistance applying for this job, please e-mail careers@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not send an email to this address to follow-up on the status of your application. You can view the latest status of your application on your profile's main page.
  • If you are reading this announcement in print format, please enter the following URL to your search engine to apply: https://ecology.wa.gov/About-us/Get-to-know-us/Jobs-at-Ecology.   

Application Instructions:

It's in the applicant's best interest to submit all of the documents listed below. Applications without these documents may be declined.

  • A cover letter describing why you are interested in this position.
  • A resume outlining your experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to the minimum qualifications of this position.
  • A list of three professional references.


Please do NOT include your salary history. Wage/salary depends on qualifications or rules of promotion, if applicable.  
 
For Your Privacy:
When attaching documents to your application (such as Resume, Cover Letter, Transcripts, DD-214, etc.):

  • Please be sure to remove private information such as your social security number, date of birth, etc. 
  • Do not attach documents that are password-protected, as these documents may not be reviewed and may cause errors within your application when downloaded. 

Per Governor Inslee’s Directive 22-13.1, state employees must be fully vaccinated effective November 4, 2022. Providing proof of being fully vaccinated is a condition of employment and your vaccine status will be verified prior to starting work. Being fully vaccinated means two weeks after you have received the second dose in a two-dose series of a COVID-19 vaccine or a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine authorized for emergency use, licensed or otherwise authorized or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or listed for emergency use or otherwise approved by the World Health Organization. If you have questions, please contact Careers@ecy.wa.gov with “COVID-19 vaccination” in the subject line.  



Additional Application Instructions for Current Ecology Employees:
 
Please make sure to answer the agency-wide questions regarding permanent status as a classified employee within the Washington General Service or Washington Management Service. Do not forget to select Department of Ecology as a response to question 2, and type your personnel ID number for question 3. If you are not sure of your status or do not know your personnel ID number, please contact Human Resources.

Application Attestation: 

The act of submitting application materials electronically is considered affirmation that the information is complete and truthful. The state may verify this information and any untruthful or misleading answers are cause for rejection of your application or dismissal if employed. 

Other Information:

If you have specific questions about the position, please email Mollie Clinton at: Mollie.Clinton@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Mollie to inquire about the status of your application.

To request the full position description: email careers@ecy.wa.gov

Why work for Ecology?

As an agency, our mission is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington's environment for current and future generations. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism, and accountability.

Joining Ecology means becoming a part of a team committed to protecting and restoring Washington State's environment. A career in public service allows you to help solve some of the most challenging problems facing our state, while keeping your health and financial security a priority. We combine one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation with a strong commitment to life/work balance.

To learn more about The Department of Ecology, please visit our website at www.ecology.wa.gov and follow, like or visit us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or our blog.

Equal Opportunity Employer: The Washington State Department of Ecology is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans, military spouses or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. Persons needing accommodation in the application/testing process or this job announcement in an alternative format may call (360) 407-6186. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.


Note: This recruitment may be used to fill other positions of the same job classification across the agency. 

Occupations

General-Other: Human Resources, HR Systems Administration

Salary

$55,872.00 - $82,896.00 Annually

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