Senior Recruiter for Inclusive and Equitable Selection (Human Resource Consultant 4)

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Department of Ecology has an exciting opportunity for a Senior HR Consultant who is passionate about attracting great talent to help us achieve our mission to protect, preserve, and enhance Washington's environment for current and future generations.

As a senior member of Ecology’s Recruiting and Selection team, you will be able to lead our efforts regarding inclusive and equitable screening, interviewing, candidate management, and selection. You will focus on improving existing HR consulting  practices  and develop resources resulting in fair, objective, and equitable assessment of knowledge, skill, behavior, and ability  aligned with the essential functions and qualifications of a position.

We are looking for someone who wants to leverage their significant Recruiting, Selection, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Respect (DEIR) knowledge and skill to develop curriculum for workshops, online training, consulting tools, guidance documents, templates, and other resources to increase the knowledge, skill, and ability of hiring managers, panelists, HR consultants, and other staff involved in the agency’s selection and hiring process.

We are interested in applicants who want to advance their knowledge and skill developing and implementing job-specific competency or skill-based qualifications. To accomplish this pioneering work, you will gain knowledge and skill through on-the-job learning. In this position, you will work with the agency’s Recruiting and Selection team to develop job-specific assessment guidance based on knowledge, skill, ability, and behavior related to the essential functions and qualifications of a position.

Our Recruiting and Selection Unit is a team of 9, and together, we lead recruitment and selection activities and strategies for the agency and provide guidance on new employee orientation plans. We value and intentionally work to integrate diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and respect into our consultation practices across Washington State. We help Hiring Managers with open positions by writing intriguing job announcements that attract top talent, co-develop supplemental and interview questions, brainstorm job-related assignments and exercises that improve selection outcomes, consult on effective strategies for reference checking final candidates, provide guidance on job offers, and consult on agency on-boarding planning. We are also a resource for Ecology employees and other job seekers for career coaching services and recruitment consultation.

We are looking for an organized, customer-focused, creative problem solver who works well in a collaborative, responsive, and fast-paced environment. This position is located in our Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA. and is eligible for a flexible, telework/in-office hybrid schedule. You will have the opportunity to telework the majority of your work time and should live within a commutable distance to our Lacey office for in-person meetings and activities.

Tele-work options for this position: This position will be eligible for up to a 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 are subject to change.

Application Timeline: This position will close at the end of the day on October 17th, we will review applications on October 18, 2024. To be considered, please submit an application on or before October 17, 2024. If your application isn't received by this date, it cannot 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 Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver,  Long Term Disability & Life Insurance, Deferred Compensation Programs, Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP),  Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA), Employee Assistance Program, Commute Trip Reduction Incentives (Download PDF reader), Combined Fund Drive, SmartHealth *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 Plan. 
Ecology 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 benefits 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

How you will contribute to our work:

This is a unique and challenging role for someone who is passionate about attracting great talent to public service and wants to leverage their recruiting, selection, and DEIR knowledge to develop curriculum and content for workshops, online training, consulting tools, guidance documents, templates, and other resources to increase the knowledge, skill, and ability of hiring managers, panelists, HR consultants, and other staff involved in selection and hiring decisions.

In this role, you will assist with the development of guidance and resources used in recruitment, selection, and hiring that integrates agency policy updates, Executive Orders, and changes in law impacting recruiting, selection, and on-boarding practices. You will also review recruitment files to assess if DEIR and belonging approaches are integrated throughout agency screening, interviewing, selection, and hiring practices. You will make recommendations to the Recruiting, Training, and HR Data & Reporting Manager, Recruiting and Selection Unit, Workforce DEIR Manager, Organizational Equity Manager, and agency leadership to improve training and consultation practices across the agency and you will help to communicate results across the agency.

What You'll Do: 

• Facilitate workshops and training forums associated with screening, interviewing, assessment, candidate management, and selection. Design workshops based on a co-facilitator model by intentionally building in opportunity for other HR Recruiting Consultants to participate. 
• Train HR Recruiting Consultants on how to use consulting tools, guidance documents, templates, and other resources on active recruitments. Coach HR Consultants during implementation. Adjust materials based on feedback from HR Recruiting Consultants and Hiring Managers.
• Develop and facilitate trainings to achieve diverse panel member participation on open recruitments and partner with Workforce DEIR Manager and Organizational Equity Manager to convene a diverse panel member community of practice.
• Develop trainings, learning, and collaboration opportunities to increase the knowledge, skill, and ability of screeners, technical experts, subject matter experts, panel members, administrative support, and others who support the agency hiring process.
• Collaborate with the Ecology HR Training Team to market training and development opportunities and registration through Ecology’s learning management system.
• Attend Ecology leadership and management meetings with other HR consultants. Ask for and receive feedback to adjust workshops, consulting tools, guidance documents, templates and other screening, interviewing, assessment, and selection resources as appropriate.
• Present and facilitate meetings in areas related to the work of the position. Facilitate business need discussions with hiring managers (and other staff involved in the process) and survey programs for feedback, evaluate the results, and produce reports to help guide effective recruitment and selection efforts.
• Work collaboratively to support the hiring goals of the Administrative and Environmental programs to achieve the mission of the agency. Develop and maintain customer relationships to serve as a strategic HR partner to hiring managers across the agency to reduce vacancy rates and recruitment cycle times to fill open positions with diverse talent.
• Provide one on one consultation and coaching to hiring managers including the development of fair and objective hiring criteria and assessments based on the essential functions and qualifications of a position, consult on mitigating bias in the hiring process, provide advice regarding the development of diverse interview panels and behavioral, competency, and performance-based interview questions and job-related exercises to promote fair, equitable, and inclusive hiring practices.
• Effectively use Washington State’s online recruiting system, NEOGOV. Assist in data retrieval for ongoing reporting needs, weekly performance management, and assist in training Ecology NEOGOV users with new system updates as necessary.

Qualifications

Years of required experience indicated below are full-time equivalent years. Full-time equivalent experience means that any experience where working hours were less than 40 hours per week will be prorated in order to meet the equivalency of full-time. We would calculate this by looking at the total hours worked per week, divide this by 40, and then multiply by the total number of months worked. Examples of the proration calculations are:

• 30 hours worked per week for 20 months: (30/40) x 20 months = 15 months full-time equivalent
• 20 hours worked per week for 12 months: (20/40) x 12 months = 6 months full-time equivalent

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

Required Qualifications:

A total of seven years of experience and/or education, including a minimum of 3 years' experience in full-cycle recruitment, as described below:

Experience (Full-time equivalent) In broad-based professional human resources or related field that includes demonstrated experience in some or all the following:

• Providing consultation to employees, managers, supervisors, and executives on HR Services in recruitment & selection, diversity, equity, and inclusion, career counseling, compensation, classification and allocation, and workforce planning.
• Applying DEIR in recruitment and selection, including coaching hiring managers on equitable and inclusive hiring practices.
• Effectively facilitating HR related workshops, meetings, and forums, including virtual facilitation.
• Developing curriculum for workshops and online training, consulting tools, guidance documents, templates, and other resources.
• Screening applicants and developing candidate assessment tools.
• Candidate management techniques and strategies.
• Facilitating hiring events, workshops, meetings and forums.
• Planning and conducting employee orientations and on-boarding activities.
• Building rapport with a broad range of people and diverse audiences in providing human resource consultation and services.
• Use of web-based application tracking systems (ATS) for conducting recruitments (such as Monster, Career Builder, NEOGOV, Workday, or others) and reporting data.
• Use of social media tools and techniques for sourcing and recruiting applicants including LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Snapchat, Instagram, professional online groups and blogs.
• Utilizing knowledge of job markets to effectively compete with other employers for qualified, competitive candidates.
• Applying state and federal employment laws, civil service rules, collective bargaining agreements, agency policies as they relate to position planning and classification, recruitment, and selection.

Education: involving a major study in human resources, organizational development, business, public administration, social or behavioral sciences, environmental, physical, natural sciences, environmental planning, or other allied 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 - as listed above: 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.

• Experience with job classification in the public sector.
• Experience providing career management training, job coaching, and career transition coaching.
• Education or experience in both classification/recruitment and a scientific or technical field.
• Experience researching and developing screening, interviewing, assessment, candidate management, and selection processes to integrate fairness, objectivity, equity, inclusion, and belonging into the hiring process.
• Understanding of and experience with bias in the recruitment and hiring process - it’s presence and impact.
• Experience mitigating the impacts of bias in the recruitment and hiring process including brave conversations and communication with leadership.

If you have gotten this far and are thinking you do not qualify, consider again. Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Ecology, we are dedicated to building a diverse and authentic workplace centered in belonging. If you are excited about this role but your experience does not align perfectly with every qualification in the job announcement, we encourage you to apply. You may just be the needed person for this or other roles.

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 your best interest to submit all documents listed below. Applications without these documents may not be reviewed.

• A cover letter outlining recent experience with any of the desired qualifications listed above and 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.

We will contact the top candidates to interview for this position. Because we base our selection on the information you provide, it is in your best interest to identify the knowledge, skills, and abilities that address the required and desirable qualifications we described above.

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. 

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 Lisa Knutson-Sealey at Lisa.Knutson-Sealey@ecy.wa.gov  Please do not contact Lisa to inquire about the status of your application.
  
To request the full position description: email careers@ecy.wa.gov. Put in the subject line of the email: Request for a copy of the position description for #5278.  

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 can call (360) 407-6186. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing can 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. 

Ecology Job Opportunities | Careers at Ecology (governmentjobs.com)