Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission
WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION
Respect. Professionalism. Integrity. Accountability.
Help protect the consumers of Washington state!
EDI Specialist (Human Resource Consultant 4)
Salary Consideration: Range 63, Step A ($72,924) – Step L ($95,652) annually.
The starting employment offer will be determined based on the successful candidates’ qualifications. Typically Step M of the pay range is a longevity step.
This recruitment is open until May 28, 2025, at 11:59pm.
UTC reserves the right to render a hiring decision and/or choose to close or extend this recruitment at any given time after seven (7) days from the date posted. Applications for this recruitment could be used to fill multiple permanent or non-permanent positions.
The Opportunity:
The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) is seeking to fill the role of EDI Specialist (HRC4) within the Equity Division. This position will be responsible for providing strategic guidance, subject matter expertise, programming, facilitation, and community engagement strategies across the state to ensure the commission is accessible, welcoming, and inclusive of all people.
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 needed.
Travel:
Occasional travel may be required, which could be outside standard business hours or include overnight stays, to meet agency business needs.
Who We Are:
Our mission is to protect the people of Washington by ensuring that investor-owned utility and transportation services are safe, equitable, reliable, and fairly priced.
We protect consumers by regulating the rates, services, and practices of private or investor-owned utilities and transportation companies to ensure they are safe, equitable, reliable, and affordable.
The UTC is continually recognized for its excellence and integrity as a regulatory agency, as we challenge the status quo and ourselves to ensure equitable outcomes for our customers and the people of Washington State.
We recognize that our employees are the key to the agency’s success. We are committed to our work but value balance with our personal lives. We demonstrate our commitment to employees by providing an environment that stimulates professional growth, and offers continuing learning opportunities, meaningful work, and a comprehensive benefits package. For more information about our benefits or working at UTC, please visit our website.
What We Offer Our Employees:
Our Values:
UTC Leadership Principles:
Consistently reflect the commission’s values in how you behave, interact with others, and in the decisions you make. Among those, actively support the direction of the agency. Work cooperatively on issues and to find solutions that meet the needs of the whole commission, not just individual section needs. Communicate and carry out the decisions of the management team in a complete and timely manner.
Our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Competencies:
The Position:
Reporting to the Equity Director, supports the strategic planning and delivery of statewide Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) objectives. This includes contributing to the development and implementation of the UTC EDI strategic plan, equity frameworks, and programs that aligns with the agency’s vision, mission, and goals as well as manages the commission’s Pro-Equity Anti-Racism (PEAR) efforts.
What you’ll do:
Working closely with internal and external key partners, the incumbent will provide expert-level guidance and consultation on all aspects of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) objectives. Typical tasks will include advising the Equity Director in development and implementation of UTC EDI strategic plans and initiatives; partnering with the commission’s Human Resources Division on projects, consulting on tasks from an EDI lens to help remove unintentional barriers; developing and implementing strategies to promote language access across the commission; facilitating the translation of brochures, correspondence, technical and legal documents, law, regulations, policies and procedures, flyers, forms, letters, memoranda, and publications written in English into appropriate target languages; and working with agency leadership to embed EDI principals into services, policies, and division-level processes.
In addition, the EDI Specialist will help facilitate internal trainings, including developing curriculum and presentation materials, and supports both internal Employee Resource Groups, and the statewide Business Resource Groups.
Additional duties include, but aren’t limited to the following:
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Our ideal EDI Specialist shows expertise in the competencies below while also demonstrating through formal education, lived experience, military training, volunteer work, or a combination thereof working with systemically marginalized communities, including but not limited to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), 2SLGBTQ+ (2-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, and more), veterans, and people living with disabilities.
Change Management - Champion change to EDI policies and objectives, gaining buy-in from stakeholders and maintaining smooth transitions.
Communications - Use clear, engaging language in training materials and communicates effectively with diverse stakeholders to develop and promote language access across the commission.
Consultation and Advising - Offer practical, actionable advice to commission staff based on extensive knowledge of EDI best practices and legal compliance.
Data-Driven Decision Making - Interpret EDI data, integrate it into commission practices, and recommend evidence-based decisions to improve strategic outcomes
Program Development and Management - Knowledgeable with defining program objectives, resource planning, developing and implementing organizational structure, policies and procedures to meet stated outcomes.
Strategic Thinking - Analyze both immediate and long-term needs, ensuring EDI strategies and objectives align with the agency's mission, values, and future pro equity, anti-racism (PEAR) goals.
Self-Awareness and Commitment to Growth - Creates a culture of inclusion and belonging in the workplace, understanding how values and biases impact communication, working relationships, and the communities we serve.
The ideal candidate will also have experience facilitating training activities related to identity, oppression, and equity.
Demonstration of:
EDI Competencies (expected of all employees):
UTC Values (expected of all employees):
UTC Core Competencies (expected of all employees):
Accountability - With courage, we hold ourselves and each other accountable for exhibiting respect, professionalism, and integrity.
DEI Knowledge, Understanding, & Commitment - Ability to be exposed to, know, and understand the language and concepts of DEI and be committed to being part of creating, maintaining, and improving a diverse, equitable, respectful, and inclusive workplace.
Self-Awareness and Commitment to Growth – Engages in self-reflection, lifelong learning, and growth.
Cultivating Mutually Beneficial and Trusting Strategic Partnerships - Conducts themselves in a manner that builds trust, enhances work relationships, and meaningfully partner and engage with those they serve and serve with.
Inclusive Excellence & Allyship – Ability to demonstrate that all people are valued and engaged as members of the group, team, organization, or community through equitable, inclusive, and respectful behavior.
Measuring Success and Improvement – Ability to develop, implement, evaluate, and continually improve strategies that promote equity and inclusion in their organization and with the communities they serve.
Customer Focus – Responsive to both internal and external customers. Works with customers to identify needs; assumes responsibility for own role in meeting those needs. Ensures commitments to customers are met. Receptive to customer feedback.
Results Focus – Accepts personal accountability for individual results or share of team results. Manages workload and interpersonal relationships to achieve results: prioritizes tasks appropriately, overcomes obstacles, works with others as necessary, and meets deadlines and quality standards.
Communication Skills – Demonstrates communication skills (reading comprehension, writing, listening, speaking) appropriate to the position. Shows respect and courtesy in interpersonal communications.
Adaptability/Flexibility – Open to new ideas. Responds constructively to changing and stressful situations. In consultation with supervisor, adjusts plans to meet changing needs.
Self-Development – Demonstrates proactive learning. Keeps knowledge and skills up to date. Solicits and accepts constructive feedback. Seeks developmental assignments to improve skills. Turns challenges into learning opportunities.
Continuous Process Improvement – Utilizes Lean tools and principles to continuously identify improvements, solve problems, and improve work processes. Participates on process improvement projects/teams. Actively engages in section/division huddles and incorporates visual management into daily work.
Desired Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
*The institution can demonstrate accreditation recognized by either the US Dept. of Education, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), or a foreign equivalent.
READ THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION COMPLETELY:
How to Apply:
We strongly encourage you to apply if you are from a marginalized or underrepresented group, including but not limited to Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), individuals who identify as a part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, women, people living with disabilities, and neurodivergent individuals.
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 the UTC, 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 description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may just be the candidate needed for this or other roles.
Your application will only be considered complete if the following documents are submitted as attachments in addition to your applicant profile. Please note, see resume will not substitute for completing the "work experience" section of the application or supplemental questionnaire.
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.
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