Development Lead - Southwest Coastal Region - Internal

This position is open to current internal ESD employees only.

Initially this position will have a roving duty station with the potential for some hybrid work.

Travel may be required to offices in the Southwest Coastal Region.

The Southwest Coastal region consists of the following counties:
Thurston|Lewis|Mason|Grays Harbor|Pacific|Clark|Cowlitz|Wahkiakum

The ideal Employment Development Lead (Work Source Specialist
5) candidate is someone who excels in supporting program operations, guiding staff, and maintaining high-quality compliant service delivery.

They bring strong coordination skills, a steady, supportive presence and the ability to manage daily workflow while reinforcing consistent, equity-aligned practices across all service areas.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate confidence in staff development, performance monitoring, and continuous improvement, while remaining ready to provide direct service when needed. Most importantly, they embody our mission of expanding equitable access to workforce resources by helping people gain the skills, training, and support needed to secure meaningful employment and helping business connect with job-ready talent.

Workforce Services Division (WSD) is made up of three Lines of Business:
Work Source, Central Operations System Support, and Washington Service Corps (WSC). WSD administers the Labor Exchange (LEX), Migrant Seasonal Farm worker (MSFW), Veterans Services, Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA), and Work First programs for job seekers and employers in Washington and provides job seekers with referrals to partners providing Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA) adult, youth, and dislocated worker training and support services.

As an Employment Development Lead (WSS5), you will support the Work Source Southwest Coastal Region Supervisors in managing department programs and service delivery to achieve or surpass performance targets, helping to set measurable goals, expectations, and initiatives aligned with the agency’s mission, vision, and Work Source system priorities. Provide comprehensive, customer-focused employment and training services, and maintain accurate records and documentation in compliance with agency and program requirements.

• Plan, schedule, assign and direct daily work activities.
• Provide day-to-day guidance, coaching, mentoring, and technical assistance to staff.
• Support communication, implementation, and adherence to policy and procedural changes; contribute to staff readiness; reinforce expectations and established processes.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for support and issue resolution when supervisor is unavailable.
• Coordinate daily workflow, assignments, and coverage to ensure high-quality in-person and virtual service delivery and smooth operations.
• Apply and reinforce federal and state laws, regulations, policies and program requirements in daily service delivery and ensure staff follow established procedure. Maintain a thorough understanding of employment and training directives, expectation and performance standards; reinforce them through coaching, guidance and corrective support.
• Review and monitor staff work product to ensure it meets quality and performance expectations; provide ongoing feedback, appropriate training, tools and resources. Present performance findings, identify best practices and training needs, and recommend improvements to strengthen service quality and outcomes.
• Deliver comprehensive customer-centered employment and training services; job readiness & job search activities, labor market information, job matching & development, employment & service referrals, orientations and workshops, barrier resolution, coaching, outreach, case management and support services, follow-up activities.

• Option 1:
  
  One (1) year as a Work Source Specialist 4 within the Employment Security Department, or in an equivalent class with another state’s Employment Security agency.
• Option 2:
  
  Three (3) years of professional experience in workforce development, social or human resource services, public…